tHis book is entitled confessio amantie/ that is to say in english the confession of the lover maad and compiled by johan Gower squire borne in wales in the time of king richard the second which book treateth how he was confessed to Genyus' priest of venus upon the causes of love in his five wits and suum deadly sinews/ as in this said book all along appyereth/ and by cause there been comprised therein divers histories and fables touching every matter/ I have ordained a table here following of all such histories and fables where and in what book and leef they stand in as here after followeth   



first the prologue how johan golde● in the xuj year of king richard the second be●●n to make this book and directed to ha●●● of lancastre then earl of derby folio ij  
Of the state of the royalmes temporally the said year folio iij  
Of the state of the clergy the time of robert gyllonensis naming himself element then antipope folio iij  
Of the estate of the common people folio v  
How he treateth of the image that nabugodonosor save in his sleep having 〈…〉 d of 〈…〉/ a breast of silver/ a ●●●y of 〈…〉/ legs of iron/ and ●eet 〈…〉 & half earth folio uj  
Of the 〈…〉 tation of the dream/ and how the world was first of gold/ & after alway worse & worse folio uj   
Thus endeth the prologue   


Here beginneth the book ●  
And first the author nameth this book confessio amantis/ that is to say the shrift of the lover/ whereon all this book shall shel●e not only the love human/ but also of all living beasts naturally folio ix  
How cupido smote johan Gower with a fiery arrow and wounded him so that venus commised to him genyus her priest for to here his confession folio x  
How Genyus being set/ the loue● kneeling tofore him prayeth the said confessor to appose him in his confession folio xj  
The confession of the amant of two of the pryncipal●st of his five ●oyttes folio xi  
How atheon for looking upon Deane was turned in to an heart folio xj  
Of phor●eus and his three daughters which had but one eye/ & how phor●eus slel●e them folio xij  
How the serpent that beareth the charbune●e stoppeth his one ere with his tail and that other with the earth when he is ●nchaunted folio xij  
How ulyxes escaped fro the marma●dens by stopping of his ears folio xij  
How followeth that there been seven deadly sins/ of whom the first is pride having diverse spices/ and the first is hypocrisy/ ●●hos property the confessor declareth to the amant folio xiij  
Here treateth the confessor with the amant how some there be that deceive fraudulently by hypocrisy ●f●e Innocent women f●●●o xiv  
How a knight of Rome named must ●us by feigned hypocrisy defouled one ●aulyne the most chaste wife of rome by the mean of two false priests folio xiv  
How by ●●e colour of sacrifice the gree ●●s ●an ●r●ye in offering of an horse of ●ms/ by which the city was dest●●yed● and t●yn●● by tantes sley●e/ & ●●●e under feigned hypocrisy ●o xuj  
Here ●e telleth of the second spice of pride named inobedience/ & declareth the nature of this vice folio xvij  
●● two vices longing to inobedience which serve to him as secret mynys●●●/ and they been murmur and come 〈◊〉 folio xviij  
●● 〈◊〉 nephew to the Empereu● 〈◊〉 ●●● obedience deformed the kings 〈◊〉 of Secyle/ which 〈◊〉 her 〈◊〉 ●ad been transformed 〈◊〉 xviij  
Here ●e speaketh of the third spice of 〈◊〉/ which is surquidry and declareth it to the amant folio xxj  
Of the k●●yg●● Campaneus which was for his surquidry ●●ente by fire ●●m●ng fro heaven at the siege of thieves folio xxj  
Here he telleth an ensaunmple of a king of hungarye which humbled him to ●oure men/ whereof his ●●●der rebuked him/ and how the king by his marvelous wisdom chastised his ●●●der folio xxij  
How narasus after his hunting had great thirst/ and drank of a well wherein he saw his own face/ on which he enamoured weening it had been a nymph/ and how for his beauty ●e died folio twenty-three  
Here he speaketh of the fourth spice of pride named avantance/ and showeth the nature of this vice folio xxiv  
How albyne king of the lombards after he had slay gurmonde a king he maad a cup of the seulle of his heed/ and took Rosemunde his daughter in marriage/ and after he maad her for to drink of the cup maad of her faders skulle/ wherefore he was afterward slay folio xxiv  
Here the confessor speaketh of the fifth spice of pride which is called vain glory/ and showeth the nature of the vice in the cause of love to the amant folio xxuj  
How Nabugodonosor being in his most glory/ god ch●s●y●●d his pride and transformed him in to a bee●● ●●yng hay/ and so abode seven year or he was restored to his health and royalme folio x●●●●  
How a prudent king demanded three questions of one of his knights upon his heed/ which were assoiled by his daughter/ and for her wisdom the king wedded her folio xxviij   
Here endeth the first book   


And here followeth the second book  
Here the confessor ●e●●th of the sin of envy/ and of his spites of which the first is sorrow of another man's we'll folio xxxj  
How polyphemus for envy that he saw A●● speaking with galathe/ threw and cast on acis a great roche and slew him/ and when he would have ravished Galathe Neptunus kept her fro polyphem folio xxxj  
Of the second spice of envy which is joy of other men's sorrow/ and telleth of the nature of the vice in cause of love folio xxxij  
How jupiter sent his angel to two envious men one covetous and that other envious folio xxxij  
Of the third spice of envy named detraction folio xxxij  
How constance the daughter of the emperor was sent to the sultan of surrye and of her marvelous adventures folio xxxiij  
Of the envy and detraction between perseus and Demetryus sons of phelyp king of macedon/ and how that one caused that other to be slain folio xl  
Here treateth the confessor of the fourth spice of envy/ which is called dy● simulation and telleth his nature folio xlj  
How hercules with deyanyra was deceived of nessus at a river/ in bearing away Deyanyra/ and of the shirt by which hercul●●● after had his death folio xliij  
Here he treateth of the fifth spice of 〈◊〉 called supplantation and telleth of his nature folio xliiij  
Of geta and amphytrion folio xlv  
How an emperors son of rome was supp●● 〈◊〉 by his fellow/ of the sow dan● 〈◊〉 by telling to him his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 xlv  
How 〈◊〉 ●●pe boneface supplanted 〈◊〉 celestyn his predecessor wherefore afterward he was in great misery of hunger and thirst 〈◊〉 folio xlvij  
How joab capeteyn of the host of david slew abner/ and Achytofel for envy that he had that causy was preferred hinge himself folio xlix  
How the confessor writeth the nature of envy/ as well in love as after the property of the vice folio xli●  
How the virtue of charity is ageyns● envy/ and telleth of constantyn son of he lain should have be heeled of high leper by blood of children which he pardoned/ wherefore he was heeled b● miracle folio xlix   
Here endeth the second book   


And here beginneth the third book  
How the confessor treateth of the sin of ire/ and of his five spy●● of which the first is called malenc●● colye folio 〈◊〉  
How macharye son of king Aeolus gate his sister Canace with child wherefore her father judged her to d●●● folio ●●●  
How tyresyas for departing of two serpents engendering was transformed in to a woman folio liiij  
Here he treateth of the second spice of ire named chest or strife/ and telleth his nature and what harm come●● thereof folio liiij  
How patience is a virtue against vy●● and telleth how Socrates wife powded wa●●● upon hy● husbands ●●ed and how he suffered patiently folio lv  
Of a question between Iu●yter and juno/ whether a man or a woman were most b●●n●●ng in concupisbence and ordained ●yresyas to be judge folio luj  
How phoebus transformed the crow which was white/ in to black by cause she told her ladies council folio luj  
How jupiter cut of the tongue of ●aa●/ because she told that he lay by ●u●●●ne folio luj  
Of the third spice of ire named hate ● of his nature folio lvij  
How when palamedes was slay trai ●●●●slye of the siege of troyee/ Nam●●●● in his country made certain signs to deceive the ships of grece ●●myng homeward to avenge his ●o●●● de●●● folio lviij  
Of the fourth and fifth spices of 〈◊〉 which been cont●●● & homicide ● 〈◊〉 their nature how they keep not 〈◊〉 folio lviij  
How dyogynes sitiing in a ton answered alexandre folio lix  
Of ●●e history of ●●ramus and ●y● be and how each slew himself for love of each other folio lx  
Of the love of phe●●s that he had to daphne/ and how the ho●●er that he loved her the co●●●● she was folio lxij  
Of the vengeance of athemas and demephon in their country after they had returned fro troy/ & of the patience of king nestor folio lxij  
How clymes●●a by the council of egyste slew Agamenon slepyug in his bed/ and how his son hor●●stes took vengeance thereof folio lxiij  
Here he telleth against the moevers of war/ which is not only cause of homicide/ but desolation of all the world folio lxv  
How the greeks warrayed in every country that was rich and fertile/ but archade by cause it was barren & pour it abode in peace folio lxv  
Of a see rover taken in the see and brought to alysaundre/ which said if he were mighty as he was/ he should be called Turrian conqueror/ but for he stolen but ly●●l he was called a thief folio lxuj  
Of a bird having the visage of a man/ which when he hath slay by his pray a man/ and after seeth in the water that he hath slain one like himself/ anon he dieth for sorrow folio lxvij  
How achilles with Thelaphus fought against Tencer/ and when Tencer was cast down achilles would have slain him but thelaphus by his pity saved him folio lxvij   
Thus endeth the third book   


And here beginneth the fourth book  
Here the confessor speaketh of the syune of sloth and of his spices of which the first is latchesse & telleth his property folio lxviij  
How aeneas left Dydo bzhyan him at cartage/ and how she slew ●●r self folio lx●●  
How Penolope wrote an epistle to ulyxes to troy/ blamyng● him for his latches and long tarrying folio lxix  
How an astrologyens had made ●n ingenious work by the space of seven year And for latches of a moment lost it all folio lxx  
And also of the five foolish virgins for their latchesse entered not with the spouse in to wedding folio lxx  
Here he speaketh of puyssyllamyte & of his nature folio lxx  
How pygmaleon by his continual prayers caused an ivory image to wax quick and to have flesh and blood folio lxxj  
How king lygdus menaced his wife if she had a daughter it should be slain and how by the goddess y●●s she was transformed in to a man folio lxxj  
Of the vyde of forgetting and of his nature folio lxxij  
Of demophon and phillis/ and how phillis hinge herself for love folio lxxiij  
Of the vice of negligence and of his nature folio lxxiiij  
How phe●●n son of the son lad his faders cart & se●●● all the world a fire/ and fill in the sea and was drowned folio lxxv  
Of dedalus and y●harus his son how they fly●● in thayer/ and how ycharus for neclygen●e▪ was thrown to the ground folio lxxv  
Here telleth the confessor of that spice of sloth which is named idleness And showeth the nature▪ thereof folio lxxv  
How the daughter of the king of harmony me●●e on a time a company of the fairy/ and fond one following be●yng the halters of tother fo lxxuj  
How wept had avowed to make sacrifice to god the first that came to welcome him home/ and it was his daughter/ which desired to bewail her vy●●ynyte folio lxxviij  
How for the cause of love valyaunce of chivalry should not leave his exercise folio lxxviij  
Here allegeth the amant for his excusasyon how achilles for the love of polyxene left to do arms at troy folio lxxix  
How ulyxes was taken by the greeks for to go to troy/ where h● would fain have abiden with Pegasus his wife folio lxxx  
How prothesalaus setting his wives connseyl ● part had liefer die by honour at troy/ than tabide at home in idleness folio lxxx  
How king saul not wythstonding samuel and the phit●nysse which told him▪ he should be slain if he went to battle/ yet he preferred the same of chivalry folio lxxx  
How achilles was in his youth encouraged by chiro a centaur for to be hardy/ & bad hy● to take lions & such other beasts/ and spare them that fled fro him folio lxxxj  
How hercules conquered achelous for love of deyanyre folio lxxxj  
How pātasil●a queen of amozone came to troy for love of hector/ And in her person refused not to ●●re arms folio lxxxij  
How phylomenies for ●ame of chyval rye came to troy and gate yearly to have three maidens fro the royalme of Amozone folio lxxxij  
How aeneas overcame tur●us in battle/ by which he gate the love of lauyne/ & subdued the royalme of y●alye folio lxxxij  
How gentleness is preferred oft and what gentleness is folio lxxxij  
Of the diligence of our predecessors & their doctrine folio lxxxiij  
Of the three stones that the philosophers made/ that is to say ve●et● Anymal/ & myneral fo●●o lxxxiiij  
Here he tr●teth of somnolence/ which is chamberlain to s●outhe/ and telleth of his nature & property folio lxxxv  
Of the king Ceyx's king of trocynye and ●●ceon his wife/ & how for love Alceon leapt in to the see to her husband and how they were turned in to birds fo●●o lxxxuj  
How cerhalus by waking gate Auroram his love & desired the son & the moan to length their ●●●●rs folio lxxxviij  
How you was transformed in to a ●●w●/ & ●ut to the keeping of argus by ●uno/ but mercuryns brought him a sleep & slew him foli● lxxxix  
How yphies the son of Tencer loved a maid/ and cou●e not get her by prayers ne yefdes/ hang himself at his faders gate/ and the gods turned the maid therefore in to an hard s●one folio lxxxx   
Thus endeth the fourth book   


Here beginneth the fifth book  
Here intendeth the confessor to tread of coue●yse and avarice which is rote of all evils & of his spices folio lxxxx  
How myda king of frigye her●erowed Cillenum the priest of bachus/ wherefore bachus b●d him demand what 〈◊〉 would/ and he should have/ & vndyscrete●y he desired that all that he touched should be gold folio lxxxx●  
Of the vice of ●alousye which ene● hath suspecyo●n & without cause imagineth corruption folio lxxxxiij  
How vulcanus fond venus a bed with mars/ whereupon he called all the fellowship of gods to see them/ and they laughed him to scorn folio lxxxxiiij  
Of the false sects of god-den/ & how they began by the paynims/ and first of the sect of the caldees fo● lxxxxv  
The epistle of Dyndymus king of bragmans' scent to king Alysaunder folio lxxxxix  
Of the first culture in worshipping to idols folio lxxxxix  
Of the synagogue/ of the hebrews or ●ewes/ which failed when the church of crys●e began folio C  
Of christian faith in which is ineffabyly believed the complement of the mystery of the holy sacrament/ & fundament of our salvation folio C  
How thoas the high priest of the temple of minerve corrupt by gold turned his face ● side wytyngfy whiles Antenor took awey● the palladyum folio Cj  
Saint gregore saith when pe●re shall come with the jury/ Andrew with achaye/ Thomas with ynde/ & Paul with the gentiles/ what shall we now say● folio C j  
Here the confessor treadeth on the spice of aua●yce named ●ouetyse & showeth it to the amaunt in the cause of love folio C ij  
Of cra●●us the Emperor for covetise let overthrow the mirror of virgile in which the romans my●t see what hurt should come to them folio C ij  
Of 'em that serve in princes courts & grudge for their reward folio C iiij  
Of frederic th'emperor how he heard two ponre men striving/ one sayen●● that he may be well rich whom the king will/ & that other said who that god will shall be rich/ & to prove it the king made two pastyees f● C uj  
Here he treateth of the spice that is called false witness and perjury/ & the nature thereof folio C seven  
How the●ys clothed achilles her son in clothing of a maid/ and s●nt him to king lychomede where he lay with his daughter and gate her with child folio C viij  
How ●ason gate the golden flees and after falsed medea for love of crusa/ & forsook her and was forsworn folio C ix  
How medea made Aeson his father young again folio C xiij  
How the golden flees came first in to colchos folio C xv  
Here he treateth of the spice of Avarice called vsure and of his nature folio C xuj  
How juno avenged her on Ec●● for l●r bawdry folio C xvij  
Here he treadeth of the vice of scarceness which will not depart to god ne to man folio C xvij  
How eroceus large and lyberalle deceived babyon straight and avaricious of the love of viol by his large y●ftes folio C xviij  
Here he speaketh of the spice of avarice called ●ngra●ytude or unkindness which is in condition abominable folio C nineteen  
Of adryan senator which fell in a pit/ and how bardue pulled him out and also three beasts/ which beasts rewarded him/ & how the said adrian ●●●s vnkynd● folio C nineteen  
Of the unkindness of theseus to adrian which had saved his life/ & how he left her and ●oke phedra her sister folio C xxj  
Here he treateth of the spice of avarice named 〈◊〉 whose mother is extortion & of his nature folio Cxxiij  
Of proygne and phylomene suster● how they were deceived by Ter●us And of their transformation in to birds folio C twenty-three  
Here speaketh of the vice of avarice called theft folio C xxuj  
How neptuno would have oppressed a virgin walking by the see side And Pallas delivered her fro his hands folio C xxv●  
How jupiter in symplitude of a maid rauys●hed by theft the virginity of calistone and gate on her Archas folio C xxvij  
How phirynus the fairest young man of rome put out his own eyen by ●ause he would s●me abominable in the sight of women that desired him folio C xxviij  
How valentynyan the emperor had more joy that he had kept his virginity than of all the conquest that he had subdued to rome folio C xxviij  
Here he treateth of the vice called secre ●e theft or mycherye/ and his nature folio C xxix  
Of lenchotoe whom phoebus deflowered unwitting the mother/ wherefore her father did do bury her quick/ out of whose tomb groweth an ●●be called golds folio C thirty  
Of hercules and Eole/ and how that each of them wa●● others clothes/ and how fawnus came to hercules bed in stood of eole/ whom hercules threw to the ground folio C xxxj  
Here he treateth upon the last spice of coue●yse and is called sacrilege which is to steel holy things/ and in holy places folio C xxxij  
Here he telleth of three sacreleges/ one made anthiochus/ another nabuzarda● & the third nabugodonosor ●o C xxxij  
How paris of troy ravished out of the temple helen wife to king menelaus/ wherefore after all Croye was destroyed folio C xxxij  
Here he speaketh of the virtue of largesse which standeth between ly●e ra●●te & prodegalite folio C xxxv   
Thus endeth the fifth book   


And bear beginneth the sixth book  
Here the confessor tr●teth of the sin of ●l●tonye/ and telleth only of two his vices that is drunkship and delycacyr & of their nature folio C xxxuj  
How jupiter hath in his selere two ●unnes/ in the first of which is most sw●te liquor/ and the second is full of ●ytder fy●ur folio C xxxviij  
How at the re●u●s●● of bacchus when became fro a lutayle ●ut of the orryent and c●ude find no manner drink/ jupiter sent him a weather which with his food smote the greunde/ and there anon sprang a well folio C xxxviij  
Here he telleth how Trystram for the drink that brangweyn gave to him he was assured & drunken in the love of ●●le yso●de folio C thirty x  
How the centauri▪ when they were drunk wexed wood/ and in their woodness rau●sshed ●potacye fro pyro th●s her husband folio C xxxix  
How galba & vytellus were ●uged to doth/ & cheese for to be drunken when they should die t'eschew the more the pain of death folio C xxxix  
Here he treateth on the spice of gluttony called dellicacye folio C xlj  
Here he telleth the ensample of dives & lazare which is expressed in the gospel of luke folio C xlij  
Of the delicacy of new folio C xlij  
How the impressions imagined in the mind gladeth & maketh the hearts of lovers delicate folio C xliij  
Here he treateth how detycacye & drunkenness bringen a man to the promotion of carnal concupisbence/ and causen magic folio C xliiij  
The names of the auc●●nrs of the books of natural & superstitions magic & nygroman●ye folio C xliiij  
How v●xes a great magicyen coming fro troy ar●yued in the isle of Cylly where the great witch circes was/ on whom he gate a s●ne which afterward slew his father folio C xliiij  
How neet●nalus desc●●ued olympyas by his craft/ and gate on her Alysaunder the great conqueror fo C xlvij  
How Zoras●●s the fy●ste magycy●n laughed at his birth/ wh●m the king of syrye sl●we folio C l   
Thus endeth the sixth book   


And here beginneth the seventh book  
In this seven book th'author intendeth to tell the doctrine of arystotle which he taught to Alysaunder touchyng● astrology and phyl●sofye/ & divideth it in to thr● parties/ that is th●orik/ rhetoric & practic folio C lj  
Here he telleth first of theoryke/ which is endued with three sciences/ that is theology/ ffysyke/ and methama ● tike folio C lj  
Of threefold essence folio C lj  
The second part of theoric called 〈◊〉 physic folio Clj  
The third part of theoric called mathematyke folio C lj  
Of music folio lij  
Of geometry folio C lij  
Of the creation of the four elementis and of their natures and propyrtees folio C lij  
Of the earth that is the first element folio C lij  
Of the water which is the second element folio C lij  
Of the a●●r the iij element folio C lij  
Of the peryferyes of the aye● foe C lij  
Of the fires fleeing in the air by night & of their names folio C liij  
Of the fire which is the fourth element folio C liij  
How after the nature of the four elements been four complexions in mannes body/ which been melancholy fflewme/ blood/ & colere folio C liij  
How the four complexions have iiij mansions in man's body fo C li●ij  
Wherefore the stomach serveth foe C liiij  
Here he speaketh of the division of the earth which was departed after the flood to the three sons of Noah that is asye/ africa & europe folio C liiij  
How the see is called the ocean folio C lv  
Here he speaketh of the fourth spice of mathematyke/ which is called astronomy/ and his fellow is astro●●●●ye/ and of the seven planet's folio C liiij  
Here he speaketh of the moan the netherest planet folio C lv  
The ij is mercury folio C luj  
The third planet is called Venus' folio C luj  
The fourth planet is the son of his course & his apparel folio C luj  
The ●yfthe plane●e is mars foe C luj  
The sixth planet is jupiter fo●o C lvij  
The seven planets is Saturnus foe C lvij  
Of the twelve signs and effects in twelve months folio C lviij  
Of the doctrine of nectanabus that he taught to alysaundre of xv pryncypal stars with their stones & herbs convenient to the natural operation in art magic folio C lx  
Of thauctours of astronomy● and the books thereof made folio C lx●  
Hear the confessor speaketh of the second part of philosophy which is rhetoric and maketh men facounde/ and of his two spices that is grammar and logy●ue by whose doctrine the rethour preferreth his words folio C lxij  
Of the eloquence of julyus Cezar in the cause of catelyne against cyllene & other folio C lxij  
Hear h● treateth of the third part of phylosophy● which is called practic And hath three spices/ that is ethyca/ yconomya & polycya folio C lxiij  
How after polecat/ he treateth of five artycules by●ongyng to the rule of a king/ and the first is truth folio C lxiij  
How daryus demanded his cubyculers/ who was strongest/ the king/ the wine or the woman folio C lxiiij  
Of th● strength of love which was between Cyrus king of pierce & apemen daughter of besazies folio C lxiiij  
Of the truth of alceste wife of amete which chaas to dey● to have her husband to live folio C lxiiij  
Here he treateth of the second policy of the magestee of a king which is called largesse folio C lxv  
How arystotle made example to alysaundre by the exactions of the king of chaldees folio C lxuj  
How julyus cesar relieved such knights as were noble and valiant folio C lxuj  
How a king should reward and give by discretion folio C lxuj  
H●w the state of a king ought to be supported of his tre●●e lieges folio C lxvi  
How prodegalite of a king bringeth in common poverty folio C lxvi  
How flatterers in princes courts offend three manner wise folio C lxvii  
How arisippus' reproved dyogynes by cause he would not dwell in court and how dyogynes answered him folio C lxvii  
Here he pu●●eth an ensa●imple against flatterers/ and telleth what is said to such as take their triumph in rome folio C lxviii  
How when an emperor is jn●renony said in his estate/ a masen shall demand him of what stone he will have his tem●e made folio C lxviii  
Of some that make themself wise been feunde in th'end fools folio C lxix  
How king achab refused true prophets/ and believed slaterers folio C lxix  
Here he treateth of the third policy of a king/ which is called justice/ which ●●ndreth every man that he ought to have folio C lxx  
An emperors majesty ought not to be deffended enemy ●y arms/ but also ●y justice folio C lxx  
How maxymyn▪ the ●mpereur would know the fame of a man or he would set him in ●ny office folio C lxxi  
How gayus fabryaus refused yefts ●nd would not be corrupt for gold folio C lxxi  
How carmyde tayre for keeping of his statute sle●●e himself folio C lxxi  
How cambyses did do flee a false juge/ and made his son to fit on his faders skin to advise him how he juged folio C lxxii  
Of the names that first made laws folio C lxxii  
Here treateth the confessor of the fourth policy of a king/ which is named pity folio C lxxiii  
How king alysaunder juged a knight to death/ & he appealed his sentence fro his ire to his pity folio C lxxiii  
How a jew and a saresyn met/ & how the jewe deceived the paynim wherefore a lion slew him folio C lxxiiij  
How codrus king of athens chaas to be slay himself in the battle for to save his people folio C lxxv  
How pompeius after he had taken the king of armeny in battle ●●te him go quite/ saying it is more noble to make a king/ then to depose a king folio C lxxv  
How leoncyus ●ut of the nose & lips of justynyan/ and how it was after avenged folio C lxxv  
How one berillus maad a bull of brass for the pleasure of Syculus the king to torment men therein/ & ●e●llus was the first that was tormented therein folio C lxxv  
How dyonyse gave ●his gh●s●ys to ●e deveured and eaten of his horses/ and in sick wise hercules gave dyonyse to be eaten of the same horse's foe C lxxvi  
How lychaon gave man's flesh to be eaten/ wherefore he was transformed in to a wolf folio C lxxvi  
How a leon spareth men that lieth down prostrate folio C lxxvi  
How spertachus spared none/ but slew them that were overcome/ a●d in like wise after he was not spared but was drowned in blood folio C lxxvi  
Though a prince ought not be over cruel/ in like wise he ought not to be over pusillanymous ne ●ymereus folio C lxxvii  
How gedeon with three hundred men only overcame five kings with four score and ten thousand men folio C lxxviii  
How a king is bounden to slay by right his adversaries sometime/ as it showeth by Saul because he slew not agag/ he was put out of the kingdom of Israel and his heirs also folio C lxxix  
How david commanded to solomon to slay joab without any remission folio C lxxix  
How solomon axed wisdom of god for to rule his people and all other goods came to him with all folio C lxxix  
How lucyus the emperor axed of his secret counceyllours what men said of him and how they answered/ and what his fool said folio C lxxx  
How roboas by cause he did after his young council and refused the counsel of old men lost ten trybus of Israel atones folio C lxxx  
A question whether it is better to have a wise prince with evil council/ or a foolish prince with good council folio C lxxxi  
How antonyus by ensample of S●●pyon/ had liefer to save one of his own people/ than slay an hundred of his enemies folio C lxxxi  
Here treateth Arystotle of the fifth policy of a king/ which is named chastity/ & telleth what cleanness it observeth folio C lxxxi  
How sardanapallus became all feme nyn and left for the love of women the war/ wherefore he lost his roya me folio C lxxxii  
How david for the love of women left not the were ne the exerase of arms folio C lxxxii  
How Cyrus king of pierce could not overcome the lids/ but he dissimuled/ by which his enemies were dysused/ and after then suddenly he ran on them and vaynquys●hed them folio C lxxxiii  
How amelech sent wynmen to the he brews/ by whom he overcame them folio C lxxxiii  
How solomon for love of his coucubynes worshipped false god's folio C lxxxiii  
How achyas the prophet ●ut his man tell in to twelve parties/ and gave ten of them to jeroboas foe C lxxxiiii  
How arrows son of Tarquyne by fal●ehede deceived the gabyens and caused the town to be taken folio C lxxxiiii  
How the said ar●ous came to Rome and fraudulently oppressed Lucrece wife of collatyn wherefore she slew herself folio C lxxxvi  
How a knight vyrgyneus slow his own daughter by cause she should not lose her vyrgynyte folio C lxxxviii  
How●the seven husbands of Sarra were slay the first night of their marriage/ and how thobye was preserved by th'angel folio C lxxxix   
Thus endeth the seventh book   


Here beginneth the viii & last book  
Here telleth the confessor of them that in loves cause do on against nature as in their kindred and sybrede folio C lxxxx  
How calygula lay and ravished his own three sisters/ and afterward exiled them folio C lxxxxi  
How amon son of david ravished ●is sister thamar folio C lxxxxi  
How Loath after that his wife was turned in to a saltstone lay by his ●●o daughters/ and gate on them two s●nes/ one ●oab and that other amon folio C lxxxxi  
How king anthyochus defouled his daughter/ and of the problem that he ●ut forth to them that desired/ and of appellynus answer and his marvelous aduersyt●es/ and how it turned all well in th'end folio C lxxxxi  
How upon loves cause genyus the confessor enjoined after the confesson made to the amant though things which been meste wholesome and expedient folio CC iii  
Here speaketh he of the coniraversyes between the confessor and the amant folio CC iiii  
The form of a supplication of thamantes part●/ delivered by Genyus unto Venue folio CC iiii  
Here is showed how venus after the 〈◊〉 of the supplication of the lover without delay answereth to every thing folio CC v  
Here is showed how venus beholding ●e jn●●●mytce of the seek lover exhorted him by many e ensamples to le●e her court folio CC v  
How the amant was fallen deum as he had been deed/ and cupyde with a great multitude of l●uers came and beheld him folio CC vi  
Of the nam●s of them that tofore had loved/ somme young and some old of whom the old prayed specially to the god and goddess of love for him folio CC vi  
How venus ●●●●te out fro the amant the fiery crew/ and Venus took a cold ornement and anointed him/ and how he saw in a mirror his age and jnhaby●●te folio CC viii  
How venus ●ad him to pray for the peace/ and hang about his neck a pair of beads black as sable folio CC viii  
Here in the end he treateth that all love which is not in very charity is of no value/ for he that abideth in charity abideth 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 carment metra iuvante 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 johannes Gower presentem litellum conposuit et finaliter complevit/ quem streunuissimo domino suo. Domino Henrico De Lancastria tunc Derbie Comiti cum omni reverencia sp ●●ialiter destinavit/  
oF 'em that written us to fore/ The books duesbe & we therefore Ben taught of that was written thoo For thy good is that we also/ In our time among us here. Do write of new some matter  

Ensampled of the old wise  
So that it might in such a wise  
When we be deed and else where  
Believe to the worlds ere  
In time commend after this  
But for men sayn & s●the it is  
That who that all of wisdom write  
It dulleth oft a man's wit  
To him that shall it al●ay read  
For thilk cause if that ye read  
I will go the middle weigh  
And write a book between the twey  
Somewhat of lust/ & somewhat of lore  
That of the lass or of the more  
Some man may like of that I write  
And for that few men indite  
In our english for to make  
A book for englondes sake  
The year xuj of king Richard  
What shall befall here afterward  
God wot/ for now upon this tide  
Man see the world on every side  
In sundry wise so dyversed  
That it well nigh stant all reversed  
Als for to speak of time a go  
The cause why it changeth so  
It needeth nought to specify  
The thing so open is at the ●ye  
That every man it may behold  
And nevertheless by days old  
When that the books weren liefer  
Writing was beloved ever  
Of 'em that weren virtuous  
For here in earth among us  
I● noman write how it stood  
●he pries of 'em that were good  
Should as who saith a great party  
Be lost so for to magnify  
The worthy princes that tho were  
The books shown here & there  
Whereof the world ensampled is  
And though that dieden then ne amiss  
Though tyranny & cruelty  
Right us they standen in degree  
So wa● the writing of the work  
Thus I which am a borel clerk  
Purpose for to write a book  
After the world that whilom took  
Long time in old days passed  
But for men say it is now lassed  
In were plight than it was though  
● thenke for to touch also  
The world which neweth every day  
So as I can/ so as I may  
Though I sickness have upon hand  
And long have had yet will I fond  
To write & do my business  
That in some party so as I guess  
The wise man may be advised  
For this prologue is so assised  
That it to wisdom all belongeth  
That wise man that it underfongeth  
He shall draw in to remembrance  
The fortune of the worlds chance  
The which noman in his person  
May know but the god alone  
When the prologue is so dispended  
The book shall afterward be ended  
Of love which doth many a wondre  
And many a wise man hath put under  
And in this wise I think trele  
Toward them that now be great  
Between the virtue & the vice  
Which longeth unto this office  
But for my wits been to small  
To tell every man's tale  
This book upon amendment  
To stand at his commandment  
With whom mine heart is of accord  
I send unto mine own lord  
Which of lancastre is henry named  
The high god hath him proclaimed  
Full of knighthood & all grace  
So would I now this work embrace  
With hole trust & hole believe  
God grant I moat it well achieve   
t Empus preteritum presence fortuna beatum. Liquit & antiquas vertit in urbe 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 nova iura noius/ Climata que fuerant solidissima sic que per orbem/ Soluuntur nec eo centra quietis habent  
E statu regnoque ut dicunt secundnm temporalia/ videlicet tempore Regis Ricardi secundi/ Auno Regni sui Sextodecimo  
i Shall draw in to my mind▪ The time passed than I find/ The world stood in all his wealth though was the life of man in health/ To was plenty though was Ry chess/ though was fortune though was prowess/ though was knighthood in pries by name/ Whereof the wide worlds fame Write in chronicles is yet withhold justice of law though was hold  

The privilege of Regalye  
Was fast/ & all the barony  
Worshipped was in his estate▪  
The cities knew no debate  
The people stood in obeisance  
Under the rule of governance  
And peace with rightwiseness keste  
With charity though stood in rest  
Of man's heart the courage  
Was showed then in the visage  
The word was lyche to the conceit  
Wtthout semblant of deceit  
though was their unenuyed love  
though was virtue set above  
And vice was put under foot  
Now stant the crop under the rote  
The world is changed overall  
And thereof most in special  
That love is fall in to discord  
And that I take in to record  
Of every▪ land for his party  
The common voys▪ which may not lie  
Nought upon one but upon all  
Is that men now clepe & call  
And say that regnes been divided  
In stead of love is hate guided  
The were will no peace purchase  
And law hath take her double face  
So that justice out of the way  
With rightwiseness is gone away  
And thus to look on every half  
Men seen the sore without salve  
Which all the world hath overtake  
There is no reign of all out take  
For every climate hath his dyele  
After the torning of the wheel  
Which blyude fortune overthroweth  
Whereof the certain noman knoweth  
The heaven wot what is to done  
But we that duelle under the moan  
stand in this world upon a were  
And namely but the power  
Of 'em that been the worlds guides  
With good counsell on every sides  
Ben kept upright in such a wise  
That hate break nought thassise  
Of love which is all the chief  
To keep a reign out of mischief  
For all reason would this  
That unto him which the heved is  
The membres buxom shall bow  
And he should eke her troth allow  
With all his heart and make 'em cheer  
For good counseyl is good to here  
All though a man be wise himself  
Yet is the wisdom more of tivelue  
And if they stand both in one  
To both it were then anon  
That god his grace would send  
To make of thylk were an end  
Which every day now groweth new  
And that is greatly for to rue  
In special for Christ's sake  
Which would his own life forsake  
Among the men to yeven peace  
But now men tell nevertheless  
That love is from the world departed  
So stant the peace unevene parted  
With 'em that lyven now a days  
But for to look at all assays  
To him that would reason seche  
After the common worlds speech  
It is to wonder of thylk were  
In which none wot who hath that were  
For land himself deceiveth  
And of disease his part receiveth  
And yet take men no keep  
But thylk lord which all may keep  
To whom no counseyl may be hid  
Upon the world which is be tide  
amend that whereof men pleynen  
With true hearts & with pleyne  
And reconcile love again  
As he which is king sovereign  
Of all the worlds governance  
And of his high purucaunce  
Affirm peace between the lands/  
And take here cause in to his hands  
So that the world may stand appeased  
And his godbeede also be pleased   
Quas coluit moises vetus aut novus Ipse johannes/ Hesternas leges vix colit ista dies/ Sic prius ecclesia bina virtute rokta/ Nunc magis inculta p●llet utraque via/ Pacificam petri vagi nam mucro resumen/ Horruit ●●d x●i verba cruoris Iter/ Nunc tamen assiduo gladium de sangiune tinctum/ Vi●rat avaricia bege repent sacra/ Sic lupus ●●t pastor pater hostis mors miscrator/ Prede que largitor pax & in orb timor/  
d Estatu cleri ut dicunt secundum spiritualia/ videlicet tempore Ro ●●th Gilbonensis/ qui nomen clementis ●●●●tus est sibi tunc Antipape  

O think upon the days old  
The life of clerks to be hold.  
Men say how that they were though  
Ensample & 〈◊〉 wle of all though  
Which of wisdom the virtue soughten  
Unto the god first they bysoughten  
As to the substance of here school  
That they ne should not be fool  
Her wit upon none earthly works  
Which were again the estate of clerks  
And that they mighten flee the vice  
Which Simon hath in his office  
Wrerof he taketh gold in hand  
For thyke time I understand  
The lumbard made none exchange  
The bisshopryches for to change  
Ne yet a letter for to send  
For dignity ne for provende  
Or cured/ or without cure  
The church key in adventure  
Of arms & of brigantaylle  
Stood no thing then upon battle  
To fight or for to make chest  
Yet thought 'em then not honest  
But of simplicity and patience  
They maden then no defence  
The court of worldly regaille  
To hem was then no battle  
The vain honour is nought desired  
Which hath the proud heart fired  
The humility was tho withhold/  
And pride was a vice hold  
Of holy church the largesse/  
Yafe thenne & died great alms  
The pour men that had need  
They were eke chaste in word & deed  
Whereof the people ensample took  
Her lust was all upon the book  
Or for to preach or for to pray  
To wise men the right way  
Of such as stood the troth unlered  
Lo thus is petrus barge stired  
Of 'em that ilk time were  
And thus came first to man's ere  
The faith of christ & all good  
through hem that then were good  
And sober & chaste large & wise  
And now men said is other wise  
Simon the cause hath under take  
The worlds sword in hand is take  
And that is wonder nevertheless  
When christ himself hath bided peace  
And set it in his testament  
How now that holy church is went  
Of that her law posyzyf  
Hath set to make were & strife  
For worldly goods which may not  
last/ God wot the cause to the last  
Of every right & wrong also  
But while the law is ruled so  
That clerks to the were intend/  
I not how that they shall amend  
The woeful world in other things/  
To make peace between kings  
After the law of charity  
Which is the propre duty/  
Belonged unto the priesthood  
But as it thinketh to make manhood▪  
The heaven is for the world is nigh  
And vain glory is eke to sleygh  
Which covetise hath now withhold  
That they none other thing behold  
But only that they mighten win  
And thus the wars they begin  
Whereof the holy church is taxed  
That in the point as it is axed  
The dime goth to the battle  
As though christ might not avail  
To do 'em right by other way  
In to the sword the church kaye  
Is turned and the holy bede  
In to cursing and every stead  
Which should stand upon the faith  
And to this cause an ere layeth  
astoned is of the quarrel/  
That should be the worlds heel  
Is now men say the pestyle nce  
Which hath expelled patience  
Fro the clerge in special  
And that is showed overall/  
In every thing when they be grieved  
But if gregory be believed  
As it is in the books write  
He doth us somedeal to wete  
The cause of thilk prelacy  
Where god is nought of company  
For every work as it is founded  
Shall stand/ or else be confoundid  
Who that only for Christ's sake  
Desireth care for to take  
And nought for pride of thylk estate  
To bear a name of a prelate  
He shall by reason do profit  
In holy church upon the plight  
That he hath set his conscience  
But in the worlds reverence  
There be of such many glad  
When they to silk estate be made/  
Nought for the merit of the charge  
But for they would hem self discharge  
Of poverty & become great/  
And for pomp & for beyete  
The scribe & eke the pharysee  
Of moyses upon the see  
In the chair on high been set  
Whereof the faith is oft let  
Which is bytake 'em to keep  
In crystes▪ cause all day they sleep  
But of the world is nought foryete  
For weal is him that now may get  
office in court to be honoured  
The strong coffer hath all devoured  
Under the kaye of avarice  
The treasure of the benefice  
Whereof the pour shulne cloth  
And▪ eat & drink & house both  
The charity goth all vnknowe  
For they no greyne of pity know  
And sloth keepeth the library  
Which longeth to the sayntuarye  
To study upon the worlds lore  
sufficeth naught without more  
delicacy his sweet tooth  
Hath it suffered/ so that it fordoth  
Of abstinence all that there is  
And for to looken over this  
If ethna brenne in the clergy  
All openly to the man's eye  
At avignon they peryence  
Thereof hath given an evidence  
Of that men sayn hem so divided  
And yet the cause is nought decided/  
But it is said & ever shall  
between two stoles lieth the fall  
When that men weenen best to sit  
In holy church of such a flit  
Is for to rue unto us all  
God grant it moat well befall  
Towards him which hath the troth  
But oft is seen that much sloth  
When men been drink of the cup  
Doth moche harm when the fire is up  
But if somwho the flame staunch  
And so to speak upon this branch  
Which proud envy hath made to spring  
Of schism causeth for to bring  
This new sect of lollardye  
And also many an heresy  
Among the clerks in himself  
It were better dyke & delve  
And stand upon the right faith  
Than know all that the bible saith  
And err as some clerks do  
Upon an hand to were a shoe  
And set upon the foot a glove  
Acordeth not to the behove  
Of reasonable man's use  
If men bebelden the vertuse  
That christ in earth taught hyere  
They should not in such manner  
Among 'em that be hold wise  
The papacy so desguyse/  
Upon divers election  
Which stant after th'affection/  
Of sendry lands all about  
But when god will it shall weve out  
F●● truth moat stand at last  
But yet they argumenten fast  
Upon the pope & his estate  
Whereof they fallen in great debate  
This cl●rk said ye/ that other nay  
And this ●●ey drive forth the day  
And each of 'em himself amendeth  
●● worlds good but none intendeth  
To if at which common profit were  
They sayen that god is mighty there  
And shall ordain what he will  
There make they none other skill  
Where is the peril of the faith/  
But every clerk his heart leyth  
To keep his world in special  
And of the cause general  
Which unto holy church longeth  
Is none of 'em that underfongeth  
To shapen any resistance/  
And thus the right hath no defence/  
But there I love there I hold  
●o thus to broke is Cristes' fold  
Whereof the flock without guide  
Devoured is on every side  
In lak of 'em that be unware  
shepherds which her wits beware  
Upon the world in other half  
The sharp prick in stead of salve  
They usen now/ whereof the heel  
They hurt of that they should hele  
What sheep that is full of wulle  
Upon his back they toss & pull  
While there is any thing to pill  
And though there be none other skill  
But only for they would win  
They leave nought when they begin  
Upon her act to proceed  
Which is no good shepherds deed  
And upon this also men say  
That fro the lose/ which is plain  
In to the briars they forcatche  
Here of for that they wolden lache  
With such duresse and so bereave  
That shall upon the thorns leave  
Of wool which the briar hath tore  
Whereof the sheep been all to tore  
Of that the herds make 'em lose  
●o how they feign chalk for cheese  
For though they speak & teach well  
They done ●em self/ thereof no deal  
For if the wolf come in the weigh  
Here ghostly staff is then away  
Whereof they should here flok defend  
But if the pour sheep offend  
In any thing though it be light  
They been all▪ ready for to smite  
And thus how ever that they tale  
The strokes fall upon the small  
And upon other that been great  
Hempskirk lacketh heart for to beat  
So that under the clerks law  
Men seen the merel all mysdrawe  
I will not say in general  
For there be some in special  
In whom that all virtue dueleth  
And tho been as thappostel telleth  
Qiu vocatur a deo tanquam Aaron  
That god of his election  
Hath cleped to perfection  
In the manner as Aawn was  
They be nothing in thylk case  
Of Simon which the folds gate  
Hath let & goth in other gate  
But they gone in the right weigh  
There been also some as men say  
That followen Simon atte heel's  
whose cart goth upon wheels  
Of covetise & worlds pride  
And holy church goth beside  
Which showeth out ward a visage  
Of that is nought in the courage  
For if men look in holy church  
between the word & that they werche  
Theridamas is a full great difference  
They prechen us in audience  
That noman shall his soul impair  
For all is but a cherry feyre  
This worlds good so as they tell  
Also they fayen there is an hell  
Which unto man's sin is due  
And bidden us therefore eschew  
That wicked is/ and do the good  
Who that here words understood  
It thinketh they would do the same  
But yet between earnest and game  
Full offtime it turned other wise  
With holy tales they devise  
How merytory is thilk deed  
Of charity to cloth & feed  
The power folk & for to part  
The worlds good/ but they depart  
No thing nought/ for that they have  
Also they feyn good is to save  
With penance & with abstinence  
Of chastity the continence  
But plainly for to speak of that  
I not how that ilk body fat  
Which with that dainty meats keep  
And leyen it soft for to sleep  
When it hath else all his will  
With chastity shall stand still  
And nevertheless I can not say  
In aunter that I myssay  
Touchend of this▪ how ever it stand  
I here & will nought understand  
For thereof have I nought to done  
But he that made first the moan  
The high god of his goodness  
If there be cause he it redress  
But what as any man can accuse  
This may reason of truth excuse  
The vice of 'em that been ungood  
Is no repreef to the good  
For every man his own works  
Shall bear/ and thus as of the clerks  
The good men been to commend  
And all these other god amend  
For they be to the worlds eye  
The mirror of exemplary  
To reulen & taken heed  
Bet ween the men & the godbede   
Vulgaris populus regali lege subactus Dum jacet ut mitis digna subibit onus Si caput extollat & lex sua frena relax at/ Vbi sibi velle jubet rigridis Instar habet/ Ignis aqua dominans duo sunt pietate carentes/ Ira tamen plebis est violenta magis  
dEstatu plebis ut diaint secundum actidencia mutabilia  

nOw for to speak of that commune  
It is to dread of that fortune  
which hath bifalle in sundry lon des/  
But oft for default of bonds  
All sodenlyche or it be wist  
A tonue when his lie aryst  
To breaken & run all about  
Which endless should nought gone out  
And eke full oft a little scare  
Upon a bank or men be aware  
●ete in the stream which with great pain  
If every man it shall restrain  
where law faileth/ error groweth  
He is not wise who that ne troweth  
For it hath proved oft ere this  
And thus the common clamour is  
In every land where people dueleth  
And each in his complaint telleth  
How that the world is miswent  
And thereupon his judgement  
Yeveth every man in sundry wise  
But what man would himself advise  
His conscience & nought misuse  
He may well at the first excuse  
His god which ever stant in one  
In him there is default none  
So must it stand upon us ●elue  
Nought only upon ten ne twelve  
But plenerlyche upon us all  
For men is cause that shall befall   
Nota contra hoc qd aliq●a sortem fortune aliqui influenciam planetarum penunt per quod ut dicitur reru●● eventus necessario contingit/ Sed pocius di cendum est/ qd ea que nos pros●er● 〈◊〉 adversa in hoc mundo vocamus/ secundum merita et demerita hominum digno der judicio proveniunt  

aNd nevertheless some men write  
And say fortune is to wite/  
And some men hold opinion.  
That it is constellation/  
Which causeth all that a man doth  
God w●te of both which is sooth/  
The world as of his proper kind  
Was ever untrue & as the blind  
Inproperlyche he deemeth fame  
He blameth that is nought to blame  
And preyfeth that is nought to praise  
Thus when he shall the things poise  
There is deceit in his balance  
And all is that the variance  
Of us that should us better advice  
For after that we fall & rise  
The world aresteth and falleth with all  
So that the man is over all  
His own cause of weal & woe  
That we fortune clepe so▪  
Out of the man himself it groweth  
And who that otherwise troweth/  
Behold the people of Israel/  
For ever while they dieden well  
Fortune was 'em debonair  
And when they dieden the contrary  
Fortune was contraryende  
So it proveth weal at the end/  
Why that the world is wonderful  
And may no while stand full/  
Though that it seem well beseen/  
For every worlds thing is vain  
And ever goth the wheel about/  
And ever stant a man in doubt/  
Fortune stant no while still  
So hath there no man his will  
Als far as any man may know  
There lasteth no thing but a throw   
Boecius O qm dul●edo human vite multa amaritudine aspersa est  

He world stamnt ever upon debate  
So may be siker none estate/  
Now here now there▪ now to & fro  
Now up now down the world goth so  
And ever hath done & ever shall  
Whereof I find in special  
A tale written in the bible  
Which must needs be credible  
And that as in conclusion/  
saith that upon division  
Stant/ why no worlds thing may last/  
Till it be drive to the last  
And fro the first regne of all  
In to this day how so befall  
Of that the regnes be movable  
The man himself hath be culpable  
Which of his governance/  
Fortuneth all the worlds chance   
Prosper & adversus obliquo tramite versus/ Inmundus mundꝰ decepit oen genus/ Mundus in eventu versatur ut alea casu. Quā●eler in ludis iactat avara manus. Sicut ymago biri variantur tempora mundi/ Statque nichil firmum preter amare deum  
hIc in Pro●ogo tractat de statue illa quam Rex Nabugodonosor viderat in sumpnis cuius caput aureum pectus argenteum/ venture eneus/ tibe● ferree. pedum vero quedam pars ferrea quedam fictilis videbatur/ sub qua men brorum diversitate secundum Danielis exposicionem huius mundi variacio fi gurabatur  

tHe high almighty purveyance  
In whose eterne remembrance  
From first was every thing present/  
He hath his prophecy sent  
In such a wise as thou shalt here  
To danyel of this matter  
How that this world shall torn & wend  
Till it befall unto his end  
Whereof the tale tell I shall  
In which is bytokned all   

aS Nabugodonosce slept  
A sweven he took which he kept  
Till on the morrow he was arise  
For thereof he was sore agryse  
Till danyel his dream he told  
And prayed him fair that he would  
A reed what it token may  
And said a bed where I lay  
Me thought I sigh upon a stage  
Where stood a wonder strange image  
His heed with all the neck also  
They were of fine gold both two  
His breast his shoulders & his arms  
Were all of silver/ but tharmes  
The womb & all down to the knee  
Of brass they were upon to see  
His legs they were made all of steel  
So were his feet also somedeal  
And somdele part to hem was take  
Of earth which men might pots make  
The feeble menged▪ was with the strong  
So might it not stand long   
hIc narrat vlterius de quodam lapide grandi ● ut in dicto sompnio videbatur ab excelso monte super statuam corruens ipsam quasi in nichilum penitus contrivit  

aNd than me thought that I sigh  
A great stone from an hill an high/  
fill down of sudden anenture  
Upon the feet of this figure  
With which stone all to broke was  
Gold silver earth styel & bras  
That was in to powder brought  
And s●●forth turned in to nought   
hIc loquitur de interpretacione sompnij. & ●mo dicit de significacione capitis aurei  

tHis was the sweven which he had/  
That Danyel anon be rad  
And saide him that figure strange  
Betokeneth how the world shall change  
And wax lass worth & lass  
Till it to nought all over pass  
The neck & heed that weren gold  
He said how that betoken should  
A worthy world a noble a rich  
To which none after shall be lyche   

De pectore argenteo  

oF silver that was over forth  
Shall been a world of la●se worth    

De bentre eneo  

aNd after that the womb of bras  
Token of a were world it was  
The which steel he saw afterward  
A world betokeneth more hard    

De tibeiss ferreiss  

but yet the wert of every deal  
Is last/ that when of earth & steel  
He saw the feet departed so  
For that betokeneth moche woe   
De significacione pedum/ que ex duabus materijs disco●dantibus adinui●em divisi extiterunt  
when that the world divided is It moat algate fare amiss for earth which menet is with steel/ To gydre may not last w●ell But that one that other waste So mo●e it needs fall at the last  
De lapide statue confringente  

tHe ston which from the hully stage  
He saw done fall on the image  
And bathe it in to powder broke  
That suevene hath danyel unloke  
And said that it is gods might  
Which when men ween most upright  
To stand shall hem over cast  
And that is of this world the last  
And than a new shall begin  
From which a man shall never twin  
Or all to pain or all to peace  
That world shall last endless   
h●● scribit qualiter huius seculi regna var●s mutacionibus prout in dicta statua figurabatur secundum temp●●●m distinctioens sensibiliter hat●●●● di●●nuuntur  

●O thus exponed Danyel  
The kings sueven fair & well  
In Babyloyne the city  
Where that the wisest of chaldee  
N●●●uden wite what it mente  
But he told all the hool intent  
As in party it is befall  
Of gold the first regne of all   
De seculo aureo quod in capite statue designatum est a tempore ipsius Nabugodonosor regis Caldee usque in Regnum Ci● regis persarum  

wAs in the kings time tho  
And last many days so  
There whiles that the monarchy  
Of all the world in that party  
To Babyloyne was subject  
And held him still in such a plight  
Till that the world began diverse  
And that was when the king of pierce  
Which Cyrus hight again the peace  
Forth with his sone cambyses  
Of Babyloyne all that Empire  
Right as they would hem self desire  
Put under in subjection  
And took it in possession  
And slain was balthasar the king  
Which lost his reign & all his thing   
De seculo argenteo quod in pectore designatum est a tempore ipsius regis Ciri usque in reg●um Allexandri Regis Macedon  

aNd thus when they had it won  
The world of silver was begined  
And that of gold was passed out  
And in this wise it goth about  
In to the reign of Darius  
And than it fell to pierce thus  
There Alysander put 'em under  
Which wrought of ar●es many a wonder/  
So that the monarchy left  
With g●eces & here estate up left  
And Persiens' gone under foot  
So suffer they that needs moat   
De seculo en●o quod in ventre desig natum est a tempore ipsiue Allexandri usque in regnum julij Romanorum Imperatoris/  

aNd though the world began of brus  
And that of silver ended was  
But for the time thus it last  
Till it befall that at the last  
This king when that his day was  
come/ with strength of death was overcome/  
And nevertheless yet or he died  
He shope hi● reign to divide  
To knights/ which him had served  
And after that they have deserved  
gave the conquests that he won▪  
Whereof great were though began  
Among 'em that the regnes had  
thorough proud ennye/ which hem lad  
Till it bifell again 'em thus  
The noble Cezar Inlius  
Which though was king of Rome ●ond  
With great battle & strong hand  
Al Grece/ pierce/ & Chaldee  
Wan▪ & put under so that he  
Not all only of th'orient  
But all the march of thoccydent  
Governeth under his Empire  
As he that was lord & Sire  
And held thorough his chivalry  
Of all the world the monarchy  
And was the first of that honour  
Which taketh name of the Emperor   
De seculo ferreo quod in tibeiss de signatum est a tempore julij Cesaris usque in Regnum Caros● magni Regis Fran●orum  

wHere Rome than would assaylle  
There might no thing contreua●●●e  
But every country must obey  
though goth the reign of brass away  
And comen is the world of steel  
And stood above upon the whel●  
As steel is hardest in his kind  
Above all other that men find  
Of metals such was Rome though  
The mightiest & last so  
Long time among the romans  
Till they become so vyleyns  
That the false emperor lo  
With constance his sone also  
The pat●mon●● & the richesse  
Which to Sylvester in pure Alms  
The first Constantinus left  
Fro holy church they be refte  
But Adryan which pope was  
And saw the mischief of this case  
Goth in to France for to plain  
And prayeth the great Char●emayne  
For Crystes sake & soul hel●  
That he would take the quarrel  
Of holy church in his defence  
And Charles for the reverence  
Of god/ the cause hath undertake  
And with his host the way take  
Over the Mounts of lombardy  
Of Rome & all the Tyranny  
With bbody sword he overcome  
And the strength of the city nome  
In such a wise & there he wrought  
That holy church again he brought  
In to, franchise & d●thr restore  
The pope's lust & give him more  
And thus when he his god hath served/  
He took as he hath well deserved  
The diadem & was ●orouned  
Of Rome/ & thus was abandouned/  
th'empire which came never again  
In to the hon● of no roman  
But a long time it stood still  
Under the Frens●he kings will  
Till that fortune her wheel so lad  
That afterward the lombards it had  
Nought by the sword. but by the sufferance  
Of him that was king of France  
Which Carl Caluu● cleped was  
And resigned in this case  
th'empire of Rome unto Louis  
His Cousin which a lumbard is  
And so it last in to the year  
Of Albert & of Berenger   
De seculo nou●ssimis iam temporibus ad similitudinem pedum in discordiam lapso et diviso quod post decessum ipsius Caroli cum Imperium Roma norum in manus Longobardorum ꝑuenerat tempore Alberti & Berengarij incepit/ Name ob eorum divisionem contingit ut Almani Imperatoriam adepti sunt Magestatem/ in cuius so●●um quenda in principem Theonicum Otho nem nomine sublimari prin●tus constituerunt/  

but than vp●n dissension  
They fell & in division  
Among hem self that were great.  
So that they lost the beyete  
Of worship & of worlds peace  
But m proverb nevertheless  
Men sayne▪ full seld is that wealth  
Can suffer his own estate in health  
And that was in the lombards seen  
Such common strife was 'em bytween  
Through covetise & thorough ennye  
That every man drough his party  
Which might lead any rout  
Within Burgh and eke without  
The comen right hath no feloowe  
So that the governance of law  
Was l●st & for necessity  
Of that they stood m such degree  
All only through division  
Hempskirk needeth in conclusion  
Of strange lands help beside  
And thus for they hem self divide  
And standen out of re●le uneven  
Of Almaigne Princes seven  
●●● chosen m this condition  
That upon her election  
th'empire of Rome should stoned  
And thus they left it out of hand  
For lak of grace and it forsook  
That almains upon 'em took  
And to confermen here estate  
Of that they stoden in debate  
They took it the possession  
After the composition  
Among hem self and thereupon  
They made an Emperor & that anon  
whose name the chronicle telleth  
Wae Othee/ and so for●● it dueleth  
For fro thylk day yet unto this  
th'empire of Rome hath be & is  
To thalamen & in this wise  
As to fore ye have herd devise  
How Danyel the sweven expoundeth  
Of that image whom he foundeth  
The world which afterward should fall  
Comen is the last token of all  
Upon the feet of earth & steel  
So stant the world now every deal  
Departed which began right though  
When Rome was divided so●  
And that is for to rue sore  
For alway sith more & more  
The world empeyreth every day  
Whereof the sooth she we may  
At Rome if we begin  
The wall & the city withynne  
Stand m ruin & in decaas  
The field is where the palace was  
The ton is waste & over that  
If we behold thilk estate  
Which whilom was of the romans  
Of knighthood & of Cytezeyne  
To poise now with that before  
The chaff is t●ke from the corn  
And for to speak of Rome's might  
Vnnethes' stant theridamas ought upright  
Of worship or of worlds good  
As it before time stood  
And why the worship is away  
If that a man the sooth say  
The cause hath been division  
Which mother of confusion  
Is where she cometh overall  
Nought only of the temporal  
But of the spiritual also  
The deed proveth it ie so  
And hath do many a day or this  
thorough venom which that meddled is  
In holy church of earthly thing  
For Cryst himself maketh knowledging/  
That noman may together serve  
God & the world but he swerver  
Froward that one & stand unstable  
And Crystes word may not be fall  
The thing so open is at the eye  
It needeth nought to specify  
Or speak aught more in this matter  
And in this wise a man may tear  
How that the world is gone about  
The which well nigh is wered out  
After the form of that figure  
Which danyel in his scupture  
exponed as tofore is told  
Of brass of silver & of gold▪  
The world is passed & a gone  
And now upon his old tone  
It stant of brutel earth & steel  
The which accordene never a deal  
So moat it needs swerver a side  
A thing which men seen divide   
Hic dicit secundum aplmm qd nos sumus In quos fines seculi devenerunt▪  

tHappostel writeth unto us all.  
And saith that upon us is fall.  
th'end of the world so may we know/  
This image is nigh overthrow  
By which this world was signified  
That whysome so was magnified  
And now is old feeble & vile  
Full of mischief & of peril  
And stant divided eke also  
Lyche to the feet that were so  
As I told of the statue above  
And thus men say for lak of love  
Where as the land divided is  
It more algace far amiss  
And now to look on every side  
A man may see the world divide  
The wars ●en-so general  
Among the Crystene overall  
That every man now secheth wretch  
And yet these clerks alday preach  
And say good deeds may none be  
Which stant nought upon charity  
I not how charity should stand  
Where deadly were is taken on hand  
But all this woe is cause of man  
The which that wit & reason can  
And in tokne & in witness  
That each image bare lykensse  
Of man & none other beast  
from first unto the man's hest  
Was every creature ordained  
But afterward & was restrained  
When that he fell they fellen eke  
When he was seek they wexen seek  
For as the man hath passion/  
Of sickness in comparison  
So suffryn other creatures  
Lo first the heavenly figures   
hIc scribit quod ex divisionis passione singula creata detrimentum corruptibile paciuntur  

tHe son & the moan eclypsen to thee/  
And been with man's sin wroth  
The purest eyre for sin aloft/  
Hath be & is corrupt full oft/  
Right now the high winds blow.  
And anon after they been low  
Now cloudy and now clear it is  
So may it well proven by this  
A man's sin is for to hate  
Which maketh the welkin to debate  
And for to see the property  
Of every thing m his degree  
beneath here among us here  
All stant a lyche in this matter  
The see now ebbeth & now it floweth  
The land now welketh & now groweth  
Now the trees▪ with leaves green  
Now they be bare & nothing seen  
Now be there lusty summer flowers  
Now be there stormy winter showers  
Now be the days, now be the nights  
So stant there no thing upryghtes  
Now is it light now is it dark  
And thus stant all the worlds work  
After the disposition  
Of man & his condition  
For thy Gregory in his, moral  
saith that a man in special  
The lass world is properly  
And that he proveth readily  
For a man of soul reasonable  
Is to an Angel resemblable  
And lyche to best he hath feeling  
And lyche to trees he hath growing  
The stones been & so is he  
Thus of his proper quality  
The man as telleth the clergy  
Is a world in his party  
And when this world mystorneth  
The a rete world all overturneth  
The land the set the firmament  
They axen all judgement  
Ayene the man & make him war  
There while him stant all out of heart  
The remnant would nought accord  
And in this wise as I record  
The man is cause of all woe  
Why this world is divided so  
division the gospel saith  
One house upon an other laych  
Till that the Reign overthrow  
And thus many a man doth know  
Dynysyon above all  
Is thing which maketh the world  
●alle▪ And ever hath sith it began  
It may first prove upon a man   
Quod ex sue complexionis mate 〈◊〉 divisus homo mortalis existat  

tHe which for his complexion  
Is made upon division  
Of cold hot moist & dry  
He moat by verray kind die  
For the contrary of his estate  
Stant evermore in such debate  
Till that a part be overcome  
There may no final peace be nome  
But otherwise if a man were  
Made all together of one matter  
Without jnteruption  
There should no corruption  
Engen dyr upon that unity  
But for theridamas is diversity  
Within himself he may not last  
That he ne dieth at the last  
But in a man yet over this  
Full great division there is  
thorough which that he is ever in strif  
While that him last any life   
Quod homo ex corporis & anime condicione divisus sicut saluacionis ita dampnacionis aptitudinem ingredituz  

tHe body & the soul also  
Among hem been divided so  
That what thing that the body hateth  
The soul loveth & debateth  
But nevertheless full oft is seen  
Of were which is 'em between  
The feeble bath the victory  
And who so draweth in to memory   
Qualiter Adam a statu innocen cie divisus a Paradiso voluptatis in terram laboris peccator proiectus est  

wHat hath befall of old & new  
He may that werre●sore rue  
Which first bygan in paradies  
For there was proved what it is  
And disease there is wrought  
For thilk were tho forth brought  
The vice of all deadly sin  
thorough which division came in   
Qualiter populi per universum orbem a cultura dei divisi Noe cum sua sequela duntaxat exceptis dilu●io interierunt  

among the men in earth here  
And was the cause & the matter  
Why god the great floods send  
Of all the world & made an end  
But Noah with his felauship  
Which only was safe by ship  
And over that thorough sin it come  
That Nembroth sith th'empire nome   
Qualiter in edificacione Turris Babilonis quam in dei contemptum Nembroth erexit lingua prius hebreica in varias linguas celica vindicta di videbatur  

when the tour babylon height  
let make as he that would fight  
Ayene the high gods might  
Whereof divided anon right  
Was the language in such eutent  
There wist none what other meant  
So that they might nought proceed  
And thus it stant of every deed  
Where sin taketh the caas on hand  
It may upright not long stand  
For sin of her condition  
Is mother of all division   
Qualiter mundus qui in statu divisionis quali cotidianis presenti tempore vexatur flagellis a lapide superuenien te id est a divina potencia usque ad resolucionem omnis carnis subito contere tur  

aNd tokne when the world shall fail/  
For so saith christ without ●nyle.  
That nigh the worlds end  
Pees & accord a weigh shall wend  
And all charity shall cease  
Among the men & hate increase  
And when these tokens fall  
All suddenly the stone shall fall  
As Danyel it hath byknowe  
Which all this world shall overthrow  
And every man shall than arise  
To joy or else to ivise  
Where that he shall for ever duelle  
Or strait to heaven or strait to hell  
In heaven is peace & all accord  
But hell is full of such discord  
That there may be no love day  
For thy good is while a man may  
eachone to set peace with other  
And loven as his own brother  
So may he win worlds wealth  
And afterward his soul health   
hIc narrat exemplum de concordia et unitate inter homines pro vocanda/ Et dicit quida in Arion uu● Citharista ex sui cantus Cithare que consonam melodian tante virtutis extiterat ut ipsum non solum virtum cum viro Sed eciam Leonem cum Cerua. Lupun cum agno/ Canem cum lepore jpsum audientes unanimiter absque ulla discor dia ad invicem pacificavit  

bUt would god that now were one  
Another such as Aryone  
Which had an●harp of such temp●ire  
And thereto of so good measure  
He song that the beasts wild  
Made of his note tame & mild  
The hind in peace with the lion  
The wolf in peace with the Moto●  
The hare in peace stood with the hound  
And every man upon this ground  
Which Aryon that time heard  
As well the lord as the shepherd  
He brought 'em all in good accord  
So that the Common with the lord  
And lord with the Common also  
He set in love both two  
And put a weigh melancholy  
That was a lusty melody  
When every man with other louz  
And if there were such one now  
Which could harp as he died  
He might avail in many a stead  
To make peace where now is hate  
For when men thinken to debate  
I not what other thing is good  
But where that wisdom wa●eth wood  
And reason turned in to rage's  
So that measure upon outrage  
Hath set his world it is to dread  
For that bringeth in the common dread  
Which stant at every man's door  
But when the sharpness of the spore  
The ●hors side smiteth to sore  
It grieveth oft & now no more  
As for to speak of this matter  
Which none but only god may steer  
So were it good at this tide  
That every man upon his side  
Besought & prayed for the peace  
Which is the cause of all increases  
Of worship & of worlds wealth  
Of hearts rest & soul's health  
Without peace stand nothing good  
For thy to cryst which shed his blood  
For peace byseketh all 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 dives 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 suave malum  
〈…〉 in ●rologo tractatum bat●●nus existit qualiter hodierne condicionis divisio cari●●●s dis●ctionem superavit/ 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 stretch unto the heaven/  
mine hon & set all in even/  
This world which is ever in balance/  
It stant not in my suffisance/  
So great things to compass  
But I moat let it over pass  
And treten upon other things  
For thy the style of my writings  
Fro this day forth I think change  
And speak of thing is not so strange  
Which every kind hath upon hand  
And thereupon the world mote stand  
And hath done sith it began  
And shall while there is any man  
And that is love of which I mean  
To treat as after shall be seen  
In which there can noman him reule  
For laws love is out of reule  
That of to moche or of to light  
Well nigh is every man to wite  
And nevertheless there is no man  
In all this world so wise that can  
Of love temper the measure  
But as it falleth in adventure  
For wit ne strength may not help  
And which else would he him yelp  
Is rathest thrown under foot  
There can no wight thereof do boat  
For yet was never such covin  
That couth ordain a medicine  
To thing which god in law of kind  
Hath set/ for there may noman find  
The right salve for such a sore  
It hath & shall be evermore  
That love is master where he will  
There can no life make other skill  
For where as ever him list to set  
There is no might which may him  
let/ But what shall fallen at the last  
They can no wisdom cast  
But as it falleth upon chance  
For if there ever was in balance  
Which of fortune was gonerued  
I may well leave as▪ I am learned  
That love hath that balance on hand  
Which will no reason understand  
For love is blind & may not see  
For thy may no certeynte  
Beset upon his judgement  
But as the wheel about went  
He giveth his grace's undeserved  
And fro the man which hath him served  
Full oft a weigh he hath taken his fees  
As he that playeth at the dies  
And thereupon what shall befall  
He not till that the chance fall  
Where he shall lose or he shall win  
And thus full oft men begin  
That if they wisten what it meant  
They would change all her judgement   
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 prove it is so  
I am myself one of though  
Which to the school am underfang  
For it is sooth go not long  
As for to speak of this matter  
I may you tell if ye will here  
A wonder hap which me befell  
That was to me both hard & fell  
Touchend of love & his fortune  
The which me liketh to commune  
And plainly for to tell out  
To hem that lovers be about  
from point to point I will declare  
And written of my woeful care  
My wofnl day my woeful chance  
That men may take remembrance  
Of that they shall here after read  
For in good faith this would I read  
That every man ensample take  
Of wisdom which is him bytake  
That he wot of good apprise  
To teach it forth/ for such emprise  
Is for to praise & therefore I  
Will write & show all openly  
How love & I to gedre met  
Whereof the world ensample fet  
May after this when I am go  
Of thilk unsilly iolyf woe  
Where r●ule stant out of the weigh  
Now glad & now gladness away  
And yet it may not be withstand  
For aught that men may understand   
Non ego sampsonis vires non he●ulis arma. ●inco sum sed ut hij victus amore pari/ ●t discant alij docet experiencia facti/ Rebus in ambiguis que sunt hennda via/ Devius orde ducit temp tata pericula sequentem/ Instruit a tergo me simul ille cadat/ Me quibus ere go venus' casus laqucavit amantem Orbis in exemplum scribere cendo pal●  
hIc declarat materiam dicens qualiter Cupido ignito iaculo sui cordis memoriam gravi ulcere perforavit qd Genius percipiens jpsum ut dicit quasi in mortis articulo spasmatum ad confitendum se Genio sacerdoti super amoris causa sic semiviwm speciali ter commendavit  

upon the point that is befall  
Of love in which that j am fall  
I think tell my matter  
Now herkne who that will it here  
Of my fortune how it hath feared  
This endyrday as j forth feared  
To walk as you tell may  
And that was in the month of may  
When every ●ryd hath chose his make  
And thenketh his mirths for to make  
Of love that he hath achieved  
But so was I nothing relieved  
For I was further fro my love  
Than earth is from the heaven above  
And for to speak of any speed  
So wist I me none other rede  
But as it were a man for far  
●nto the wood I 'gan to far  
Not for to sing with the birds  
For when j was the wood amids  
I fond a soot green pleyne  
And I 'gan my woe there complain  
wishing & weeping all mine one  
For other mirths made I none  
So hard me was that ilk throw  
That oft scythes overthrow  
To ground I was without breath  
And ever I wished after death  
When I out of my pain awoke  
And cast up many a piteous look  
Unto the heaven & said thus  
O thou cupid/ O thou venus  
Thou god of love & thou goddess  
Where is pity where is meekness  
Now doth me plainly live or die  
For certes such a malady  
As I now have & long have had  
It might make a wise man mad  
If that it should long endure  
O venus queen of loves cure  
Thou life thou lust thou man's hele  
Behold my cause & my quarelle  
And give me sompart of thy grace  
So that I may find in this place  
If thou be gracious or none  
And with that word I saw anon  
The king of love & the queen both  
But he that king with eyen wroth  
His cheer aweyward fro me cast  
And forth he passed at the last  
But nevertheless or he forth went  
A fiery dart me thought he sent  
And threw it thorough mine heart rote  
In him fond I none other boat  
For benger him list no● to duelle  
But she which is the source & well  
Of weal & woe that shall betide  
To 'em that loven at that tide  
Abode for to allen here  
She cast on me voo goodly cheer  
Thus nevertheless to me she said  
What art thou soon & I abraid  
Right as a man doth out of sleep  
And thereof she took right good keep  
And bad me●nothyng be adread  
But for all that I was nothing glad  
For I ne saw no cause why  
And eft she axed what was I  
I said a Caytyf that lieth here  
What would ye my lady dear  
Shall I be hool or elles die  
She said tell thy malady  
What is thy sore of which thou play nest/  
Ne hide it nought for if thou feynest/  
I can do the no medicine  
Madame I am a man of thine  
That in thy court have long served  
And ask that I have deserved  
Some we'll after my long woe  
And she began to louvre thoo  
And said there be many of you  
faitors & so may be that thou  
Art right such one & by feyntyse  
sayst that thou hast me do service  
And nevertheless she wist weal  
My word stood on an other wheel  
Without any feyterye  
But algate of my malady  
She bud me tell & say her truth  
Madame if ye would have ruth  
Quod I then would I tell you  
Say forth quoth she & tell me how  
She we me thy sickness every deal  
Madame that I can do we'll  
Be so my life thereto will last  
With that her look on me she cast  
And she said in aunter if thou live  
My will is first that thou be shrive  
And nevertheless how that it is  
I wot myself but for all this  
Unto my priest which cometh anon  
I will thou tell it one & one  
Both of thy thought & all thy work  
O Genius mine own clerk  
Come forth & here this man's shrift  
Quod venus tho & I uplyft  
My heed with that & 'gan behold  
The self priest which as she would  
Was ready there & set him down  
To here my confession   
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 provolutus amans ad confitendum se flexis genibus incuruatur supplicans tamen ut ad sui sensus informacionem confessor ille in dicem dis opponere sibi benignus dignaretur  

tHis worthy priest this holy man  
To me spekend thus began  
And saide Benedicite  
My sone of the felicity  
Of love & eke of woe also  
Thou shalt be shrive of both two  
What thou or this for loves sake  
Hast felt. let nothing be forsake  
Tell pleynlyche as it is befall  
And with that word I 'gan down fall  
On knees & with devotion  
And with full great contrition  
I said than Domiws  
Mine holy father Genius  
So as thou hast experience  
Of love for whose reverence  
Thou shalt me shrine at this time  
I pray the let me not mystyme  
My shrift for I am disturbed  
In all mine heart & so conturbed  
That I ne may my wits get  
So shall I much thing foryete  
But if thou wilt my sin oppose  
Fro point to point than I suppose  
Theridamas shall no thing be left behind  
But now my wits be so blind  
That I ne can myself teach  
though he began anon to preach  
And with his words debonair  
He said to me soft & fair  
In this place I am set here  
Thy shrift to oppose & here  
By venus the Goddess above  
Touchend whose priest I am of love   
Sermo Genij sacerdotis super confessione ad amantem  

but nevertheless for certain skill.  
I moat algate & needs will  
Nought only make my speakings  
Of love/ but of other things  
That touchen to the cause of vice  
For that belongeth to th'office  
Of priests whose order that I bear  
So that I will nothing forbear  
That each vices one & one  
Me shall the show everichone  
Whereof thou might take evidence  
To rule with thy conscience  
But of conclusion final  
Conclude I would in special  
For love whose servant I am  
And why the cause is that I came  
So think I to do both two  
first that mine order longeth to  
The vices for to tell on rue  
But next above all other show  
Of love I will the propyrtees  
How that they stand by degrees  
After the disposition  
Of vews whose condition  
I must follow as I am hold  
For I with love am all withhold  
So that the less I am to wite  
Though I ne con but a light  
Of other things that be wise  
I am not taught in such a wise  
For it is nought my common use  
To speak of vices & of vertuse  
But all of love & his lore  
For Venus' books of no more  
Me techen neither text ne gloze  
But for as much as I suppose  
It sit a priest to be well the wyd  
And shame it is if he be lewd  
Of my priesthood after the form  
I will thy shrift so inform  
That at the last thou shalt here  
The vices & to thy matter  
Of love I shall hem so remove  
That thou shalt know what they move  
For what a man shall ask or sayen  
Touchend of shrift it moat be plain  
It needeth nought to make it quaint  
For troth his words will not peinte  
That I will ask of the for thy  
My sone it shall be so plainly  
That thou shalt know & understand  
The points of shrift how they stand   
Visus et auditus fragiles sunt ostia mentis Que viciosa manus claudere nulla pt  
Est ibi largo via graditur qua cordis ad antrum/ Hostis & ingredients fossa talenta rapit/ Hec michi confessor Genius pamordia profert/ Dum sit in extremis vita remorsa malis/ Nunc tn̄ ut potent feminina loquela fateri/ Ver ba per os timide conscia mentis agam  
hIc confessio amantis cui de duobns praecipue quinque sens●bus/ hoc est de visu & auditu confessor pre ceteris opponit  

bYytwene life & death I heard  
This priests tale ere I ansuerd  
And than I prayed him for to say/  
His will & I it would obey  
After the form of his apprise  
though spoke he to me in such a wise  
And bad me that I should shrive  
As couchend of my wits five  
And share that they were amended  
Of that I had 'em misspended  
For tho be properly the gates  
thorough which as to the heart algates  
Cometh all thing unto the feyre  
Which may the man's soul impair  
And now is this matter brought in  
My sone I think first begin  
To wyce how thine eye hath stand  
The which is as I understand  
The most principal of all  
thorough whom the peril may befall  
And for to speak in loves kind  
Full many such a man may find  
Which ever cast about her eye  
To look if that they might aspye  
Full oft thing which he in ne toucheth  
But only that here heart soucheth  
In hindering of another wight  
And thus full many a worthy kynght  
And many a lusty lady both  
Hath be full oft sith wroth  
So that an eye is a thief  
To love & doth full great mischief  
And also for his own part  
Full oft that ilk fiery dart  
Of love which that every man brenneth  
thorough him in to the heart runneth  
And thus a man's eye first  
Himself grieveth alder wert  
And many a time that he knoweth  
Unto his own harm it groweth  
My sone herkne me now for thy  
A tale to be ware thereby  
Thine eye for to keep & ward  
See that it pass nought the ward   
hIc narrat Confessor exemplum de visu ab illicitis preseruando dicens qualiter Acceon Cadmi Regis Thebarum nepos dum in quadam foresta venacionis causa spaaretur accidit ut ipse quendam fontem nemorosa arborum pulcritudine circum ventum superueniens vidit enim Dia nam cum suis Nimphis nudam in flu mine balncantem/ quam diligencius intuens oculos suos a muliebri nudita te nullatenns avertere volebat/ unde indignata Diana ipsum in cerui figuram transformavit  

Vyde saith in his book  
Ensample touchend mysloke  
And saith whilom there was one  
A worthy lord which Acceone  
Was hot & was Cousin nigh  
To him that Thebes first on high  
Vpset/ which king Cadme height  
This Acceon as he well might  
Above all other cast his cheer  
And used it from year to year  
With hounds & with great horns  
Among the woods & the thorns  
To make his hunting & his chase  
Where him best thought in every place  
To fyude game in his way  
There rood he for to hunt & play  
So him byfelle upon a tide  
On his hunting as he came ride  
In a forest all one he was  
He saw upon the green grass  
The fair fresh flonres spring  
He herd among the leaves sing  
The throstel with the nyghtyngalc  
Thus ere he wist in to a dale  
He came where was a little pleyne  
All round about well beseyn  
With bnsshes green & cedars high  
And there within he cast his eye  
A mids the pleyne he saw a well  
So fair there might noman tell  
In which Dyana naked stood  
To bathe & play her in the flood  
With many a nymph which her serveth  
But he his eye away ne suerueth  
from her which was naked all  
And she was wonder wroth with all  
And him as she which was goddess  
Forshoop anon & the likeness  
She made him take of an heart  
Which was to fore his hounds start  
That run besylyche about  
With many an horn & many a rout  
That maden moche noise & cry  
And at the last unhappelye  
This heart his own hounds slough  
And him for vengeance all to drough   

lO now my son what it is  
A man to cast his eye amiss  
Which Acceon hath dear about  
Beware for thy & do it nought  
For oft who that heed took  
Better it is to wink than look  
And for to prove it is so  
Ovid the Poet also  
A tale which to this matter  
Acordeth & saith als thou shalt here/   
hIc ponit aliud exemplum de eo dē ubi dicit ꝙ quidam princeps nomine Phorceus tres progenuit filias Gorgones a vulgo nuncupatas/ que uno 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 avimo audaci abs que sui periculo interfecit  

IN Methamor it telleth thus  
o How that a lord which phorcheus  
a Ws hot had daughters three  
But upon her nativity  
such was the constellation  
That out of man's nation  
from kind they be so miswent  
That to likeness of a serpent  
They were both & that one  
Of 'em was cleped stellybone  
That other sister Snryale  
The third as telleth in the tale  
Me'ousa height/ & nevertheless  
Of Common name Gorgones  
In every country there about  
As monsters which as men doubt  
Men clepe 'em & but one eye  
Among 'em three in pour party  
They had of which they might see  
Now hath it this/ now hath it she  
After the cause & need it lad  
By throws each of 'em it had  
A wonder thing yet more amiss  
There was whereof I tell all this  
What man on 'em his cheer cast  
And hem beheld he was als fast  
Out of a man in to a stone  
For shape/ and thus many one  
deceived were of that they would  
Mysloke where they ne should  
But Perseus that worthy knight  
Whom pallas of here great might  
Halpe & took him a shield thereto  
And eke the god mercury also  
Lent him a sword he as it fell  
Beyond Athlans the high hill  
These monsters fought & there he fond  
diverse men of thylk land  
thorough sight of hem mystorned were  
Standed as stones here and there  
But he which wisdom & prowess  
Had of the god & of the goddess  
The shield of pallas 'gan embrace  
With which he covered safe his face  
Mercurius sword out he drough  
And so he bore him that he slough  
These dreadful monsters all three   

Confessor  

●O now my son advise the  
That thou thy sight not misuse  
Case not thine eye upon meduse  
That thou be turned in to stone  
For so wise man was never none  
But if he will his eye keep  
And take of foul delight no keep  
That with lust nies oft nome  
thorough streugthe of love & o●come  
Of mylloking how it hath fir  
As I have told now haste thou herd  
My good son & take good heed  
And over this yet I the vede  
That thou beware of thine hearing  
Which to the heart the tiding  
Of many a wnyte hath brought  
And tarry with a man's thonght  
And nevertheless good is to here  
〈…〉 thing whereof a man may lere  
That to virtue is accordaunt  
And toward all the remnant  
Good is to torn his ere fro  
For esses but if a man do so  
Him may full oft mysbefalle  
I read ensample amongs all  
Whereof to keep well an ere  
It ought put a man in fere   
hIc Confessor exemplum narrat ut non ab auris exaudicione fatua animus deceptus involuatur/ Et dicit qualiter ille serpens qui aspis wcatur quendam preciosissimum lapidem nomine carbunculum in sue frontis medi o gestans contra verba in cantantis aurem unam assigendo promit/ et aliam sue caude stimulo firmissime obturat  

aSerpent which that aspydis  
Is cleped of his kind hath this/  
That he the stone noblest of all/  
Which that men carbuncle call  
beareth in his heed above on height  
For which that a man by sliyghte  
The stone to win & him to daunt  
With his corecte him would enchaunte  
Anon as he perceiveth that  
He layeth down his one ere all plat  
Unto the gronnde & hold it fast  
And eke the other als fast  
He stoppeth with his tail so sore  
That he the words lass ne more  
Of his enchantment ne heveth  
And in this wise himself he skyeveth  
So that he hath the words wayved  
And thns his ere is nought deceived   
Aliud exemplum super eodem qualiter Rex vlixes cum a bello Troiano versus Greciam navigio remearet et prope illa monstra maxima sirens nuncupata angelica voce canorano ipsum ventorum adversitate navigare oporteret omnium nautarum suorum aures obturari coegit  

iN other thing who that recordeth  
Lyche unto this sample acordeth  
Which in the Tale of Troy I find  
sirens of a wonder kind  
Ben monsters as the books bellen  
And in the greet see they duellen  
Of body both & of visage  
Like to the women of young age  
Up fro the navel on high they be  
And down beneath as men may see  
They bear of fishes the figure  
And oner this of such nature  
They be that with so sweet a steven  
Like to the melody of heaven  
In women's voice they sing  
With notes of so great liking  
Of such measure of such mysyke  
Whereof the ships they beswyke  
That passen by the costs there  
For when the shipmen lay an ere  
Unto the wyce in here advyce  
They ween it be of paradies  
Which after to hem is an hell  
For reason may not with hem duelle  
When they the great lusts here  
They can not here ships steer  
So besylyche upon the note  
They herkene & in such wise assote  
That they her right course & weigh  
Foryete/ & to here ere obey  
And saylen till it so befall  
That they in to peril fall  
Where as the ships be to draw  
And they be with the monsters slawe  
But fro this peril nevertheless  
With his wisdom king ulyxes  
Escapeth and it over passeth  
For he to fore her hand compasseth  
That noman of his company  
Hath power unto that folly  
His ere for no lust to cast  
For he hem stopped als fast  
That none of hem may here hem sing  
So when they forth come sailing  
There was such governance on hand  
That they the monsters have withstood  
And slough of 'em a great party  
Thus was he saut with his navy  
This wise king thorough governance    

Confessor  

whereof my son in remembrance  
Thou might ensample take here  
As I have told & what thou here  
Be well aware & give no credence  
But if thou see more evidence  
For if thou wouldest take keep  
And wisely couthest ward & keep  
Thine eye and ere as I have spoke  
Than hadst thou the gates stoke  
Fro such felye as cometh to win  
Thine hearts wit which is within  
Whereof that now thy love exceedeth  
Measure and many a pain breedeth  
But if thou couthest set in rule  
though two the three were ethe to rule  
For thy as for thy wits five  
I will as now no more shrive  
But only of these ilk two  
Tell me therefore if it be so  
Hast thou thine eye ought myschrow▪    

Amans  

mY father ye I am bekuowe  
I have 'em cast upon meduse  
Thereof I may me nought excuse  
Mine heart is grown in to stone  
So that my lady thereupon  
Hath such a print of such a grave  
That I can nought myself save    

Opponit Confessor  

wHat sayest thou soon as of thine ere  
mY father I am gyltyf there  
For when I may my lady here  
My wit with that hath lost his steve  
I do nought as Ulyxes deed  
But fall anon upon the stead  
Where as I see my lady stand  
And there I do you understand  
I am so pulled in my thought  
So that of reason leaveth nought  
Whereof that I may me defend    

— Confessor  

mY good son god the amend  
For as me thinketh by thy speech  
Thy wits be right for to seche  
As of thine ere & of thine eye  
I will no more specify  
But I will axen over this  
Of other things how that it is   
Celsior est aquila que leone forcior ille/ Quem tumor elati cordis ad alta movet/ Sunt species quinque/ quibus est superbia ductrix/ Clamat et in multis mundus adheret eye/ Lavando 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 shall the inform  
There been yet of another form  
Of deadly vices seven applied  
Whereof the heart is oft plied  
To thing which after shall him grieve  
The● first of 'em thou shalt believe  
Is pride which is principal  
And hath with him in especial  
Mynystres syve full diverse  
Of which the I shall rehearse  
The first is said hypocrisy  
If thou art of his compavye  
Tell forth my son & shrive the clean    

Amans  

iWote not father what ye mean  
But this I would you beseech  
That ye me by somwey teach  
What is to been an Ipocryte  
And if I be for to wite  
I will beknow as it is   

mY sone an hypocrite is this  
A man which feigneth conseyen  
As though it were all innocence  
Without & is not so within  
And doth so for he would win  
Of his desire the wine estate  
And anon when he come there at  
He showeth than what he was  
The corn is turned in to grass  
That was a Rose is than a thorn  
And he that was a lamb before  
Is than a wolf & thus malice  
Under the colour of justice  
As had/ & as the people telleth  
These orders wyten where he dueleth  
As he that of her counsel is  
And thylk world which they or this  
Forsaketh & drawn in again  
He cloteth riches as men say  
Under the simplest of poverty  
And doth to seem of great desert  
Thing which is little worth within  
He saith in open fie to sin  
And in secret there is no vice  
Of which that he nis nurse  
And ever his cheer is sober & soft  
And where he goth he blessed oft  
Whereof the blind world he dretcheth  
But yet all only he ne stretcheth  
His rule upon religion  
But next to that condition  
In such as clepe 'em holy church  
It showeth eke how he can work  
Among the wide furred hodes  
To get 'em the worldly goods  
And they hem self by thilk same  
That setten most the world in blame  
But yet in contrary of his lore  
There is nothing they loven more  
So that seemed of light they work  
The deeds which are inward dark  
And thus this double hypocrisy  
Which is devout apparancye  
A byser set upon his face  
Whereof toward the worlds grace  
He seemeth to be well right thewed  
And yet his heart is all beshrewed  
But nevertheless he stant believed  
And hath his purposes oft achieved  
Of worship & of worlds wealth  
And taketh it as who said by stealth  
thorough coverture of his fallas  
And right so in semblable case  
This vice hath eke his officers  
Among these other seculeres  
Of great men for of the sinale  
As for to account he set no tale  
But they that pass the common  
With such hem like to commune  
And where he saith he would succour  
The people there he will devour  
For now a day is many one  
Which speaketh of Peter & of john  
And thinketh judas in his heart  
There shall no worlds good astart  
His hand and yet he giveth Alms  
And fasteth oft & heareth mess  
With mea culpa which he saith  
Upon his breast full oft he layeth  
His hand & case up ward his eye  
As though Crystes face he sigh  
So that it seemeth at the sight  
As he alone all other might  
Rescue with his holy deed  
But yet his heart in other stead  
Among his bedys' most devout  
Goth in the worlds cause about  
How that he might his waryson  
increase/ & in comparison   
hIc tractat confessor cum amante super illa jpocrisia que sub amoris fancy fraudulenter lati tando mulieres ipsius ficticijs credulas sepissime decepit innocentes  

there be lovers of such a sort  
That feynen hem an humble port  
And all is hypocrisy  
Which with deceit & flattery  
Hath many a worthy wight beguiled  
For when he hath his tongue be filed  
With soft speech & with losing  
Forth with his falls piteous looking  
He would make a woman ween  
To gone upon the fair green  
When that she falleth in the mire  
For he may have his desire  
How so falleth on the remnant  
He halt no word of covenant  
But or the time that helspede  
Theridamas is no sloygthe in thylk deed  
Which any lones faytour may  
That he ne put it in assay  
As him belonged for to done  
The colour of the reyny moan  
With medicine upon his face  
He set/ and than he asketh grace  
As he which hath sickness feigned  
When his visage was so desteyned  
With eye up cast on her he seeketh  
And many a countenance he piketh  
To bringen her in to believe  
Of thing which that he would achieve  
Whereof he beareth the pale hew  
And for he would seem true  
And maketh him seek when he is heyle  
But when he bearest lowest sail  
Than is he swyfeest to beguile  
The woman which that ilk while  
Set upon him faith or credence   

mY sone if thou thy conscience  
Entamed haste in such a wise  
In shrift thou might the advice  
And tell it me if it be so    

Amans  

mine holy father certes no  
And for to feign such sickness  
It needeth nought for this witness  
I take to god that my courage  
Hath be more seek than my visage  
And eke thus well I may avow  
So low couth I never bow  
To feign humility without  
That me list better to lout  
With all the thoughts of mine heart  
For that thing shall me never start  
I speak as to my lady dear  
To make her any feigned cheer  
God Wot well there I lie nought  
My cheer hath be such as my thought  
For in good faith this leaveth weal  
My will was better a thousand deal  
Than any cheer that i couth  
But Sire I have in my youth  
Done otherwise in other place  
I put me thereof in your grace  
For this excusen i ne shall  
That I have elles overall  
To love and to his company  
Be pleyne without hypocrisy  
But there is one which that I ser●e  
Al though I may no thank deserve  
To whom yet never unto this day  
I said onlyche ye or nay  
But if it so were in my thought  
As touchend other say I nought  
That I am somedeal for to wite  
Of that ye clepe an Ipocryte    

Confessor  

mY sone it sit well every wight  
To keep his thonght in troth up right/  
Towards love in all wise  
For who that would him well advise  
What hath befall in this matere  
He should nought with feigned cheer  
deceive love in no degree  
To love is every heart free  
But in deceit of that thou feynest  
And thereupon thy lust atteynest  
That thou hast won with thy wile  
Though it be like for a while  
Thou shalt it afterward repent  
And for to prove mine intent  
I find ensample in a chronic  
Of 'em that love 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 days thus  
Whilom the emperor Tiberius  
The Monarch of Rome thus lad  
Theridamas was a worthy roman had  
A wife & she Pauline height  
Which was to every man's sight  
Of all the city the fairest  
And as men saiden eke the lest  
It is & hath been ever yet  
That so strong is that no man's wit  
Which through beauty ne may be with  
draw/ To love & under the law  
Of thilk frele bore kind  
Which maketh the heart eyen blind  
Where no reason may be communed  
And in this wise so fortuned  
This tale of which I will mean  
This wife which in her lusts green  
Was fresh & tender of age  
She may not let the courage  
Of him that will on her assote  
There was a duke & he was hot  
Mundus which had in his bayllye  
To lead all the chivalry  
Of Rome & was a worthy knight  
But he was nought of such might  
The strength of love not to withstand  
That he ne was brought to hand  
That maulgry where he would or no  
This young wife he loveth so  
That he hath put all his assay  
To win thing which he ne may  
Get of her grant in no manner  
By yefte of gold ne by prayer  
And when he sa we that by no meed  
Toward her love he might speed  
By sleight feigned than he wrought  
And thereupon he him bythought  
How that there was in the city  
A temple of such authority  
To which with great devotion  
The noble women of the town  
Most comonlyche on pilgrimage  
Gone for to pray thilk image  
Which the goddess of childing is  
And cleped was by name isis  
And in her temple than were  
To rule & to minister there  
After the law which was tho  
above all other priests two  
This duke which thought his love get  
Upon a day 'em two to meet  
Hath bede & they come at his haste  
Where they had a rich feste  
And after meet in privy place  
This lord which would his thank purchase  
To each of 'em than gave a gift  
And spoke so that by way of shrift  
He drough hem in to his covin  
To help & shape how pauline  
After his lust deceive might  
And they her truths both plight  
That they by night her should win  
In to the temple & he therein  
Shall have of her all his intent  
Thus acorded forth they went  
Now list thorough which hypocrisy  
Ordained was the treachery  
Whereof this lady was deceived  
These priests hadden well conceived  
That she was of great holiness  
And with a counterfeit simpleness  
Which hid was in false courage  
Feigned an heavenly message  
They come & said to her thus  
pauline the God Anubus  
Hath sent us both priests here  
And saith he will to the appear  
By nights time himself alone  
For love he hath to thy person  
And thereupon he hath us bid  
That we in isis Temple a stead  
Honestly for the purvey  
Where thou by night as we the say  
Of him shalt take a vision  
For upon thy condition  
The which is chaste & full of faith  
Such price as he us told he layeth  
That he will stand of thine accord  
And for to bear hereof record  
He send us hither both two  
Glad was her Innocence though  
Of such words as she herd  
With humble cheer & thus answered  
And said that the gods will  
She was all ready to fulfil  
That by her husbands leave  
She would in isis Temple at eve  
Upon her god's grace abide  
To serven him by night tide  
The priests gone home tho again  
And she goth to her sovereign  
Of god's will & as it was  
She told him all the pleyne cas  
Whereof he was deceived eke  
And bad that she should her meek  
All hole unto the god's heeste  
And thus she which was honest  
To god ward after her intent  
At night to the temple went  
Where that the false priests were  
And they receiven her there  
With such a tokue▪ of holiness  
As though they sawen her Goddess  
And all within a privy place  
A soft bed a large space  
They had made & enterc●rteyned  
Where she was afterward engyned  
But she which all honour supposeth  
The false priests than opposeth  
And asketh by what observance  
She might most to the pleasance  
Of god that nights rule keep  
And they her bidden for to sleep  
Lyggend upon the bed a loft  
For so they saiden all still & soft  
God Anubus her would awake  
The counsell in this wise take  
The priests fro this lady gone  
And she that wist of guile none  
In the manner as it was said  
Thomas to sleep upon the bed is laid  
In hope that she should achieve  
Thing which stood than upon believe  
fulfilled of all holiness  
But she hath failed as I guess  
For in a closet fast by  
The duke was hid so privily  
That she might not perceive  
And he that thought to deceive  
Hath such array upon nome  
That when he would unto her come  
It should seem at her eye  
As though she verily sigh  
God Anubus & in such a wise  
This ypocryyte of his quaintise  
awaiteth ever till she slept  
And than out of his place he crept  
So still that she nothing heard  
And to the bed stalking he feared  
And suddenly or she it wist  
Beclypt in arms he her kyst  
Whereof in womannysshe ●rede  
She woke & nyst what to read  
But he with soft words mild  
Comfort her & said with child  
He would her make in such a kind  
That all the world shall have in mind  
The worship of that ilk soon  
For he shall with gods won  
And been himself a god also  
With such words & with moo  
The which he feigneth in his speech  
This ladies wit was all to seche  
As she which all troth weeneth  
But he that all untruth meaneth  
With blind tales so her lad  
That all his will of her he had  
And when him thought it was enough  
Again the day he him withdrew  
So privily that she ne wist  
Where he become as he list  
Out of the temple be goth his way  
And she began to bid & pray  
Vpond the bare ground knelend  
And after that made her offrende  
And to the priests yefts great  
She gave & home ward in the street  
The dnke her met & said thus  
The mighty god which Annbus  
●s hot he save the pauline  
For thou art of his discipline  
So holy that no man's might  
May do that he hath do to night  
Of thing which thou hast ever esche  
escheued/ But I his grace have so pursued  
That I was made his lieutenant  
For thy by way of covenant  
Fro this day for ward I was thine  
And if the like to be mine  
That stand upon thine own will   

sHe herd this tale & bore it still  
And home she went as it bifelle  
In to her chambre & there she fill  
●●on her bed to weep & cry  
And said O dark hypocrisy  
thorough whose dissimulation  
Of false imagination  
I am wykkedly thus deceived  
But that I have it apperceived  
I thank vuto the gods all  
For though it thus befall  
I shall never eft whiles I live  
And thylk avow to god I give  
And thus wepend she complaineth  
Her fair face & all dysteyneth  
With woeful tears her eye  
So that upon this agony  
Her husband is in come  
And saw how she was overcome  
With sow we & asketh her what her eye  
eyleth, And she with that herself bewei●eth  
Well more than she died therefore  
And said alas wyfhode is love  
In me which whysome was honest  
I am no more than a beast  
Now am I defouled of two  
And as she might speak tho  
Ashamed with a piteous onde  
She told unto her husband  
The sooth of all the hole tale  
And in her speech deed & pale  
She swouneth weal nigh to the last  
And he her in arms fast  
Upheld & oft swore his oath  
That he with her is nothing wroth  
For well he wot she may there nought  
But nevertheless within his thought  
His heart stood in a sorry plight  
And said he would of that despite  
Be avenged how so ever it fall  
And scent unto his friends all  
And when they were comen in fere  
He told 'em upon this matter  
And axed hem what was to done  
And they advised were soon  
And said it thought 'em for the best  
To set his wife first in rest  
And after plain to the king  
Upon the matter of this thing  
though was his woeful wife comforted  
By all ways & disported  
Till that she was somedeal amended  
And thus they a day or tuo dispended  
The third day she goth to plain  
With many a worthy Cytezeyne  
And he with many a Cytezeyne  
When th'emperor it herd sayen  
And knew the falsehood of the vice  
He said he would do justyee  
And first he let the priests take  
And for they should it not forsake  
He put 'em in to question  
But they of suggestion  
Ne coude not one word refuse  
But for they would hem self excuse  
The blame upon the duke they laid  
But there ayene the counsel said  
That they be nought excused so  
For he is one & they be two  
And two have more wit than one  
So thilk excusement was none  
And over that was said 'em eke  
Than when men would virtue seek  
Men should it in the priests find  
Her order is of so high a kind  
That they be tuterers of the weigh  
For thy if any man forswey  
thorough hem they be not excusable  
And thus by law reasonable  
Among the wise Inges there  
The priests both dampened were  
So that the privy treachery  
hid under false hypocrisy  
Was than openly showed  
That many a man hem hath beshrewed  
And when the priests were deed  
The temple of thilk horrible deed  
They thoughten purge & thylk image  
whose 'cause was the pilgrimage  
They droven out & also fast  
Fer in to the Tiber they it cast  
Where the river it hath defied  
And thus the temple puryfyed  
They have of thilk horrible sin  
Which was that time do therein  
Of this point was thus advise  
But of the duke was otherwise  
For he with love was bestead  
His doom was nought so hard lad  
For love put reason away  
And can nought see the right weigh  
And by this cause he was despited  
So that the death him was acquitted  
But for all that he was exybed  
For he his love had so beguiled  
That he shall never come again  
For he that is to truth unpleyne  
He may not failen of vengeance   

aNd to taken remembrance  
Of that hypocrisy hath wrought  
On other half men shall nought  
To lightly leave all that they here  
But than should a wiseman steer  
The ship when such winds blow  
For first thouh they begin low  
At end they be nought movable  
But all to broke mast & cable  
So that the ship with sudden blast  
When men lest ween is over cast  
As now fuloften a man may see  
And of old time how it hath be  
I find a great experience  
Whereof to take evidence  
Good is and to be war also  
Of the peril or him be woe   
hIc ulterius ponit exemplum de illa ecian Ipocrisia que inter virum & virum decipiens periculosissima consistit Et narrat qualiter Greci in obsidione civitatis troy cum ipsam vi apprehendene nnllatenns potuerunt fallaci animo cum Troianis ut dicunt ꝓ perpetuo statuebant & super hoc quendam equm mire grossionis de ere fabricatum ad sacrificandum in templo Minerue confingentes  

oF hem that been so dark wit●  
At troy also if we begyn●  
Ipocrysye it hath betrayed  
For when the greeks had all assayed/  
And fond that by no battle  
Ne by no siege it might avail  
The town to win through prowess  
This vice feigned of simplesse  
thorough sleight of Calcas & Cryse  
It won by such a manner wise  
An horse of brass they let do forge  
Of such entaylle & of such a forge  
That in this world was never man  
That such another work began  
The crafty workman Epius  
It made & for to tell thus  
The greeks that thoughten to beguile  
The king in Troy in thilk while  
With Antenor & with Enee  
That were both of the city  
And of the counsell the wisest  
The richest & the mightiest  
In prive place so they treat  
With fair behests & yefts great  
Of gold that they have engyned  
To gether & when they be covyned  
They feign for to make a peace  
And under that yet nevertheless  
They shopen the destruction  
Both of the king & of the Town  
And thus the falls peace was take  
Of 'em of Grece & undertake  
And thereupon they fond away  
Where strength might not away  
That sleight should help than  
And of an inch a large span  
By colour of peace they made  
And telden how they were glade  
Of that they standen in accord  
And for it shall been of record  
Unto the king of Troy saiden  
By way of love & thus they pra yden  
As they that would his thank deserve  
A sacrifice unto myverne  
The pers to keep in good intent  
They must offer or that they went  
The king counseled in the cas  
By Antenor & Aeneas  
Thereto hath given his assent  
So was the pleyne truth blended  
thorough counterfeit hypocrisy  
Of that they sholden sacryfye  
The Greeks under the holiness  
Anon with all business  
Here horse of bras let fair dyghte  
Which was to seen a wonder sight  
For it was trapped of himself  
And had of small wheels twelve  
Upon the which men enough  
With craft toward the Town it drough  
And goth glystrend against the son  
though was their joy enough begun  
For Troy in great devotion  
Came also with procession  
Against this noble sacrifice  
With great honour & in this wise  
Unto the gates they it brought  
But of here intent when they sought  
The gates weren all to small  
And thereupon was many a tale  
But for the worship of minerve  
To whom they comen for to serve  
They of the Town which understood  
That all this thing was do for good  
For peace/ whereof they be glade  
The gates that Neptunus made  
A thousand winter there to fore  
They have anon to broke & tore  
The strong wallys down they break  
So that in to the large street  
This horse with great solemnity  
Was brought within the city  
And offered with great reverence  
Which was to Troy an evidence  
Of love & peace for evermo  
The Gregoys token leave though  
With all the hole felauship  
And forth they wenten in to ship  
And crossen sail & made 'em yare  
Anon as though they wolden fare  
But when the black winter night  
Without Moon or star light  
Bederked hath the water strand  
All privily they gone on land  
Full armed out of the navy  
Simon which was made her efpye  
Within Troy as was conspired  
When time was a tokne fired  
And with that their weigh they holden  
And comen right as they wolden  
There as the gates were to broke  
The purpoos was full take & spoke  
Ere any man may take keep  
While that the city was a sleep  
They slowen all that was within  
And token what they might win  
Of such good as was suffisant  
And brenden up the remnant  
And thus come out the treachery  
Which under false hypocrisy  
Was hid/ and they that weaned peace  
Thomas mighten find no releases  
Of thylk sword which all devoured  
Fulofte & thus the sweet soured  
When it is know to the taste  
He spylleth many a word wast  
That shall with such a people treat  
For when he weeneth most beyete  
Than is he shape most to lose  
And right so if a woman cheese  
Upon the words that she heareth  
Some man when he most true appeareth  
Than is he forthest fro the truth  
But yet fulofte & that is ruth  
They speeden that be most untrue  
And loven every day a new  
Whereof the lyef is after loath  
And love hath cause to be wroth  
But that man that his lust desireth  
Of love & thereupon conspyreth  
With weeds feigned to deceive  
He shall not fail to receive  
His pain as it is oft seen    

Confessor  

For thy my son as I the mean  
It fit the well to take heed  
That thou eschew of thy manhood  
Ipocrysye & his semblant  
That thou ne nought be deceivant  
To make a woman to believe  
Thing which is not in thy believe  
For in such faint hypocrisy  
Of love is all the treachery  
thorough which love is deceived oft  
For feigned semblannt is so soft  
Vnnethes' love may beware  
For why soon as I well dare  
I charge the to i'll that vice  
That many a woman it hath made nice  
But look thou deal not with all  
iwis father no more I shall    

Confessor  

Now sone keep that thou hast sworn  
For this that thou hast herd before  
Is said the first point of pride  
And next upon that other side  
To shrine & speak over this  
Touchend of pride yet there is  
The point second I the behote  
Which inobedience is hot   
Flectere ꝙ frangi melius reputatur & olle Fictilis ad cacabun pugna valere nequit/ Quem neꝪ lex hoīm neꝪ lex divina valebit// Flectere multociens cord reflectit amor/ Quem non flectit amor non flec tendus ab illo/ Sed rigour illius plus eel phante riget/ Deed gnatur amor poterit quos scire rebels/ Et rudibus sorten prestat habere rudem/ Sed qui sponte sui subicit se cordis amore/ Frangit in adversis omnia fata pius  
hIc loquitur de secunda specie superbie que Inobediencia dicitur/ Et primo illius vicij naturam simpliciter declarat Et tractat consequent▪ super illa obediencia que in curia Cupidinis exosa amoris cam ex sua ībesillitate sepissime retardat  

tis vice of Inobediencie  
again the rule of conseyence  
Al that is humble he disalloweth  
That he toward his god ne boweth  
After the laws of his hest  
Not as a man but as a beast  
Which goth upon his lusts wild  
So goth this proud vice unmild  
That he dysdeyneth all law  
He not what is to be fellow  
And serve he may not for pride  
So is he led on every side  
And is that self of whom men speak  
Which will not bow or that he break  
I not if love might him ply  
For else for to justify  
His heart I not what might duayle  
For thy my son of such entail  
If that thine heart be disposed  
Tell out & let it nought be glossed  
For if that thou unbuxom be  
To love I not in what degree  
Thou shalt thy good world achieve    

Amans  

My father ye shall well believe  
The young whelp which is affayted  
Hath not his master better waited  
To couch when he saith go low  
Than I anon as I may know  
My lady will ne bow more  
But other while I grudge sore  
Of some things that she doth  
Whereof that. I will tell sooth  
For of two points I am bethought  
That I would I might nought  
Obey unto my lady hest  
But I dare make this behest  
save only of that ilk two  
I am unbuxom of no more    

Confessor opponit  

What/ been though two tell on quod he  
My father this is one that she  
Commandeth me my mouth to close  
And that I should nought hear oppose  
In love of which I oft preach  
But privily of such a speech  
forbear & suffer her in peace  
But that ne might I nevertheless  
For all this world obey I iwis  
For when I am there as she is  
Though she my tales nought allow  
Ayene her will yet moat I bow  
To seche if that I might have grace  
But that thing may I not embrace  
For aught that I can speak or do  
And yet full oft I speak so  
That she is wroth & saith be still  
For I that heest shall fulfil  
And thereto been obedient  
Than is my cause fully shent  
For speech les may noman speed  
So wot I not what is to read  
But certes I may nought obey  
That I ne might algates say  
Somewhat of that I would mean  
For ever it is alike green  
The great love which I have  
Whereof I can not both save  
My speech & this obedience  
And thus fulofte my silence  
I break & is the first point  
Whereof that I am out of point  
In this & yet it is no pride  
Now then upon that other side  
To tell my disobeisance  
Full sore it stant to my grievance  
And may not sink in to my wit  
For offtime she me bit  
To leave her & cheese a new  
And saith if I the sooth knew  
How far I stand out of her grace  
I should love in other place  
But thereof will I disobey  
For also well she might say  
Go take the moan where it sit  
As bring that in to my wit  
For there never rooted tree  
That stood so fast in his degree  
That I ne stand more fast  
Upon her love & may cast  
Mine heart away as though I would  
For god wot though I never should  
Seen her with eye after this day  
Yet stont it so that I ne may  
Her love out of my breast renew  
This is a wondre retenue  
That maugre where she will or none  
Mine heart is ever more in one  
So that I can none other cheese  
But whether that I win or lose  
I moat her love till I die  
And thus I break as by that weigh  
Here hests & here commaundynges  
But trulyche in none other things  
For thy my father what is more  
Touchand to this ilk lore  
I you beseech after the form  
That ye plainly me would inform  
So that I might mine heart reule  
In loves cause after the reule   
Murmur in adversis ita concipit ille superbus. ●ena quod ex bina sort purget eum/ O bina fortune cum spes in amore resistit/ Non sine mentali murmur plangit amans  
h Ic loquitur de murmur & planc tu qui super oens alios inobediencie secreciores ut ministre illi deseruiant  

tOward the vice of which we treat/  
Theridamas be fifty of thilk estrete▪  
Here name is murmur & compleynt/  
There can noman here cheer paint.  
To set a glad semblant therein  
For though fortune make 'em win  
Yet grudge they & if they lose  
There is no weigh for to cheese  
Whereof they might stand appeased  
So be they comonlych dysesed  
There may no wealth ne poverty  
Attempren hem to the desert  
Of buxomness by no wise  
For offtime they despise  
The good fortune as the bad  
As they no man's reason had  
thorough pride whereof they be blind  
And right of such a manner kind  
There be lovers that though they have  
Of love all that they would crave  
Yet will they grudge by some weigh  
That they would nought to love obey  
Upon the truth as do should  
And hem lacketh that they would  
Anon they shall in such a pain  
That ever unbuxomly they plain  
Upon fortune they curse & cry  
That they would not her hearts ply  
To suffer till it better fall  
For thy if thou amongs all  
Hast used this condition  
My sone in thy confession  
Now tell me plainly what thou art  
My father I know well a part  
So that ye tell here above  
Of murmur & complaint of love  
That for I see no speed comende  
against fortune compleynende  
I am as who saith for evermo  
And eke fuloftyme also  
When so is that I see & here  
Or heavy word or heavy cheer  
Of my lady I grudge anon  
But words dare I speak none  
Whereof she might be displeased  
But in mine heart I am diseased  
With many a mumur god it wot  
Thus drink I in mine own swote  
And though I make no semblant  
Mine heart is all disobeysaunt  
And in this wise I me confess  
Of that ye clepe unbuxomnesse  
Now tell what your counseyl is    

Confessor  

My sone & I read this  
What so befall of other weigh  
That thou to loves lust obey  
As far as thou it might suffice  
Fulofte sith in such a wise  
Obedience in love availeth  
Where all a man's strength faileth  
Whereof if thou list to wite  
In a chronic as it is write  
A great Ensample thou might find  
Which is now comen to my mind   
Ic contra amori inobedientes ad commendacionem obediency confessor super eodem Exemplum ponit ubi di at que qndam Regis Sealie filia in sue iwentucis floribus pulcherrime ex eius Noverce 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 reformavit  

there was whilom by days old  
A worthy knight as men ●old  
He was nephew to themperor  
And of his Court a Courteour  
Wyfles he was Florent he hight  
He was a man that much might  
Of arms he was desirous  
chivalrous & amorous  
And fame of worlds speech  
Strange adventures for to seche  
He rood the marches all about  
And fell a time when he was out  
Fortune which may every thread  
To break & knit of man's speed  
Shaped as this knight rood in a pas  
That he by strength take was  
And to a castle they him lad.  
Where that he few friends had  
For so it fell that ilk stound  
That he had a deadly wound  
Frghtend his own hands slain  
Branchus which to the captain  
Was sone & heir whereof been wroth  
The father & the mother both  
That knight Branchus was of his hand  
The worthiest of all his land  
And said they would do vengeance  
Upon Florent but remembrance  
That they took of his worthiness  
Of knighthood & of gentleness  
And how he stood of cousinage  
To th'emperor took assuage  
And durst not slain him for fere  
In great dispute son they were  
Among hem self that was the best  
There was a lady the slyest  
Of all that men knew tho  
So old she might unneaths go  
And was grandam unto the deed  
And with that bygan to read  
And she said she would bring him in  
That she shall him to death win  
All only of his own grant  
thorough strength of very covenant  
Without blame of any wight  
Anon she sent for this knight  
And of her son she aleyde  
The death/ & thus to him she saide  
Florent how so thou be to wite  
Of Branchus death men shall respite  
As now to take avengement  
Be so thou stand in judgement  
Upon certain condition  
That thou unto a question  
Which I shall ask shalt answer  
And over this thou shalt eke swear  
That if thou of the sooth fail  
There shall none other thing avail  
That thou ne shalt the death receive  
And for men shall the not deceive  
That thou thereof might be advised  
Thou shalt have day & time assysed  
And love saufly for to wend  
Be so that at thy days end  
Thou come again with thine advice  
This knight which was worthy & wise  
This lady prayeth that he may wite  
And have it under seals write  
What question it should be  
For which he shall in that degree  
stand of his life in jeopardy  
With that she feigneth company  
And saith Florent on love it longeth  
All that to mine asking longeth  
What all women most desire  
This will I ask & in th'empire  
Where thou hast most knowledging  
Take council of this axing   

Florent this thing hath undertake  
The time was set & day take  
Under his seal he wrote his oath  
In such a wise & forth he goth  
Home to his emes court again  
To whom his adventure pleyne  
He told of that him is befall  
And upon that they were all  
The wisest of the land assent  
But nevertheless of one assent  
They might not accord plat  
One said this another that  
After the disposition  
Of natural complexion  
To some woman it is pleasance  
That to another is grievance  
But such a thing in special  
Which to hem all in general  
Is most pleasant & most desired  
Above all other & most conspired  
Such one can they not find  
By constellation ne by kind  
And thus Florent without cure  
Must stand upon his adventure  
And is all shape unto the lyere  
And as in default of his answer  
This knight hath liefer for to die  
Than break his truth & for to lie  
In place where he was sworn  
And shapith him gone again therefore  
When time come he took his leave  
That longer would he not believe  
And prayth his eme he be not wroth  
For that is a point of his oath  
He saith that noman shall him wreak  
Though afterward here men speak  
That he peraventure die  
And thus he went forth his weigh  
Alone as a knight aventurous  
And in his right was curious  
To wite what was best to do  
And as he road alone so  
And came nigh there he would be  
In a forest there under a tree  
He saw where sat a creature  
A loathly womannyssh figure  
That for to speak of flesh & bone  
So foul yet saw he never none  
This knight beheld her readily  
And as he would have passed by  
She cleped him & bade him abide  
And he his horse heed a side  
though turned & to her he road  
And there he hoved & abode  
To wite what she would mean  
And she began him to be mean  
And said Florent by thy name  
Thou hast on hand such a game  
That if thou be not better advised  
Thy death shapen is & devised  
That all the world ne may the save  
But if that thou my council have  
Florent when he this tale herd  
Unto this old wight answered  
And of her counseyl he her prayed  
And she again to him thus said  
Florent if I for the so shape  
That thou thorough me thy death escape  
And take worship of thy deed  
What shall I have to my meed  
What thing qd he that thou would ask  
I bid never a better tax  
Quod she but first or thou be sped  
Thou shalt me leave such a wed  
That I will have thy troth on hand  
That thou shalt be mine husband  
Nay said Florent that may not be  
ride then forth thy weigh quoth she  
And if thou go forth without rede  
Thou shalt be sekerlyche deed  
Florent behyght good enough  
Of land of rent of park of plough  
But all that she counteth nought  
though fell this knight in mochel thought  
Now goth he● forth/ now cometh again  
He not what is best to say  
And thought as he road to & fro  
That chose he moat one of the two  
Or for to take her to his wife  
Or else to lose his life  
And than he cast his advantage  
That she was of so great an age  
That she may live but a while  
And thought to put her in an isle  
Where that noman her should know  
Till she with death were overthrow  
And thus this young lusty▪ knight  
Unto this old lothly wight  
though said if that none other chance  
May make my deliverance  
But only thilk same speech  
Which as thou reyst thou shalt me  
teach/ Have here mine hand I shall the  
Wed/ And thus his troth he leid to  
Wedde● With that she frounceth up that brow  
This covenant will I allow  
She saith if any other thing  
But that thou hast of my teaching  
Fro death thy body may respite  
I will the of thy truth acquit  
And else by none other weigh  
Now hearken me what I shall say  
When thou art come in to the place  
Where now they maken great menace  
And upon thy coming abide  
They will anon the same tide  
Oppose the of thine answer  
I wot thou wilt no thing forbear  
Of that thou weenest be thy best  
And if thou might so find rest  
Well is for than is there more  
And else this shall be my lore  
That thou shalt say upon this mould  
That all women liefest would  
Be sovereign of man's love  
For what woman is so above  
She saith as who saith all her will  
And else may she nought fulfil  
What thing were here leavest have  
With this answer thou shalt save  
Thyself & otherwise nought  
And when thou hast thy end wrought  
Come here again thou shalt me find  
And let nothing out of thy mind   

He goth him forth with heavy cheer  
As ●e that not in what manner  
He may this, worlds joy attain  
For if he die he hath a pain  
And if he live he moat him bind  
To such a witch of old kind  
Of women the unsemelyest  
Thus wot he not what is the best  
But be him lyef or be him▪ loath  
Unto the castle forth he goth  
His full answer for to give  
Or for to die or for to live  
Forth with his counsel came the lord  
The things stonden of record  
He send up for the lady sone  
And forth she came that old moan  
In presence of the remnant  
The strength of all the covenant  
though was rehearsed openly  
And to Florent she bade pardy  
That shall tell his avys  
As he that wot what is the pries  
Florent saith all that ever he couth  
But such word came none to mouth  
That he for yefte or for behest  
Might any wise his death areste  
And thus he tarrieth long & late  
Till this lady bad algate  
That shall for the doom final  
Yeve his answer in special  
Of that she had first opposed  
And than he hath truly supposed  
That he him may of nothing yelp  
But if so be though words help  
Which as the woman hath him taught  
Whereof he hath an hope caught  
That he shall be excused so  
And told out pleyne his will tho  
And when this matron herd  
The manner how this knight answered  
She said treason woe the be  
That hast thus told the privity  
Which all women most desire  
I would that thou were on fire  
But nevertheless in such a plight  
Florent of his ausuer is quit  
And though began his sorrow we new  
For he moat gone or be untrue  
To her which his truth had  
But he which all shame dread  
Goth forth in stead of his penance  
And taketh the fortune of his chance  
As he that was with troth affayted  
This old wight him hath awaited  
In place where▪ as he her in▪ left  
Florent his woeful heed up lift  
And saw this where that she sit  
Which was the loathest wight  
That ever man cast on his eye  
Here nose●baas▪ her brows high  
Her eyen small & deep set  
Her cheeks been with tears weet  
And ryvelyn as in an empty skin  
Hanging down unto the chin  
Her lips been shrunken for age  
Theridamas▪ was no grace in her visage  
Her front was narwe her locks hoar  
She looketh forth as doth a more  
Her neck is short her shoulders courbe  
That might a man's lust disturb  
Here body great & no thing small  
And shortly for to describe her all  
She hath no lieth without a lak  
But lyche unto the wool sak  
She proffereth her unto this knight  
And bade him as he behyght  
So as she bath by his warrant  
That he her held covenant  
And by the bridal she him seseth  
But god wot how that she him pleaseth  
Of such words as she speaketh  
Him thinketh well nigh his heart breaketh  
breaketh/▪ For sorrow that he may i'll  
But if he would untrue be   

Look how a seek man for his hele  
Taketh baldemony with canele  
And with the myrrh the sucre  
Right on such manner lucre  
Stant Florent in this diet  
He drinketh the bitter with the sweet  
He meddleth sorrow with liking  
And liveth as who saith dying  
His thought shall be cast away  
Upon such one as that the weigh  
Is old & loathly overalle  
But need he moat that need shall  
He would algate his truth hold  
As every knight thereto is hold  
What hap so ever to him is fall  
Though she be foulest of all  
The honour of womanhead  
Him thought he should take heed  
So that for pure gentleness  
As he couth her best address  
In rags as she was to tore  
He set her on his horse tofore  
And forth he taketh his weigh soft  
No wonder though he sigheth oft  
But as an owl fleeth by night  
Out of all other birds sight  
Right so this knight on days broad  
In close him held & shope his road  
On nights time till the tide  
That he come there he would abide  
And privily without noise  
He bringeth this foul great coyse  
To his castle in such a wise  
That noman might her shap advise  
Till she in to chambre came  
Where he his privy counsell name  
Of such men as he most trust  
And told 'em that he needs must  
This best wed unto his wife  
For else he had lost his life  
The prive women were assent  
That should be of his assent  
Her rags they anon of draw  
And as it was that time law  
She had bathe she had rest  
And was arrayed to the best  
But with no craft of combs broad  
They might dress her locks should  
And she ne would not be shore  
For no counseyl & therefore  
With such a tire as though was used  
Ordeynen that it was excused  
And had so craft lyche about  
That noman might seen 'em out  
But when she was fully arrayed  
And her a tire was all assayed  
though she was fouler unto see  
But yet it may none other be  
They were wedded by night  
So woebegone was never knight  
As he was than of Marriage  
And she began to play & rage  
As who saith I am well enough  
But he thereof nothing ne lough  
For she took than cheer on hand  
And clepeth him her husband  
And said my lord go we to bed  
For I to that intent wed  
For thou shalt be my worlds bliss  
And proffereth him with that to kiss  
As she a lusty lady were  
His body might well be there  
But as of thought & memory  
His heart was in purgatory  
But the strength of matrimony  
Who might make none essonye  
That he moat algate ply  
To gone to bed of company  
And when they were a-bed naked  
Without sleep he was awaked  
He turneth on that other side  
For that he would his eyen hide  
For looking on the foul wight  
The chamber was full of light  
The curtain were of sendal thin  
This new bride which lay within  
Though it be nought with his accord  
In arms she beclypt her lord  
And prayed as he was turned her fro  
He would him torn againward tho  
For now she said we be both one  
But he lay still as any stone  
But ever m one she spoke & prayed  
And bade him think on that he said  
When that he took her by the hand   

hE herd & understood the bond  
How he was set to his penance  
And as it were a man in a trance  
He turneth him all suddenly  
And saw a lady lay him by  
Of eighteen winter age  
Which was the fairest of visage  
That ever m all this world he sigh  
And as he would have take her nigh  
She put her hand & by his love  
Besought him that he would love  
And saith for to win or lose  
He moat one of two things cheese  
Where he will have such on night  
Or else upon the days light  
For ye shall not have both two  
And he began to sorrow though  
In many a wise & cast his thought  
But for all that yet could he nought  
devise himself which was the best  
And she that would his heart rest  
prayeth that he should cheese algate  
Till at the last long & late  
He said O ye my lines he'll  
Say what ye list in my quarrel  
I not what answer I shall yive  
But ever while that I live  
I will that ye be my mistress  
For I can not myself guess  
Which is the best unto my choice  
Thus grant I you mine hole voys  
Cheese for us both I you pray  
And what as ever that ye say  
Right as ye will so will I   

mY lord she said grant mercy  
For of this word that ye now say  
That ye have made me sovereign  
My destiny is overpassed  
That never here after shall be lassed  
My beauty which I now have  
Till I be take in to my grave  
Both Night & day as I am now  
I shall alway be such to you  
The kings daughter of Cecyle  
I am/ and fell but sith a while  
As I was with my father late  
That my stepmother for an hate  
Which to ward me she hath begun  
Forshope me till I had won  
The love & the sovereignty  
Of what knight that in his degree  
All other passeth of good name  
As men say ye be the same  
The deed proveth it is so  
Thus am I your for evermo  
Thomas was pleasance & joy Enough  
eachone with other played & lough  
They live long & well they feared  
And Clerks that this chance heard  
They written it in evidence  
To teach how that obedience  
May well fortune a man to love  
And set him in his lust above  
As it befell unto this knight  
fOr thy my son if thou do right  
Thou shalt unto thy love obey  
And follow her will by all weigh    

Amans  

mine holy father so I will  
For ye have told me such a skill  
Of this ensample now tofore  
That I shall evermo therefore  
Here after mine observance  
To love & his obeisance  
The better keep & over this  
Of pride if there ought else is  
Whereof that I me shrive shall  
What thing it is m special  
My father asketh I you pray    

Confessor  

nOw lest my son & I shall say  
For yet there is surquidry  
Which stant of pride of company  
Whereof that thou shalt here anon  
To know if thou have guilt or none  
Upon the form as thou shalt here  
Now understand well 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 buy que presumpcio dicitur cuius naturam primo secundum vicium confessor simpliciter declarat  

s Vrquedrye is thylk vice  
Of pride which the third office  
Hath in his court & will not know/  
The truth till he be overthrow  
Upon his fortune & his grace  
Come had I wist full oft a place  
For he doth all his thing by guess  
And voideth all sickerness  
None other counsel good him seemeth  
But such as he himself deemeth  
For m such wise as he compasseth  
His wit all other passeth  
And is with pride so through sought  
That he all three set at nought  
And weeneth of him seluen so  
That such as he there be nomo  
And thus he would bear a price  
So fair so seemly nor so wise  
above all other & nought for thy  
He saith not one's grant mercy  
To god/ which all grace sendeth  
So that his wits he dispendeth  
Upon himself as though there were  
No god which might avail there  
But all upon his own wit  
He stant till he fall in the pit  
So far that he may not arise   
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 right thus in the same wise  
The vice upon the cause of love  
So proudly set the heart above  
And doth him plainly for to ween  
That he to loven any queen  
Hath worthiness & suffisance  
And so without purueannce  
Full oft he heaveth up so high  
That chips fallen in his eye  
And eke fulofte he weeneth this  
There as he nought beloved is  
To be loved all their best  
Now sone telleth what so the lest  
Of this that I have told the here    

Amans  

ha' father be nought in a were  
I trow there be noman less  
Of any manner worthiness  
That halt him lass worthy than I  
To be beloved & not for thy  
I say in excusing of me  
To all men that love is free  
And certes that may noman werne  
For love of himself so darn  
It luteth in a man's heart  
But that me shall not asterte  
To ween for to be worthy  
To loven but in her mercy  
But sire of that ye would mean  
That I should otherwise ween  
To be beloved than I was  
I am beknow as in that cas    

Confessor  
My good son tell me how   

Amans  

Now lest & I will tell you  
My good father how it is  
Full oft it hath byfalle or this  
thorough hope & was not certain  
My weening hath be set in vain  
To trust in thing that help me nought  
But onlyche of mine own thought  
For as seemeth that a bell  
Like to the words that men tell  
Ansueryth right so no more ne less  
To you my father I confess  
Such will my wit hath ever set  
That what so hope me behet  
Full many a time I ween it sooth  
But finally no speed it doth  
Thus may I tell as I can  
weening beguileth many a man  
So hath it me right well I wot  
For if a man will in a boat  
Which is without bottom ro we  
He must needs onerthrowe  
Right so weening hath feared by me  
For when I wend next have be  
As I by my weening cast  
Than was I forthest at last  
And as a fool my bow unbend  
When all was failed than I wend  
For thy my father as of this  
That my weening hath gone amiss  
Touchend to Snrquedrye  
Yeve me my penance or I die  
But if ye would in any form ●  
Of this matter a tale inform  
Which were again this vice set  
I should far well 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 invocacionem ad superos tempore necessitatis ex vecordia tamen et non a litter primitus provenisse asseruit unde in obsidione Civitatis 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 all manner wise  
surquidry is to despise  
Whereof I find write thus  
The proud knight Capaneus/  
He was of such surquidry  
That he thorough his chivalry  
Upon himself so much trust  
That to the gods him ne lust  
In no quarelle to beseech  
But said it was an idle speech  
Which cause was of pure dread  
For lak of heart & for need  
And upon such presumption  
He held this proud opinion  
Till at the last▪ upon a day  
About Thebes where he lay  
When it of siege was beleyne  
This knight as the Cromyque sayen  
In all man's sight there  
When he was proudest in his gear  
And how nothing might him dear  
Full armed with his shield & spear  
As he the city would assaylle  
God took himself the battle  
Ayene his pride & fro the sky  
A fiery thunder suddenly  
He send & to powder him smote  
And thus the pride which was hot  
When he most in his strength wend  
Was brent & lost withouten end  
So that it proveth well therefore  
The strength of man is soon lore  
But if that he it well govern  
And over this a man may learn  
That eke full offtime it grieveth  
What that a man himself believeth  
As though it should him well beseem  
That he all other men can dame  
And hath foryete his own vice  
A tale of 'em that be so nice  
And feign hem self to be wise  
I shall tell the in such a wise  
Whereof thou shalt ensample take  
That thou no such thing undertake   
hIc loquitur Confessor contra illos qui de sua sciencia presumentes aliorum condicioves d●udicantes indi screte redarguunt/ Et narrat Exemplum de quodam principe Regis Hungary 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 providencia micius castigavit  

I find upon surquidry  
How that whilom of Hungary  
By old days was a king  
wise & honest in all thing  
And so byfel upon a day  
And that was m the month of may  
As thylk time it was usance  
This king with noble purueannce  
Hath for himself his chaar arrayed  
Wheryn he would ride amayed  
Out of the city for to play  
With lords & great array  
Of lusty folk that were young  
Where some played & some song  
And some gone & some ride  
And some pryke her horse a side  
And brydlen hem now in now out  
The king his eye cast about  
Till he atte last was ware  
And saw commend again his char  
Two pylgryms of so great age  
That lyche unto a dry image  
That weren pale & fade hewed  
And as a bush which is besnewed  
Here beards be hoar & white  
Theridamas was of kind but a light  
That they ne semen fully deed  
They come to the king & bede  
Somme of his good pure charity  
And with great humility  
Out of his char to ground he leap  
And hem m both his arms keep  
And kyst hem both foot & hand  
Before the lords of his land  
And gave hem of his good thereto  
And when he hath this deed do  
He goth in to his char again  
though was mumur though was disdain  
though was complaint on every side  
They saiden of her own pride  
eachone to other what is this  
Our king hath do this thing amiss  
So to abbess his Royalte  
That every man it might see  
And humbled him in such a wise  
To hem that were of none emprise  
Thus was it spoken to & fro  
Of 'em that were with him though  
All privily behind his back  
But to himself noman spoke  
The kings brother in presence  
Was thylk time & great offence  
He took thereof & was the same  
aboven all other which most to blame  
Upon his lyege lord hath laid  
And hath unto the lords said  
Anon as he can time find  
There shall nothing be left behind  
That he will speak unto the king  
Now what fell upon this thing  
They were merry & fair ynongh  
eachone with other played & lough  
And fellen in to tales new  
How that the fresh flowers grew  
And how the green leaves sprung  
And how that love among the young  
began the hearts than to wake  
And every bird hath chose his make  
And thus the may day to th'end  
They lad & home aye ne they wend  
The king was not so soon come  
That when he had his chambre nome  
His brother ne was ready there  
And brought a tale unto his ere  
Of that he had such a shame  
In hyndeing of his own name  
When he himself would dretche  
That to so vile a poor wretch  
Him deigneth show such simplesse  
against the state of his noblesse  
And saith he shall no more use  
And that he moat himself excuse  
Toward his lords everichone  
The king stood still as onystone  
And to his tale an ere he laid  
And thought more than he saide  
But nevertheless to that he heard  
Well courteously he answered  
And told it should be amended  
And thus when that here tale was ended  
All ready was the board & clothe  
The king unto his souper goth  
Among the lords to the hall  
And when they had souped all  
They when leave & forth they go  
The king bythought him seluen tho  
How he his brother may chastye  
That he thought his surquidry  
Took upon hand to dispraise  
humility which is to praise  
And thereupon gave such counsell  
Toward his king that was unheyle  
Whereof to be the better lered  
Him thinketh to make him afered  
It fell so that in thilk daw  
There was ordained by the law  
A Trump with a stern breath  
Which was cleped the Trump of death  
And in the Court where the king was  
A certain man a Trump of bras  
Hath in keeping & thereof serveth  
That when a lord his death deserveth  
He shall this dreadful Trump blow  
To fore his gate & make it know  
How that the judgement is give  
Of death which shall not be forgive  
The king when it was night anon  
This man assent & bade him gone  
To trompen at his brother's gate  
And he which mote done algate  
Goth forth & doth the kings hest  
This lord which herd this tempest  
That he to fore his gate blewe  
though wist he by the law & knew  
That he was sekerlyche deed  
And as of help he wist no rede  
But send for his friends all  
And told 'em how it is befall  
And they him ask cause why  
But he the soothe not for thy  
Ne wist & there was sow we tho  
For it stood thylk time so  
This Trump was of such sentence  
That their again no resistance  
They could ordain by no weigh  
That he ne moat algate die  
But if so be he may purchase  
To get his lyege lords grace  
Here wits thereupon cast  
And len appointed at last   

This lord a worthy lady had  
Unto his wife which also dread  
Her lords death & children five  
between hem two they had on line  
That weren young & tender of age  
And of stature & of visage  
Right fair & lusty to see  
though casten they that he & she  
Forth with her children on the morrow  
As they that were full of sorrow  
All naked but of smoke & shirt  
To tender with the kings heart  
His grace should go to seche  
And pardon of death biseche  
Thus passen they that woeful night  
And early when it was light  
They gone 'em forth in such a wise  
As thou tofore hast herd devise  
All naked but her shirts one  
They wept & made much moon  
Her here hanged about her ears  
With sobbing & with sorry teries  
This lord goth then an humble pas  
That whilom proud & noble was  
Whereof the city sore a flight  
Of 'em that sawen that ilk sight  
And nevertheless all openly  
With such weeping & such cry  
Forth with his children & his wife  
He goth to pray for his life  
Unto the court when thry be come  
And men therein hath hied nome  
There was no wight if he hem sigh  
From water might keep his eye  
For sow we they maden though  
The king supposyth of this woe  
And feigneth as he nought ne wist  
But nevertheless at his uprist  
Men told him how it feared  
And when that he this wonder heard  
In hast he goth in to the hall  
And all atones down they fall  
If any pity may be found  
The king which seth 'em fell to ground  
Hath axed 'em what is the fere  
Why be ye so dispoylled there  
His brother said A lord mercy  
I wot none other cause why  
But only that this night full late  
The Trump of death was at my gate  
In token that I should die  
Thus we be come for to prey  
That ye my worlds death respite   

Ha fool thou thou art for to wite  
The king unto his brother saide  
That thou art of so little freyd  
That only for a trumps son  
Hath gone dispoilled thorough the town  
Thou & thy wife in such manner  
Forth with thy children that been here  
In sight of all men about  
For that thou sayest thou art in doubt  
Of death which stant under the law  
Of man & man may it withdraw  
So that it may perchance fail  
Now shalt thou not for thy marvel  
That I down from my char alight  
When I beheld to fore my sight  
In 'em that were of so great age  
Mine own death thorough her image  
Which god hath set by law of kind  
Whereof I may no boat find  
For well I wot such as they be  
Right such am I in my degree  
Of flesh & blood & so shall die  
And thus though I that law obey  
Of which that kings be put under  
It ought be well the less wonder  
Than thou which art without need  
For law of land in such a dread  
Which for to account is but a jape  
As thing which thou might overscape  
For thy my brother after this  
I read that sethyn that so is  
That thou canst dread a man so sore  
dread god with all thine heart more  
For all shall die & all shall pass  
As well a lion as an ass  
As well a beggar as a lord  
Toward death in one accord  
That shall stand & in this wise  
The king with his words wise,  
His brother taught & all forgive    

Confessor  

For thy my son if thou live  
In virtue thou must vice eschew  
And with low heart humblesse sew  
So that thou be not Surquedous    

Amans  

My father I am amorous  
Whereof I would you beseech  
That ye me ensample teach  
Which might in loves cause stand    

Confessor  

My seen thou shalt understand  
In love & other things all  
If that surquidry fall  
It may to him not well betide  
Which useth thylk vice & pride  
Which turneth wisdom to weening  
And soothfastness in to losing  
Though foul imagination  
And for thine information  
That thou three vice as I the rede  
Esche we shalt a tale I read  
Which fell whilom by days old  
So that the clerk Ovid told   
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 estivo tempore cum ipse venacionis causa quendam ceruum selue cum suis canibus exagitaret in gra vem sitim incurrens necessitate compulsus ad bibendum de quodam font pro mis inc●nauit. ubi Ipse faciem suam pulchirrimam in aqua percipiens putabat se per hoc illam Nimpham quam Poet Ekko wont in flumine coram suis oculis conspeyisse/ de cuius amore confestim laqucatus ut 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 cerebrun effudit  

● He: was whilom a lords son  
Which of his pride a vice won/  
Hath caught that worthy to his lyche  
To sechen all the worlds rich  
〈◊〉 was no woman for to love  
So ●●ghe he set himself above  
Of stature & of beauty both  
That him thought all women loath  
So was there no comparison  
As toward his condition  
This young lord Marcizus height  
No strength of love to we might  
His heart which is unafyled  
But at the last he was beguiled  
For the god's purveyance  
It fell him a day perchance  
That he in all his proud fare  
Unto the forest 'gan to far  
Among other that there were  
To hunt & disport him there  
And when he came in to the place  
Where that he would make his chase  
The hounds were within a throw  
Vncoupled & the horns blow  
The great heart anon was found  
With swift feet set on ground  
And he with spore in horse side  
Him hasteth fast for to ride  
Till all men be left behind  
And as he would under a lined  
Beside a roche as I the tell  
He saw where sprung a lusty well  
The day was wonder hot with all  
And such a thirst was on him fall  
That he must other die or drink  
And down he lieth & by the brink  
And tied his horse unto a branch  
And layed him low for to staunch  
His thirst & as he cast his look  
And to the well & heed took  
He saw the like of his visage  
And wend there were an image  
Of such a nymph as though was say  
Whereof his love his heart assay  
began as it after was seen  
Of his stoye & made him ween  
It were a woman that he sigh  
The more that he the well came nigh  
The ner came she him again  
So wist he never what to say  
For when he wept he saw her weep  
And when he cried he took good keep  
The same word she cried also  
And thus began the new woe  
That whilom was to him so strange  
though made him love & heart exchange  
To set his heart & to begin  
Thing which he might never win  
And ever among he 'gan to lout  
And praith that she to him come out  
And other while he goth a far  
And other while he draweth near  
And ever he fond her in a place  
He weepeth he crieth he asketh grace  
There as he might get none  
So that again a roche of stone  
As he that knew none other rede  
He smote himself till he was deed  
Whereof the Nymphs of the wells  
And other that there weren else  
Unto the woods bylongend  
The body which was deed lyggend  
For pure pity that they have  
Under grave they be grave  
And than out of his sepulture  
There sprung anon peraventure  
Of flowers such a wonder sight  
That men ensample take might  
Upon the deeds which he deed  
And though was seen in other stead  
For in the winter fresh & fair  
The flowers been which is contrary  
To kind & so was the folly  
Which fell of his surquidry   

Thus he which love had in disdain  
Werst of all other was byseyn  
And as he set his price most high  
He was lest worthy in loves eye  
And most beiaped in his wit  
Whereof the remembrance is yet  
So that thou might ensample take  
And eke all other for his sake    

Amans  

My father as touchend of me  
This vice I think for to flee  
Which of his weening ever troweth  
And namlich of thing which groweth  
In loves cause or well or woe  
Yet pryded in me never so  
But would that grace send  
That toward me my lady wend  
As towards her I ween  
My love should so bysene  
There should go no pride a place  
But I am far fro thylk grace  
As for to speak of time now  
So moat I suffer and pray you  
That ye wo● ask on other side  
If there be any point of pride  
Whereof it needeth me to be shrive    

Confessor  

My sone God it the forgive  
If thou have thing misdo  
Touchend of this for evermo  
There is another yet of pride  
Which could never his words hide  
That he ne would himself avaunt  
There may nothing his tongue daunt  
That he ne clappeth as a bell  
Whereof if thou wilt that I tell  
It is behovely for to here  
So that thou might thy tongue steer  
Toward the world & stand in grace  
Which lacketh oft in many a place  
To him that can not sit still  
Which else should have his will   
Magniloque propriam minuit iactancia lingue/ Faman quam stabilem firmat honore alens/ Ipse sui laudem meriti non percipit unde/ Se sua per verba iactat in orb palam/ Est que viri culpa iactancia que rubifactas, In muliere reas cansat habere genas  
hIc loqitur de quarta specie super buy que iactancia dicitur/ ex cuius natura causatur ut homo de se ipso testi monium perhilens suarum utrtutum merita de laud in culpam transferre et suam famam cum extollere vellet Illum proprio ore subvertit/ Sed & venus in amoris causa de isto vicio maculatos a sua curia super omnes alios abhotrens expellit/ ut eorum multiloquium verecundia detestatur/ unde Confesso: Amanti opponens materiam plevius declarat  

tHe Vice cleped avauntaunce  
With pride hath take his acque intaunce/  
So that his own price he lesseth/  
When he such measure overpasseth  
That he his own herald is  
That first was well is than amiss  
That was thank worthy is than blame  
And thus the worship of his name  
thorough pride of his avauntry  
He wineth in to villainy  
I vede how that this pronde vice  
Hath thylk wind in his office  
thorough which the blasts that he bloweth  
The man's name he overthroweth  
Of virtue which should else spring  
Unto the worlds knouleching  
But he fordeth it all to sore  
And right of such manner lore  
There been lovers for thy if thou  
Art one of 'em trlle & say thou  
When thou hast take any thing  
Of loves right or ouche or ring  
Or take upon the for the cold  
Some goodly word as the w●s told  
Or friendly cheer or token or letter  
Whereof thine heart was the better  
Of that she sent the greeting  
Hast thou for pride of thy liking  
Made thine avannt where the list   

I Would father that ye wist  
My conscience lieth not here  
Yet had I never such matter  
Whereof might mine heart amend  
Not of so much as she send  
By mouth & said great him weal  
And thus for that there is no delo  
Whereof to make mine avaunt  
It is to reason accordant  
That may never but I lie  
Of love make avauntry  
I wot not what I should have do  
If that I had encheason so  
As ye have said here many one  
But I fond cause never none  
But danger which me wellnigh slough  
Thereof I couth tell enough  
And none other avantaunce  
Thus needeth me no repentance  
Now ask father further of my life  
For thewf am I not gyltyf    

Confessor  

My sone I am well paid with all  
For wyto well in special  
That love of his vevay justice  
A loven all other again this vice  
At all times most debateth  
With all his heart & most he hateth  
And eke in all manner wise  
Auauntrye is most to despise  
By ensample thou might wite  
Which I find in the books write   
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 Gurmundun in bello morientem triumphasset testam capitio de functi auferens aphum ex ea gemmis & ouw circumligatum in sue victory memoriam fabricari constituit/ insuper & Ipsius Gurmundi filiam Rosemundam vapiens maritali thoro in coningensibi copilavit. unde Ipso Albino postea coram regni sui nobilibus in suo regasli con 〈…〉 o sedente dicti Gurmundi aphum infuso bino ad se inter epulas of ferri jussit/ quem sumptum Vxori sue Regive 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 iactavit/ 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 Ravenensis tam in corpus Regine quam suorum fautorum pestea vindicavit  

oF 'em that we lombards call  
Albinus was the first of all  
Which bare crown of lumbardie  
And was of great chivalry  
An were against divers kings  
So fell among other things  
That he that time a were had  
With Gurmund which ● Geptees lad  
And was a mighty king also  
But nevertheless it fell him so  
Albinus slough him in the field  
There halpe him notherspere ne shield  
That he ne smote his heed of than  
Whereof he took away the pan  
Of which he said he would make  
A cup for Gurmundes sake  
To keep & draw in to memory  
Of his battle the victory  
And when he thus the field had won  
The land anon was over run  
And seized in his own hand  
There he gurmundes daughter found  
Which maid Rosamund height  
And was in every man's sight  
A fair fresh a lusty one  
His heart fill to her anon  
And such a love on her he cast  
That he her wedded at the last  
And after that time long in rest  
With her he dwelt & to the best  
They love each other wonder well  
But she which keepeth the blind wheel  
Venue when they be most about  
An all the hottest of her love  
Her wheel she turneth & they fell  
An the manner as I shall tell  
This king which stood in all his wealth  
Of peace of worship & of health  
And felt him on no side grieved  
As he that hath his world achieved  
though thought he a fest he would make  
And that for his wives sake  
That she the lords at the feste  
That were obeissant to his hest  
May know & so thereupon  
He let ordain & sent anon  
By letters & by messengers  
And warned all his officers  
That every thing be well arrayed  
The great steeds were assayed  
For jousting & for tornement  
And many a perled garment  
Embrouded was again the day  
The lords in here best array  
Be comen at time set  
One jousteth well another bet  
And other while they tourney  
And thus they cast care away  
And took lusts upon hand  
And after thou shalt understand  
To meet in to the kings hall  
They comen as they he bidden all  
And when they were set & served  
Than after as it was deserved  
To hem that worthy knyghees were  
So as they seten here & there  
The price was spoke & you out  
Among the herawdes all about  
And thus beneath & eke above  
All was of arms & of love  
Whereof about at boards  
Men had many sundry words  
That of the mirth which they made  
The king himself began to glade  
Within his heart & took a pride  
And saw the cup stand a side  
Which made was of Gurmundes heed  
As ye have herd when he was deed  
And was with gold & rich stones  
Beset & bound for the nonce  
And stood upon a foot on hight  
Of borned gold & with great sleight  
Of werkemanshyp it was begrave  
Of such work as it should have  
And polished was eke so clean  
That no sign of the skull was seen  
But as it were a gripes eye  
The king bade bear his cup away  
Which stood before him on the board  
And fet thylk upon his word  
The skull is fet & win therein  
Whereof he bade his wife hegynne  
Drink with thy father dame he saide  
And she to his bidding obeyed  
And took the skull & what her list  
She drinketh as she nothing wist  
What cup it was & than all out  
The king in audience about  
Hath told it was her fathers skull  
So that the lords know shulle  
Of his vataylle a sooth witness  
And made avaunt thorough what prowess  
He hath his wives love won  
Which of the skull hath so begun  
though was there pride much aloft  
They speaken as & she was soft  
Thynkend thylk unkind pride  
Of that her lord so nigh her side  
Auaunath him that he has slain  
And picked out her fathers brain  
And of the skull hath made a cup  
She suffered till they be up  
And tho she hath sickness feigned  
And goth to chamber & hath compleyned  
Unto a maid which she trust  
So that none other wight it wist  
This maid Glodesyde is hot  
To whom this lady hath byhote  
Of sadyshyp all that she can  
●o avenge her upon this man  
Which did her drink in such a plight  
Among hem all for despite  
Of her & of her father both  
Whereof her thoughts been so wroth  
〈…〉 said that she shall not be glad  
〈…〉 that she him so hath bestead  
●hat be no more make avaunt  
And thus they fell in covenant  
●hat they accordene at the last  
With such wiles as they cast  
That they will get of her accord  
Some orped knight to slay this lord  
And with this sleight they begin  
How they helmege might win  
Which was the kings botyler  
A proud & a lusty bachelor  
And Glodesyde he loveth hot  
And she to make him more assote  
Here love granted & by night  
They shape how they to gether might  
A bed meet & done it was  
The same night & in this was  
The queen her self the night second  
Went in her stead & there she fond  
A chambre dark without light  
And goth to bed to this knight  
And he to keep his observance  
To love doth his obeisance  
And weeneth it be Glodesyde  
And she than after lay a side  
And him asketh what he hath do  
And who she was she told him tho  
And said I am thy queen  
Now shall thy love well beseen  
Of that thou hast thy will wrought  
Or it shall sore been about  
Or thou shalt work as I the say  
And if thou wilt by such a way  
Do my pleasance & hold it still  
For ever I shall be/ at thy will  
Both I & all mine heritage  
Anon the wild love rage's  
An which noman him can govern  
Hath made him that he can not werne  
But fell all hool to here assent  
And thus the wheel is all miswent  
The which fortune hath upon hand  
For how that ever it after stand  
They shope among 'em/ such a wile  
The king was deed within a while  
So slily come it not about  
That they ne been discovered out  
So that it thought 'em for the best  
To flee for there was no rest  
And thus the treasure of the king  
Tsxy truss & much other thing  
And with a certain felauship  
They fled & went away by ship  
And hel●● her course from then  
Till that they come to Ravenne  
Where they the dukes help sought  
And he so as they him besought  
A place granteth for to duelle  
But after when he herd tell  
Of/ the manner how they have do  
The duke let shape for 'em so  
That of a poison which they drunk  
They hadden that they have beswunke  
And all this made avawt of pride  
Good is therefore a man to hide  
His own price. for if he speak  
He may lyghtelyche his thank break  
An arms lieth none advantage  
To him which thinketh his name  
advance/ And be renowned of his deed  
And also who that thinketh to speed  
Of love he may not him avaunt  
For what man thylk upce haunt  
His purposes shall oft fail  
In arms he that will travail  
Or else loves grace attryne  
His love tongue he moat restrain  
Which beareth of his honour the key  
For thy my son in all weigh  
Take right good heed of this matter  
I thank you my father dear  
This school is of a gentle lore  
And if there be aught else more  
Of pride which I shall eschew  
Now ask forth & I will show  
What thing that ye me will inform    

Confessor  

My sone yet in other form  
Theridamas is a vyor of pride's lore  
Which lyche an hawk & he will sore  
Fleeth upon high in his delyces  
After the liking of his vices  
And will nomans reason know  
Till he down fall & overthrow we  
This vice veynglorye is hot  
Whereof my son I the byhote  
To treat & speak in such a wise  
That thou the might the better advice   
gLoria perpetuos pregnat mundana dolores/ Qui tamen est vanus gaudia vana cupit/ Eius amiciciam quem gloria tollit inanis. Non sine blan dichiss planus habehit homo/ Merbis compositis qui sit stagulare favellum Scandere sellata iura valebit eques Sic in amore magis qui blanda subor not 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 vice of veinglorye  
Remembreth not of purgatory  
His worlds joys be so great  
Him thinketh of heaven no beyete  
This lives pomp is all his pes  
Yet shall he die nevertheless  
And thereof thinketh he but a light  
For all his lust is to delight  
An new things proud & vain  
As farforth as he may attain  
I trow if that he might make  
His body new he would take  
A new form & leave his old  
For what thing that he may behold  
The which the common use is strange  
Anon his old guise change  
He will & fall thereupon  
Lyche unto the Chameleon  
Which upon every sundry hew  
That he behold he moat new  
His colour & thus unadvised  
Fuloftyme he stant desguysed  
More ioylyf than the vytd in May  
He maketh him ever fessehe & gay  
And doth all his array desguyse  
So that of him the new guise  
Of lusty folk all other take  
And eke he can carols make  
Roundel ballad & verelay  
And with all this if that he may  
Of ●●ue ge●e him advantage  
A none he waxed of his courage  
So over glad that of his end  
He thinketh there is no death commend  
For he hath than at all tide  
Of love such manner pride  
Him thinketh his joy is endless    

Confessor  

Now shrive the son in good peace  
And of thy love tell me plain  
If that thy glory hath so be vain    

Amans  

My father as touchend of all  
I may not well ne not shall  
Of vain glory excuse me  
That I ne have for love be  
The better dressed & arrayed  
And also I have oft assayed  
Roundel ballads & vyrelay  
For hy: love on whom mine heart lay  
Thomas to make also & for to paint  
●●rollys with my words quaint  
To set my purposes aloft  
And ●yus I long 'em forth oft  
In ball ● eke in Chambre about  
And made merry among the ●oute  
But yet ne fir I not the bet  
●●●e was my glory in veyn set  
I● all the ●oye that I made  
For when I would with her glade  
And of ●er love songs make  
●● said it was not for her sake  
And ●●●e not my songs here  
N● wyten what the words were  
So fo: to speak of mine array  
Yet could I never be so gay●  
●e so well make a song of love  
whereof I might been above  
And have encheason to be glad  
But rather I am oft adread  
For sorrow that she saith me nay  
And nevertheless I will not say  
That I am glad on other side  
For ●ame that can nothing hide  
All day will bring unto mine ere  
Of that men speaken here & there  
How that my lady beareth the pry●●  
How she is fair how she is wise  
How she is womanlyche of cheer  
Of all this thing that I may here  
What wonder is thaugh I be fain  
And eke when I may here sayne  
tidings of my lady he'll  
All though I may not with her deal  
Yet am I wonder glad of that  
For when I wot of her good estate  
As for that time I dare well swear  
None other sorrow may me dear  
Thus am I gladded in this wise  
But father of your lores wise  
Of whicho ye be fully taught  
Now tell me if ye think aught  
That I thewf am to wite   

Of that there is I the acquit  
My sone he said & for thy good  
I will that thou understood  
For I think upon this matter  
To tell a tale as thou shalt here  
How that again this proud vyde  
The high/ god of/ his justice  
Is wroth & great vengeance doth  
Now hearken a tale that is sooth  
Though it be nought of loves kind  
A great ensample thou shalt find  
This vain glory for to flee  
Which is so full of vanity   
hVmani generis cum sit sibi gloria maior. Sepe sub esse solet poox imis ille dolour/ men's elata graves descensus sepe subibit/ men's 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 glory 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 transmutavit/ Et sic perseptennium penitens cum ipse potenaorem se agnovit, misertus dens ipsum in sui Regni so●●um restituta sanitate emendatum graciosius collocavit  

there was a king that much might  
Which Nabugdonosor height  
Of whom that I spoke here tofore  
Yet in the bible this name is boar  
For all the World in th'orient  
Was hole at his commandment  
Than of kings to his lyche  
Was none so mighty ne so rich  
To his empire & to his laws  
As who saith in thilk daws  
Were obeissant & tribute bear  
As though he god of earth were  
With strength he put kings under  
And wrought of pride many a wonder  
He was so full of vain glory  
That he ne had no memory  
That there was any god but he  
For pride of his pro●peryte  
Till that the high king of kings  
Which seeth & knoweth all things  
whose eye may nothing asterte  
The pryuyt●es of man's heart  
To speak & sown in his ere  
As though they ●oude winds were  
He took vengeance of his pride  
But for he would a while abide  
To look if he would him amend  
To him afore token he send  
And that was in his sleep by night  
This proud king a wonder ●yght  
Had 〈◊〉 his sweuen● there he lay  
Him thought upon a merry day  
As he beheld the world abou●●  
A tree grow he saw their out●  
Which in the world amids even  
whose height strauȝt vy to the heaven  
The leaves were fair & large  
The fovyt it ●ere so ripe a charge  
That all men it might feed  
He saw also the bows spread  
Above all earth in which were  
The kind of all birds there  
And eke he thought he saw also  
The kind of all beasts go  
Under the tree about round  
And fedden hem upon the ground  
As he this wonder stand & sigh  
He thought he herd a voice on high  
Cryend & said above all  
Hew down this tree & let it fall  
The leaves let defou●e in haste  
And doth fevyt destroy & waste  
And let of shreden every branch  
But at rote he beat it staunch  
When all his pride is cast to ground  
The rote shall be fast bound  
And shall no man's heart bear  
But every lust shall he forbear  
Of man & lyche an Ox his m●te  
Of grass he shall purchase & eat  
Till that the water of heaven  
Have washen him by times seven  
So that he thorough know aright  
What is the hevenlyche might  
And be made humble to the will  
Of him which may all save & spill  
This king out of his sweven abraid  
And he upon the mow we it said  
Unto the clerks which he had  
But none of 'em the sooth arad  
Was none his sweven couth undo  
And it stood thylk time so  
This king had in subjection  
judee & of affection  
A boven all other one Danyel  
He loveth for he couth well  
divine that none other couth  
To him were all things couth  
As he it had of god's grace  
He was before the kings face  
And scent & ●oden that he should  
Upon the point the king of told  
The fortune of his sweven expound  
As it should afterward be found  
When Danyel this sweven heard  
He stood long time or he answered  
And made a wonder bevy cheer  
The king took heed of his manner  
And bade him tell that he wist  
As he to whom he much ●●yse  
And said be would not be wroth  
But Danyel was wonder loath  
And said upon the so men all  
Sire king thy sweven might fall  
And nethelce touchend of this  
I will the tell how it is  
And what disease is to the shape  
God wot it if thou shalt escape  
The high tree which thou hast seen  
Which leaves & f●uyt so well beseen  
The which stood in the world amids  
So that the beasts & the birds  
Governed were of him alone  
Sir king betokeneth thy person  
Which stonte above all earthly things  
Thus regnen under the the kings  
And all the people unto the lovoteth  
And all the world thy person doubteth  
So that with vain honour deceived  
Thou hast the reverence waived  
Fro him which is thy king above  
Thou hast that thou for dread ne love  
Wolt nothing know of this god  
Which now for thou hath made a rod  
Thy vain glory & thy folly  
With great pains to chastye  
And of the voys thou heardest speak  
Which bade the bows for to break  
And hew & fell down the tr●  
That word by●ongeth unto the  
Thy Regne shall be overthrow we  
And thou dyspoylled for athro we  
But that the rote shall stand,  
Thou shalt well understand  
There shall abide of thy regne  
A time again where thou shall regne  
And eke of that thou heardest say●  
To take a man's heart aways  
And set there a bestyal  
So that like an ox shall  
Pasture & that he be rained  
By times seven & sore pained  
Till that he know his god's myghtes  
Than shall he stand again uprightes  
All this betokeneth thine estate  
Which now with god is in debate  
Thy man's form shall be lassed  
Till seven year be over passed  
And in the likeness of a beast  
Of grass shall be thy Royal ●●ste  
The wether shall upon the rain  
And understand that all this pain  
Which thou shalt suffer thylk tide  
Is shape all only for thy pride  
Of vain glory & of the ●ynne  
Which thou hast long stand in   

So upon this condition▪  
Thy sweven hath exposition  
But or this thing befall in deed  
amend the this would I read  
Yeve & depart thine alms  
Do mercy forth with rightwiseness  
Beseech & pray the high grace  
For so thou might thy peace purchase  
With god & stonden in good accord  
But pride is loath to lose his lord  
And will not suffer humility  
With him to stand in no degree  
And when a ship hath lost his steer  
Is none so wise that may him steer  
again the wawes in a rage  
This proud king in his courage  
humility hath so forlese  
That for no sweven he saw tofore  
Ne yet for all that Danyel  
Him hath counseled every del  
He let it pass out of his mind  
thorough vain glory & as the blind  
He seeth no weigh or him be woe  
And fell within a time so  
As he in Babyloyne went  
The vanity of pride him hent  
His heart aroos of vain glory  
So that he drough in to memory  
His lordship & his Regalye  
With words of surquidry  
When that he him most avaunteth  
That lord which glory daunteth  
All suddenly as who saith treys  
Where that he stood in his palace  
He took him from the men's sight  
Was none of 'em so war that might  
Set eye where he become  
And thus was he from his kingdom  
In to the wild forest draw  
Where that the mighty god's law  
thorough his power did transform  
Fro man in to a beasts form  
And like an ox under the foot  
He grazeth as he needs more  
To getten his lives food  
though thought him cold grass good  
That whilom eat the hot● spices  
Thus was he turned from delyces  
The win was wont to drink  
He took then of the wells brink  
Or of the pit or of the slough  
It thought him then good enough  
In stead of chambres well arrayed  
He was than of a bush well paid  
The hard ground he lay upon  
For other pylowes had he non  
The storms & the rains fall  
The winds blow upon him all  
He tormented day & night  
such was the high gods might  
Till seven year an end took  
Upon himself though 'gan he look  
In stead of meet gr●s & treys  
In stead of hands long cleys  
In stead of man a beast like  
He saw & than he 'gan to sick  
For cloth of gold & of perry  
Which him was wont to magny●ye  
When he beheld his cote of heres  
He wept & with woeful tears  
Up to the heaven he cast his cheer  
Wepend & thought in this manner  
Though he no words may win  
Thus said his heart & spoke withynne  
O mighty god that all hast wrought  
And all might bring again to nought  
Now know I but all of the  
This world hath no prosperity  
In thine aspect been all alike  
The power man & eke the rich  
Without the there may no wight  
And thou above all other might  
O mighty lord to ward my vice  
Thy mercy meddle with justice  
And I will make a covenant  
That of my life the remnant  
I shall it by the grace amend  
And in thy law so dispend  
That veyn glory I shall eschew  
And bow unto thine hest & sew  
humility & that I vow  
And so thenkend he 'gan down bow  
And though him lack boys & speehe  
He 'gan with his feet areche  
And wenend in his beestly steven  
He made his plaint unto the heaven  
He kneeleth in his wise & brayeth  
To seche mercy & assayeth  
His god which made him nothing  
strange. When that he saw his pride change  
Anon as he was humble & tame  
He fond toward his god the same  
And in a twinkling of a look  
His man's form again he took  
And was reform to the Reign  
In which that he was wont to reign  
So that the pride of veyn glory  
Ever afterward out of memory  
He let it pass & thus it showed  
What is to been of pride unthe wed  
again the high god's law  
To whom no man may be fellow  
For thy my son take good heed  
So for to lead thy manhood  
That thou be not like a best  
But if thy life shall be honest  
Thou must humblesse take on hand  
For than might thou syker stand  
And for to speak in other wise  
A proud man can not assize  
For though a woman would him please  
His pride can not been at ease  
Theridamas may noman to much blame  
A vice which is for to blame  
For thy men shoulden nothing hide  
That might fall in blame of pride  
Which is the worst vice of all  
Whereof so as it was befall  
The tale I think of a chronic  
To tell if it may the like  
So that thou might humblesse sew  
And eke the vice of pride eschew  
Whereof the glory is false & vain  
Which god himself hath in disdain  
That though it mount for athrowe  
It shall fall down & overthrow   
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 sort 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 famous prudency cuidam Militi suo super questionibus ut 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 oina 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 prevalet q tamen nullius prodegalitatis expensis mensuram excedit/ Ad terciam dixit ꝙ superbia omnia tam corporis qm anime bona devastans maiorum expensarum excessus inducit  

aching was whilom young & wise  
The which of his wit set great price  
Of deep imaginations  
And strange Interpretations  
Problems & demands eke  
His wisdom was to find & seek  
Whereof he would in sundry wise  
Opposen hem that were wise  
But none of 'em it might veer  
Upon his word to give answer  
Out taken one which was a knight  
To him was every thing so light  
That also soon as he hem heard  
The kings words answered  
What thing the king ask would  
There anon the truth he told  
The king somedeal had an envy  
And thought he would his wits ply  
To set some conclusion  
Which should be confusion  
Unto this knight so that the name  
And of wisdom the high fame  
To ward himself he would win  
And thus of all his wit to win  
The king began to study & muse  
What strange matter be might use  
The knights wits to confound  
And at last he hath it found  
And for the knight anon he sent  
That he shall tell what he meant  
Upon the points of the matter  
Of questions as thou shalt here   

The first point of all three  
Was this What thing in all degree  
Of all this World hath need lest  
And yet men help it alther most   

The second What most is worth  
And of costage is lest put forth   

The third is which is of most cost  
And lest is worth & goth to lost  
The king these three demands asketh  
To the knight this law he taxeth  
That he shall gone & come again  
The third week & tell him pleyne  
To every point what it amounteth  
And if so be that he myscounteth  
To make in his ansuere a fail  
There shall none other thing fail  
The king saith that he shall be deed  
And lose his goods & his heed  
The knight was sorry of this thing  
And would excuse him to the king  
But he ne would him not forbear  
And thus this knight of his answer  
Goth home to take avyfement  
But after his intendment  
The more he cast his wit about  
Thereof he stant the more in doubt  
though wist he well the kings heart  
That he the death ne should astart  
And such a sow we has to him take  
That gladship he hath forsake  
He thought first upon his life  
And after that upon his wife  
Upon his childee eke also  
Of which he had daughters two  
The youngest of 'em had in age  
fourteen year & of visage  
She was right fair & of stature  
Lyche to an hevenlyche figure  
And of manner & of goodly speech  
Though men would all lands seek  
They should not have founden her like  
She saw her father sorrow & sick  
And wist not the cause why  
So came she to him privily  
And that was where he made his moan  
Within a garden all him one  
Upon her knees she 'gan down fall  
With humble heart & to him call  
And said O good father dear  
Why make ye thus heavy cheer  
And I wot nothing how it is  
And well ye know father this  
What adventure that you fell  
Ye might it saufly to me tell  
For I have oft herd you said  
That ye such trust have on me laid  
That to my sister ne to my brother  
In all this world ne to none other  
Ye durst have told a privity  
So well my father as to me  
For thy my father I you pray  
Ne casteth nought that heart away  
For I am she that would keep  
Your honour & with that weep  
Her eye may not be forbore  
She wisheth for to been unborn  
ere that her father so mystryst  
To tell her of that he wist  
And ever among mercy she cryede  
That he ne should his counsell hide  
From her that so would him good  
And was so nigh flesh & blood  
So that weeping at the last  
His cheer upon his child he cast  
And sorrowfully to that she prayed  
He told his tale & thus he said  
The sorrow daughter which I make  
Is not all only for my sake  
But for the both & for you all  
For such a chance is me befall  
That I shall or this third day  
Lese all that ever I lose may  
My life & all my good thereto  
Therefore it is I sorrow so  
What is the cause alas quoth she  
My father that ye sholden be  
Deed & destroyed in such a wise  
And he began the points devise  
Which as the king told him by mouth  
And said her plainly that he couth  
answer to no point of this  
And she that heareth how it is  
Her counseyl gave & said tho  
My father sin it is so  
That ye can none other weigh  
But that ye must needs die  
I would pray of you a thing  
Late me go with you to the king  
And ye shall make him understand  
How ye my wits for to fond  
Have laid answer upon me  
And tell him in such degree  
Upon my word ye will abide  
though to live or die what so betide  
For yet perchance I may purchase  
With some good word the kings grace  
Your life & eke your good to save  
For oft shall a woman have  
Thing which that a man may not areche  
The father herd the daughters speech  
And thought there was reason in  
And saw his own life to win  
He ruth done himself no cure  
So better him thought in adventure  
To put him & all his good  
Than in the manner as it stood  
His life in certain for to lose  
And thus thynkend he began to cheese  
To do the counsel of this maid  
And eke the purposes which she said  
The day was come & forth they gone  
Unto the Court they come anon  
Where as the king in his judgement  
Was set & hath this knight asent  
Arrayed in the best wise  
This maiden with her words wise  
Her father led by the hand  
In to the place where he fond  
The king with other which he would  
And to the king knelend he told  
As he informed was tofore  
And prayeth the king that he therefore  
His daughter's words will take  
And saith that he will undertake  
Upon her words for to stand  
though was there great meritayl on hand  
That he which was so wise a knight  
His life upon so young a wight  
Be set would in jeopardy  
And many it held for folly  
But at the last nevertheless  
The king commanded to be in peace  
And to this maid he cast his cheer  
And said he would her tale here  
And bade her speak & she began  
My lyege lord so as I can  
Quod she the points which I heard  
They shall of reason be answered   

The first I understand is this  
What thing of all the world it is  
Which men most help & lest need  
My lyege lord this would I read  
The earth it is which evermo  
With man's labour is vego  
As well in winter as in may  
The man's hand what he may  
To help it forth & make it rich  
And for thy men it delve & dyche  
And earen it with strength of plough  
Where it hath of himself enough  
So his need is at the lest  
For every man bird & best  
And flower & grass & rote & rind  
And every thing by weigh of kind  
Shall starve & earth it shall become  
As it was out of the earth nome  
It shall to earth torn again  
And thus I may by reason say  
That th'earth is most needles  
And most men help it nevertheless  
So that my lord touchand of this  
I have answered how it is   

That other point I understood  
Which most is worth & most is good  
And costeth a man lest to keep  
My lord if ye will take keep  
I say it is humility  
thorough which the high trinity  
As for desert of true love  
Unto Mary from above  
Of that he knew her humble intent  
His own son a down he sent  
Above all other/ & her he cheese  
For that virtue which that bedeth peace  
So that I may by reason call  
humility is most worthiest of all  
And lest it costeth to maintain  
In all the word as it is seen  
For who that hath humblesse un hende  
He bringeth no wer●e in to land  
For he desireth for the best  
To set every man in rest  
Thus with your high reverence  
Me thinketh, that this evidence  
As to this point is suffisant  
And touchend of the remnant  
Which is the third of your askynges  
What lest is worth of all things  
And ●osteth most I tell it pride  
Which may not in the heaven abide  
For Luafer with him it fell  
Bar Pride with him in to hell  
Theridamas was pride of to great a cost  
When he for pride hath heaven lost  
And after that in Paradyse  
Adam for pride he lost his price  
In middle earth & eke also  
Pride is the cause of all We  
That all the world it may suffice  
So stant of pride the repryse  
Pride is the heed of all sin  
Which wasteth all & may not win  
Pride is of every miss the prick  
Pride is the worst of all wyck  
And costeth most & lest is worth  
In place where he hath his forth  
Thus have I said that I will say  
Of mine answer & to you pray  
Mine lyege lord of your office  
That ye shall grace & such justice  
Ordain for my father here  
That after this men it here  
The world thereof may say good   

The king/ which reason understood  
And hath all herd which she hath said  
Was inly glad & so well paid  
That all his wrath is over go  
And he began to look though  
Upon this maid in the face  
In which he found so much grace  
That all his price on her he ●eyde  
In audience & thus he saide  
My fair maid well ye be  
Of thine answer & eke of the  
Me liketh & as thou wilt  
Foryeve be thy father guilt  
And if thou were of such lineage  
That thou to me were of parage  
And that thy father were a peer  
As he is now a bachylere  
Thou shouldest then be my wife  
So siker as I have life  
But this I say nevertheless  
That I will shape thine increases  
What worlds good that thou wilt  
bave/ ask of my yeft & thou shalt have  
And she the kings words wise  
kneeling thanked in this wise  
My lyege lord god moat you quite  
My father here hath but a light  
Of waryson & that he wend  
Had all be lost but now amend  
Ye may well thorough your noble grace  
With that the king right in his place  
A none forth in the fresh heat  
An earldom which than was escheat  
Was late fall in to his hand  
Unto the knight with rent & land  
Hath you & with his chartre seized  
And thus was all the noise appeased  
This maid which sat upon her knees  
Before the kings charytees  
Comen death & saith evermore  
My lyege lord right now to fore  
Ye said as it is of record  
That if my father were a lord  
And peer unto these other great  
Ye wolden not else let  
That I ne should be your wife  
And thus wot every worthy life  
A kings word moat be holden  
For thy my lord if that ye wolden  
So great a charity fulfil  
God wot it were well my will  
For he which was a bachilere  
My father is now made a peer  
So when as ever that I came  
An earls daughter now I am  
This young king which pleased all  
Her beauty & her wit with all  
As he that wae with love hent  
A none thereto gave his assent  
He might not the maid asterte  
That she nis lady of his heart  
So that he took her to his wife  
To hold while that he hath life  
And thus the king toward this knight  
Acordeth to him as it is right  
And over this good is to wite  
In the Cronyes as it is write  
This noble king of whom I told  
Of Spain by the days old  
The kingdom had in governance  
And as the book maketh remembrance  
Alphons was his proper name  
The knight also if I shall name  
Dom Petro height/ & as men tell  
His daughter wise Petronelle  
Was cleped which was full of grace  
And that was seen in thylk place  
Where she her father out of tene  
Hath breught & made her self a queen  
Of that she hath so well disclosed  
The points whereof she was opposed    

Confessor  

Lo now my son as thou might here  
Of all this thing to my matter  
But one I take & that is pride  
To whom no grace may betide  
In heaven he fell out of his stead  
And paradies him was forbid  
The good men in earth him hate  
So that to hell he moat algate  
Where every virtue shall be waived  
And every vice be received  
But Humblesse is all other wise  
Which most is worthy & no repryse  
It taketh again both soft & fair  
If any thing stant in contrary  
With humble speech it is redressed  
Thus was this young maid blessed  
The which I spoke of now to fore  
Her father life she got therefore  
And wan with all the kings love  
For thy my son if thou wilt love  
It sytt the well to love pride  
And take Humblesse on thy side  
The more of grace thou shalt get    

Amans  

My father I will not foryete  
Of this that ye have told me here  
And if that any such manner  
Of humble port may love appaye  
Here afterward I think assay  
But now over I beseech  
That ye more of my shrift seek    

Confessor  

My good son it shall be do  
Now herkne & lay an ere to  
For as tonchand of pride fair  
Als farforth as I can declare  
In cause of vice in cause of love  
That thou hast plain herd above  
So that there is no more to say  
Touchend of that but other weigh  
Touchend envy I think to tell  
Which hath by proper kind of hell  
Without cause to misdo  
Toward himself & other more  
Here afterward as I understand  
Thou shalt the spices as they stand    
Explicit liber primus   

Litter secundus  

hOw after pride the second  
Theridamas is which many a woe full stound  
To wards other beareth amboute  
Within himself & not without  
For in his thought he brenneth ever  
When that he wot another lever  
Or more virtuous than he  
Which passeth him in his degree  
Whereof he taketh his malady  
That vice is cleped hoot envy  
For thy my son if it be so  
That the art or hast been one of tho  
As for to speak in loves cas  
If ever yet thine heart was  
Seek of other men's hele  
So god avannce my quarrel  
My father ye a thousand sith  
When I have seen another blithe  
Of love & a goodly cheer  
Ethna which brenneth year byyere  
Was than not so hoot as I  
Of thylk for which privily  
mine hearts thought within brenneth  
The ship which on the wawe runneth  
And is forstormed & for blow  
Is not more pained for athrowe  
Than I am than when I see  
Another which that passeth me  
In that fortune of loves gift  
But father this I tell in shrift  
That now here but in a place  
For who that seek & find grace  
In other stead it may nought grieve  
But this ye may right well believe  
Toward my lady that I serve  
Though that I wist for to starve  
Mine heart is full of such folly  
That I myself may not chastye  
When I the court see of Cupyde  
Approach unto my lady side  
Of 'em that lusty been & fresh  
Though it avail 'em not a resshe  
But only that they been of speech  
My sorrow is than not to seche  
But when they rownen in her ere  
Then groweth all my most fere  
And namely when they talen long  
My sorrows be than so strong  
Of that I see 'em well at ease  
I can not tell my disease  
But sire as of my lady self  
Though she have wowers x or twelve  
For no mistrust I have of hire  
Me grieveth nought for certes sire  
I trow in all this world to seche  
Nys woman that in deed & speech  
Wol better advise her what she doth  
Ne better for to say a sooth  
Keep her honour at all tide  
And yet get her a thank beside  
But nevertheless I am be know  
That when I see any throw  
Or else if it I may here  
That she make any man good cheer  
Though I thereof have not to done  
My thought will entermete soon  
For though I be myself strange  
Envy maketh mine heart change  
That I am sorrowfully be stad  
Of that I see another glad  
With her but of other all  
Of love what so may befall  
Or that he fail or that he speed  
Thereof take I but little heed  
Now have I said my father all  
And of this point in special  
As ferforthly as I have wist  
Now ask father what you list   

Confessor  

My sone or I ask any more  
I think somedeal for thy lore  
Tell an example of this matter  
Touchend envy as thou shalt here  
Though it be not the hounds kind  
Write in civil this I find  
To eat chaff yet will I werne  
An ox which cometh to the herne  
Thereof to take any food  
And thus who that it understood  
It stant of love many a place  
Who that is out of loves grace  
He would another should fail  
And may himself not avail  
And if he may put any lettr  
He death all that he may to let  
Whereof I find as thou shalt wite  
To this purpoos a tale write   
hIc ponit Confessor Exemplum contra istos saltem qui in amoris causa aliorum gaudijs invidentes ne●uaquam per hoc sibi ipsis proficiunt/ Et narrat qualiter Mundus Miles nomine Acis quem Galathea Numpha pulcherrima toto cord peramavit cum ipsi sub quadam rupe juxta litus maris colloquium ad invicem habuerunt/ Polophemus gigas concussa rupe magnam inde partem super caput Acis ab alto percipiens Ipsum per invidiam in terfecit/ Et cum ipse super hoc dictam Galatheam rapere voluisset Neptunus gigantem obsistens Ipsam involutum salva custodia preseruavit/ Sed et dij miserti corpus Acis defuncti in fontem aque dulcissime subito transmutarant  

there been of such more than xij  
That be not able of themself  
To get love & for envy  
Upon all other they aspye  
And for hem lacketh that they would  
They keep that none other should  
Touchend of love his cause speed  
Whereof a great ensample I read  
Which unto this matter acordeth  
As Ovid in his book recordeth  
How Polyphemus whilom wrought  
When that he Galathe bysought  
Of love which he may not latch  
That made him for to wait & watch  
By all ways how it feared  
Till at the last he knew & heard  
How that another had leave  
To love there as he moat leave  
As for to speak of any speed  
So that he knew none other rede  
But for to waiten upon all  
Till he may see the chance fall  
That he her might grieve  
Which by himself may not achieve  
This Galathe saith the poet  
Above all other was unmeet  
Of beauty that men than knew  
And had a lusty love & true  
A bachyleer in his degree  
Right such another as was he  
On whom she hath her heart set  
So that it might nought be let  
For yefte ne for no behest  
That she ne was all at his hest  
This young knight Acis was hot  
Which her ageynward also hot  
All only loveth & no more  
Hereof was polyphemus woe  
thorough pure envy & ever aspyede  
And waiteth upon every side  
When he together might see  
This young Acis with/ galathe  
So long he waiteth to & fro  
Till at the last he found 'em two  
In prive place where they stood  
To speak & have here words good  
The place where as he hem sigh  
It was under a bank nigh  
The great see & he above  
Stood & beheld the lusty love  
Which each of 'em to other made  
With goodly there & words glad  
That all his heart hath set a fire  
Of pure envy & as a fire  
Which flieth out of a mighty bow  
Away he fled for a throw  
As he that was for love wood  
When that he saw how it stood  
This Polypheme a giant was  
And when he saw the sooth cas  
How Galathe him hath forsaken  
And Acis to here love taken  
His heart may it not forbear  
That he ne roareth as a bear  
And as it were a wild best  
In whom no reason might areste  
He ran Ethna the hell about  
Where never yet the fire was out  
fulfilled of sorrow & great disease  
That he saw Acis well at ease  
Till at the last he him bythought  
As he which all envy sought  
And turneth to the bank again  
Where he with Galathe hath sayen  
Acis whom he thought to grieve  
Though he himself may not relieve  
This giant with his rude might  
Part of the bank he shoof down right  
The which even upon Acis fill  
So that with falling of this hill  
This Polyphemus Acies slough  
Whereof she made sorrow enough  
And as she fled from the land  
Neptunus took her by the hand  
And kept her in so fast a plac  
from Polypheme & his menace  
That he with his false envy  
Ne might attain her company  
This Galathe of whom I speak  
That of her self may not be wreak  
Withouten any semblant feigned  
She hath her loves death complained  
And with her sorrow & with her woe  
She hath the God's moved so  
That they of pity & of grace  
Have Acis in the same place  
There he lay deed unto a well  
Transformed as the books tell  
With fresh streams & with clear  
As he whilom with lusty cheer  
Was fresh his lust for to queme  
And with his rude Polypheme  
For his envy & for his hate  
They were wroth & thus algate    

Confessor  

My sone thou might understand  
That if thou wilt in grace stand  
With love thou must leave envy  
And as thou wilt for thy party  
Toward thy love stand free  
So must thou suffer another be  
What so befall upon thy chance  
For it is a unwise vengeance  
Which to none other man's lief  
And is unto himself grief    

Amans  

My father this ensample is good  
But how so ever that it stood  
With Polyphemus lone as though  
It shall not stand with me so  
To worchen any felony  
In love for none such envy  
For thy if there ought else be  
Now ask forth in what degree  
It is & I me shall confess  
With shrift unto your holiness   
Orta sibi solito mentalia gaudia livor Dum videt alterius dampna doloris agit Inuidus obridet hody fletus, aliorum Fletus cui proprios crastina fata parent Sic in amore pare stat sort iocosus amantes. Cum vidit illusos invidus ille quasi  
Sic licet iuua●uum speret tn̄ ipse levamen/ 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 ulterius investigat  

Y good son yet there is  
● vice reverses unto this  
Which envy taketh his glad●●sse.  
Of that he seeth the heaviness  
Of other men for his welfare  
Is when he wot● another care  
Of that another hath a fall●  
He thinketh himself arise with all  
Such is the gladship of envy  
In worlds thing & in party  
Full oft-times & eke also  
In toves cause it stant right so  
If thou my son haste joy had  
When thou another saw unglad  
shrive the thero/ my father yis  
I am vysrno wen to you this  
Of these lovers that lotten strait  
And fo: that point which they coucite  
Been pursuaunt●s from year to year  
In soves' court when I may fxr●  
Now that they climb upon the wheel  
And when they ween all shall be weal  
They been down throw at the last  
Than am I fed of that I fast  
And laugh when I see 'em louvre  
And thus of that▪ they brew louvre  
I drink sweet & am well used  
Of that they wot they been diseased  
But this which I tell here  
Is only for my lady dear  
That for none other that I know  
Me reheth not to overthrow  
Ne who that stand in love upright  
But be he squire or be he knight  
Which to my lady ward pursueth  
The more he loseth of that he seweth  
The more than I think win  
And am the more glad withynne  
Of that I wot him sorrow endute  
For ever upon such adventure  
It is a comfort as men say  
To see another in his pain  
So that they both may complain  
Of 'em that is so woe beseyne  
Where I myself may not●auayle  
To seen another man's travail  
I am right glad & he be let  
And though I far not the let  
High sow we is to mine heart a game  
When that I know it is the same  
Which to my lady stant inclined  
And hath his love not termined  
I am right joyful in my thought  
Of such envy grieveth nought  
As I ●e know me culpable  
Ye that be wise & reasonable  
My father tell your advise    

Confessor  

My sone envy to no prise  
Of such a form I understand  
Ne might by no reason stand  
For this envy hath such a kind  
That he will set himself behind  
To hinder with another wight  
And gladly lose his own right  
To make another lose his  
And for to know▪ how it so is  
A tale lyche to this matter  
I think tell if thou wilt hear  
To show propyrly the vice  
Of this ennye & the malice   
hIc ponit/ Confessor exemplum contra▪ illum qui sponte sui ipsius de trim●tum in alterius penam maic●ein patitur/ Et narrat ꝙ cum jupiter an gelum suum in forma hominis ut homi num condiaones exploraret ab exce●●o in terram misit/ contigit ꝙ ipse angelus duos homines quorum unus cupidus & alter invidus erat itinevando spacio spacio quasi unius 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 avaricia sperans sibi diiucias carpere duplicatas primo petere recusavit. Odd cum inuidus animiaduerteret naturam sui vicij concernens ita ut socius suus utroque lumine pr●uaretur se ipsum mo notulum fieri constanter primus ab Angelo postulabat/ Et sic unius invi d●a alteriu● avariciam maculavit  

oF jubitex thus I find y write  
That whilom how he would wit  
Upon the plaint which he herd  
Among the men how that it fir  
And of her wrong condition  
To do justification  
And for that cause down he sent  
An angel which about went  
That he the sooth know may  
So it befell upon a day  
This angel which him should inform  
Was clothed in a man's form  
And overtook I understand  
Two men that wenten over bond  
thorough which he thought to aspye  
His cause & goth in company  
This angel with his words wise  
Opposeth 'em in sundry wise  
Now loud words & now soft  
That made 'em to desputen oft  
And each of 'em his wason had  
And thus with tales he hem lad  
With good examination  
Till he knew the condition  
What men they were both two  
And saw also well at the last though  
That one of 'em was coueyt●us  
And his fe law was envious  
And thus when he hath knowledging  
Anon he feigned departing  
And said he moat algate wend  
But hearken now what fell at end  
For than he made 'em understand  
That he was of gods sonde  
And said them for the kyndeship  
That they have done him felauship  
He would do some grace again  
And bad that one of 'em should say  
What thing is him liefest to crave  
And he it shall of yefde have  
And over that eke forth with all  
He saith that other have shall  
The double that his fellow asketh  
And thus to them his grace he taxeth   

The concytous was wonder glad  
And to that other man he had  
And saith that he fyust ax● should  
For he supposeth that he would  
Make his asking of worlds good  
For than he knew well how it stood  
If that himself by double wight  
Shall after take & thus by sleight  
By cause that he would win  
He ●ad his fellow first begin  
This envious though it be late  
When that he saw he mot● algate  
Make his axynges first he thought  
If he worship or profit sought  
It shall be double to his fere  
That would he cheese in no manner  
But than he showeth what he was  
Toward envy & in this ●as  
Unto this Angel & thus he said  
And for his yef●e & thus he prayed  
To make him blind on his own eye  
So that his fellow no thing sigh  
This word was not so soon spoke  
That his own eye was look▪  
And his fellow forth with also  
Was blind on both his eyen two  
though was that other glad enough  
That one wept & that other ●ough  
And he set his on● tie at no cost  
Whereof that other two hath lost   

Of thilk ensample which fell though  
Men tell now full oft so  
The world empeyreth commonly  
And yet wot none the cause why  
For it acordeth nought to kind  
Mine own harm to s●che & find  
Of that I shall my brother grieve  
I might never well achieve  
What s●yst thou son of my folly  
My father but if I should ly●  
Upon the point which ye have said  
Yet was mine heart never laid  
But in the wise as I have told  
But overmore if that ye would  
Ought else to my shrift say  
Touchand envy I would pray   
●●●●die pars est detractio p●ssima pestem/ Qne magis infamein fla ●●bue o●● agit/ ●ingua venenato sermone reper●utit aures/ Sic ut 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 ut eius ●erbum qd loquitur nulla sinistra ge ●●t  
hIc Tractat Confessor de tercia spe 〈◊〉 juiudie que detractio dicitur 〈◊〉 ●●● m●●sus viperos lesa qm sepe fama de●langit.  

tOn●hend of envious brood  
I wot not one of all good  
But nevertheless such as they be/  
Yet there is one & that is he  
Which ●l●ped is detraction  
And to confirm his action  
He hath with hold male bouche  
whose tongue never cross ne crouch  
May here so that he provounce  
A pleyne good word without frounce  
O where behind a man's back  
For though he pr●yse he fynt some lak  
Which of his tale is ay the last  
That all the price shall over cast  
And though there be no cause why  
Yet will he jangle not for thy  
As he that was which hath that herauldye  
Of 'em that usen for to lie  
For as the nettle which up runneth  
The fresh red Rose brenneth  
And maketh him fade & pale of hew  
Right so this falls envious hew  
In every place where he dueleth  
With false words which he telleth  
He turneth praising in to blame  
And worship in to worlds shame  
Of such losings as he compasseth  
Is not so good that he ne passeth  
Bit ween his teth & bakbyted  
And thorough his false tongue endited  
Like to the Sharnebyrdes kind  
Of whose nature that I find  
That in the hottest of the day  
When comen is the merry may  
He spret his wing & up he fleeth  
And under all about he seeth  
The fair lusty flowers spring  
But thereof hath he no liking  
Where he seeth of any best  
The filth there he maketh his feste  
And thereupon he would alight  
There liketh him none other sight  
Right so this jangler envious  
Though he a man se virtuous  
And full of good condition  
Thereof maketh he no mention  
But else be it not so ly●e  
Whereof that he may see a wite  
There runneth he with open mouth  
Behind a man & maketh it couth  
But all the virtue which he can  
That will he hide of every man  
And openly the vice tell  
As he which of the school of hell  
Is taught & fostered up with envy  
Of household & of company  
Where that he hath his proper office  
To set on every man a vice  
How so his mouth be comely  
His word evermore sit on wry  
And saith the wert that he may  
And in this wise now a day  
In loves court a man may here  
Full oft pleyne of this matter  
That many envious tale is stired  
Where that it may not be answered  
But yet full oft it is believed  
And many a worthy love is grieved  
thorough bakbyting of false envy  
IF thou have made such ianglarye  
In loves court my son or this   
hIc in amoris causa huins vicij ●●i men ad memoriam reducens Cōfesfessor amanti super codem plenius opponit  

shrive the thereof/ My father yis  
But wite ye how not openly  
But other while privily  
When I my dear lady meet  
And think how I am not meet  
Unto her high worthiness  
And ease I see her business  
Of all this young busty rout  
Which all day pursueth her about  
And each of them his time a waiteth  
And each of them his tale affayteth  
All to deceive an Innocent  
Which will not be of her assent  
And for men say vnknow●n unkist  
Her thumb she held in her fist  
So close with n● her own hand  
That there may win noman land  
She leaveth not all that, she heareth  
And thus full oft her self she skereth  
And is all ware of had I wist  
But for all that mine heart aryst  
When I these common lovers see  
That would not hold 'em to three  
But wellnigh loven overall  
Mine heart is envious with all  
And ever I am adread of guile  
In aunter if within any while  
They might here Innocence enhaunte  
For thy my words full oft I haunt  
Behynden 'em so as I dare  
Whereof my lady may be aware  
I say what ever cometh to mouth  
And were I would if that I couth  
For when I come unto here speech  
Al that I may inquire & seche  
Of such deceit I tell it all  
And ay the worst in special  
So fain I would that she wist  
How little they been for to tryst  
And what they would & what they meant  
So as they be of double encent  
Thus toward 'em that wicked mean  
My wicked word was ever green  
And nevertheless the sooth to tell  
In certain if it so befell  
That ●●der truest man y bore  
To cheese among a thousand score  
Which were all fully for to tryst  
My lady loved & I it wist  
Yet rather than he should speed  
I would such tales spread  
To my lady if that I might  
That I will all his pain unright  
And thereto would I do all my pain  
For certes though I should feign  
And tell that was never thought  
For all this world I might nought  
To suffer another fully win  
There as I am yet to begin  
For be they good or be they bade  
I would none my lady had  
And that me maketh fnlof●e aspye  
And usen words of envy  
As for to make them bear a blame  
And that is but of thylk fame  
The which unto my lady draw  
For ever on them I run & gnaw  
And hinder hem all that ever I may●  
And that is soothly for to say  
But only to my lady self  
I cell it nought to & or twelve  
Thereof I will me well advise  
To speak or jangle in any wise  
That toucheth to my lady name  
The which in earnest & in game  
I would save to my lady death  
For me had liefer to lack breath  
Than speak of her name amiss  
Now have ye herd touchend of this  
My sndre in Confession  
And therefore in detraxyon  
In love that I have myspoke  
Tesse hour will it shall be wroke  
I am all ready for to bear  
My pain & also for to lere  
What thing that ye will allow  
For who is bounden he must bow  
So will I bow unto your best  
For I dare make this behest  
That I to you have nothyug hid  
But told right as it is betid  
And otherwise of no myspeche  
My conseyente for to seche  
I can not of envy find  
That I myspoke have aught behind  
Whereof who so ever be mispaid  
Now have ye herd & I have said  
What will ye father that I do  
My sone do no more so  
But ever keep thy tongue still  
Thou might the more have of thy will  
For as thou sayst thy seluen here  
My lady is of such manner  
So wise so aware in all things  
It needeth of no bakbytynges  
That thou thy lady miss enforine  
For when she knoweth all the form  
How that thyself art envious  
Thou shalt not be gracious  
As thou paraventur shouldest be else  
Theridamas will no man drink of the wells  
Which as he wot is poison in  
And oft such as men begin  
To wards other such as they find  
That set 'em oft far behind  
When that they weenen be before  
My good son & thou therefore  
Be ware & leave thy wicked speech  
Whereof hath fallen oft wretch  
To many a man before this time  
For who so will his hands time  
They must be the more uncleve  
For many a mote shall be seen  
That will not else cleave there  
And that should every wise man fere  
For who so will another blame  
He seeketh oft his own shame  
Which else might be right still  
For thy if that it be thy will  
To stand upon amendment  
A tale of great entendemêt  
A think to tell for thy sake  
Whereof thou might ensample take   
hIc loqiutur Confessor contra istos in amoris causa detrahentes qui suis obliquijs aliena solacia perturbant/ et nacrat exemplum de Constantia Tibe rij Rome Imperatoris Filia omnium biztutum famosissima ob eius amozem Soldanus tunc Persie ut eam in uxorem ducere posset cristianum se fieri & misit cuius accepta caucione consilio pe lagij tunc pape dicta filia una cum du obus Cardinalibus alnns que proceribus in Persiam maritagij can naiugio honozifice destinata fiut que tamen obloquenaū postea detractionis varijs modis absque sui culpa dolorosa fata multipliater pas sa est  

a Worthy knight in Casts law.  
Of great room as is the saw/  
The sceptre had for to right/  
Tybery Constantyn he height/  
whose wife was cleped italy  
But they to gether of progeny  
No children hadden but a maid  
And the her god so well apaid  
That all the wide worlds fame  
Spoke worship of her good name  
Constance as the chronic saith  
She height & was full of the faith  
That the greatest of barbary  
Of 'em which useden marchandye  
She hath converted as they come  
There upon a time in Rome  
To shown such thing as they brought  
Which worthily of 'em she bought  
And over that in such a wise  
She hath 'em with her words wise  
Of Crystes faith so well informed  
That they thereto been all conformed  
So that baptism▪ they receiven  
And all her false gods weyven  
When they were of the faith certain  
They gone to barbary again  
And there the Sultan for hem sent  
And axrth hem to what eutent  
They have her first faith forsake  
And they which have undertake  
The right faith to keep & hold  
The matter of here tale told  
With all the hool circumstance  
And when the sultan of constance  
Upon the point that they answered  
The beauty & the grace heard  
As he which than was to wed  
In all hast his, cause sped  
To send for the marriage  
And furthermore with good courage  
He saith be so he may her have  
That christ that came this world to save  
He will believe & recorded  
They been on either side accorded  
And thereupon to make an end  
The So wdan his hostage send  
To Rome of princes sons twelve  
Whereof the father was glad in himself  
And with the pope advised  
Two Cardynallyz he hath assised  
With other lords many more  
That with his daughter they should go  
To see the sultan be converted   
qValiter adveniente Constancia in ●arbariam matter Soldanithuiusmo di nupcias perturbare volens filium fuum una aim dicta Constancia cardinalibus que & alijs Romanis prima die ad conuivium invitavit/ 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  

but he which was new well hearted  
Envy though began to travail  
In dystourbaunce of her spousal  
So privily that none was ware  
The mother which the soldan bare  
Was than a live & thought this  
Unto her self if it so is  
My sone him wed in this manner  
Then have I lost my joys here  
For mine estate shall so be lassed  
Thynkend thus she hath, compassed  
By sleyghte how that she may beguile  
Here sone & fill that ilk while  
between hem two when that they were  
She feigned words in his ere,  
And in this wise 'gan to say▪  
My sone I am by double way  
With all mine heart glad & blithe  
For that myself have oft sith  
Desire thou wilt as men saith  
receive & take a new faith  
Which shall be forthring to thy life  
And eke so worshipful a wife  
The daughter of an Emperor  
To wed it shall be great honour  
For thy my son I you beseech  
That if I might such grace areche  
That I may than in especial  
When that my daughter come shall  
So as me thinketh honest  
By thylk which the first feste  
Shall make unto her welcoming  
The soldan granteth her asking  
And she thereof was glad enough  
And under that anon she droughe  
With false words that she spoke  
covin of death behind his back  
And ever upon here ordinance  
She made so that when constance  
Was comen forth with the Romans  
Of Clerks & of Cytezeynes  
A Rich feast she hem made  
Her close envy though she spread  
And all though that hadden be  
Or in apert or in prive  
Of connseyll of the marriage  
She slough 'em in a sudden rage  
Endelong the board as they be set  
So that it might not be let  
Here own son was not quite  
But died upon the same plight  
But what the high god will spare  
It may not for no peril misfare  
This worthy maiden which was there  
St●de than as who saith nigh deed for  
●ere To see the fest how that it stood  
Which all was turned in to blood  
The dish forth with the cup & all  
Be bled they weren overable  
She saw die on every side  
No wonder though she wept & side  
Making many a woeful moan  
When all was slain but she all one  
This old fiend this saracen  
let take anon this Constancyn  
With all the good she thither brought  
And ordained as she thought  
A naked ship without steer  
The which the good & her in fere  
victuals enough for years five  
Where that the wind it would drive  
She was put upon the wawes wild   
Qualiter Navis cum Constantia in parts 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 let suscipiens uxori sue Hermyngylde in custodiam honoryfice commendavit  

but he which all things may shield  
Three year to that she cometh to land  
Her ship to steer hath take on hand  
And in to Northumberlond arriveth  
And happeth than that she driveth  
Under a castle with the stood  
Which upon Humber bank stood  
And was the kings own also  
The which Allee was cleped though  
A Saxon & a worthy knight  
But he believed not a right  
Of this castle was castelleyne  
Elda the kings chamberlain  
A knightly man after his law  
And when he saw upon the wawe  
The ship dryvend alone also  
He bade anon men sholden go  
To see what it bytokene may  
This was upon a summer day  
The ship was looked & she found  
Elda within a little stound  
It wist &/ with his wife anon  
To ward this young lady gone  
Where that they founden great richesse  
But she her would not confess  
When they her axen what she was  
And nevertheless upon the cas  
Once of the ship with great worship  
They take her in to felauship  
As they that were of her glade  
But she no manner joy made  
But sow weth sore & that she fond  
No Crystendodom in thylk land  
But else she hath all her will  
And thus with them she dwelleth still  
Dame Hermegylde which was the wife/  
Of Elda lyche her own life   
qValiter Constantia Eldam cum uxore sua Hermingylda qui antea cri stiana non extiterat ad fidem Eristi miraculose convertit  

constance loveth & fell so  
Speaking all day between of 'em two  
Though grace of god's purveyance  
This maiden taught the creance  
Unto this wife so●parfytely  
Upon a day that fast by  
In presence of her husband  
Where they go walking on the strand  
A blind man which came their lad  
Unto this wife cryend he bade  
With both his hands up & prayed  
To her & in this wise he said  
O Hermegylde which Crystes faith  
Informed as constance saith  
received haste give me my sight  
Upon this word her heart aflyght  
Thinking what was best to done  
But nevertheless the herd his bone  
And said in trust of Crystes law  
Which done was on the cross & slawe  
Thou blind man behold & see  
With that to god upon his knee  
Thanking/ his sight took anon  
Whereof they marvel everichone  
But Elda wondereth most of all  
This open thing which is befall  
Concludeth 'em by such a weigh  
That he the faith most needs obey   
Qualiter quidam juvenis miles in amozem Constancy exardescens pro co que Ipsa consentice no luit eam de morte Hermyngylde qm ipse noctant interfecit/ verbis detractorijs aceusavit, sed Angelus domim ipsum sic detrahentem in maxilla subito percuciens non solum pro mendaci comprobavit sed ictu morta ll post ipsius confessionem penitus interfecit  

nOw lest what fell upon this thing  
This Elda forth unto the king  
A morrow took his weigh & road  
And Hermegyld at home abode  
Forth with constance well at ease  
Elda which thought his king to please  
As he that than unwedred was  
Of Constance all the pleyne cas  
As goodly as he couth told  
The king was glad & said he would  
Come thither in such a wise  
That he him might on her advice  
The time appointed forth with all  
This Elda trust in special  
Upon a knight whom fro childhood  
He had up draw in to manhood  
To him he told all that he thought  
Whereof that after him forthought  
And nevertheless that ilk tied  
Unto his wife he bade him ride  
To make ready all thing  
against the coming of the king  
And saith that he himself tofore  
thinketh to come & therefore  
That he him keep & told him when  
This knight road forth his weigh than  
And sooth was that of time passed  
He had in all his wit compassed  
How he constance might win  
But he saw though no speed therein  
Whereof his lust began to bate  
And that was love is than hate  
Of her honour he had envy  
So upon his treachery  
A losing in his heart he cast  
Till he come home he hygheth fast  
And doth his lady to understand  
The message of her husband  
And thereupon the long day  
They setten things in array  
That all was as it should be  
Of every thing in his degree  
And when it came in to the night  
This wife her hath to bed dight  
Where that this maiden with her lay  
This falls knight upon delay  
Hath tarried till they be a sleep  
As he that will time keep  
His deadly works to fulfil  
And to the bed he stalketh still  
Where that he wist was the wife  
And in his hand a razor knife  
He bore with which her throat he cut  
And privily the knife he put  
Under the other beds side  
Where that constance lay beside  
Elda come home the same night  
And still with a privy light  
As he that would not awake  
His wife he hath away take  
In to the chambre there lyggende  
He fond his deed wife bledende  
Where that constance fast by  
Was fall a sleep so suddenly  
He cried aloud & she awoke  
And forth with all she cast a look  
And saw this lady bleed there  
Whereof swooned deed for fere  
She was & still as any stone  
She lay & elda thereupon  
●n to the castle clepeth out  
And up start every man about  
An to the chambre forth they went  
But he which all untruth mente  
This false knight among them all  
Upon the thing which is byfalle  
●●yth that Constance hath do this deed  
And to the bed with that he go  
After the falsehood of his speech  
And made him there for to seche  
And fond the knife there it said  
And than he cried & than he said  
Lo see the knife all bloody here  
What needeth more in this matter  
To ●ye & thus her Innocence  
He s●laundreth there in audience  
With false words which he feigneth  
But yet for that he complaineth  
Elda no full credence took  
And har●ed that there lay a book  
Upon the which when he it sigh  
This knight hath swore & said on high  
That all men might it wite  
Now by this book which here is write  
Constance is gyltyf well I wot  
With that the hand of heaven him smote  
In token of that he was forswore  
There he hath both his eyen lore  
Out of his heed the same stound  
They start & so they were found  
A wis was herd when that they fell  
Which said O dampened man to hell  
Lo thus hath god thy sclaundre wroke  
That thou again Constance hast spoke  
Be know the sooth or that thou die  
And he told out his felony  
And starf forth with his tale anon  
In to the ground where all is gone  
This deed lady was begrave  
Elda which thought his honour save  
All that he may restraineth sorrow   
Qualitrr Rex All●e●ad fidem Cristi conversus baptismnm recepit. & constanstanciam super hoc lew animo desponsavit que tn qualis vel unde fuit al●●ui nullo modo fatebatur/ Et cum infra breve 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 morrow  
The king came as they were acorded  
And wh●n it was to him recorded  
What god hath wrought upon this chance  
He took it in to remembrance  
And thought more than he said  
For all his hool heart he laid  
Upon constance & said he should  
For love of her if that she would  
baptism take & crystes faith  
believe & over that he saith  
He would her wed & upon this  
Assured each to other is  
And for to make shrot tales  
There came a bishop out of wales  
from Bangor & lucy he height  
Which through the grace of god almyght  
The king with many other more  
He christened & between 'em two  
He hath fulfilled the marriage  
But for no lust ne for no rage  
She told him never what she was  
And nevertheless upon this cas  
The king was glad how so it stood  
For well he wist & understood  
She was a noble creature  
The high maker of nature  
Her hath visited in a throw  
That it was openlyche know  
She was with child by the king  
Whereof aboven all other thing  
He thanked god & was right glad  
And fell that time he was bestead  
Upon a were & must ride  
And while he should there abide  
He left at home to keep his wife  
S●che as he knew of holy life  
Elda forth with the bishop eke  
And he with power goth to seek  
Ayene the scots for to fond  
The were which he took on hand   
Qualiter Regina Constancia infantem masculum quem in baptismo Mau ricium ●ocant Rege absent enixa est/ Sed invida matter Regis Domilda super isto facto condolens mendacibus regi certificavit ꝙ uxor sua demoniaci et non humani generis quondam monstruosum fantasma locum geniture ad ortum produxit/ huiusmodique detracto●ibus adversus Constanciam procuravit qd ipsa in navim qua prius venerat iterum ad exilium/ una cum suo par tu remissa desolabatur  

tHe time set of kind is come  
This lady hath her chamber nome  
And of a son borne full  
Whereof that she was joyful  
She was delivered safe & soon  
The bishop as it was to done  
gave him baptism & Morys calleth  
And thereupon as it byfalleth  
With lettecs written of record  
They sent unto her lyege lord  
That keepers weren of the queen  
And he that should go between  
The messenger to knaresburgh  
Which Town he should posse thorough  
Rydend he came the first day  
The kings mother there lay  
whose right name was Domylde  
Which after all the cause spylde  
For he which thank deserve would  
Unto this lady goth & told  
Of his message & how it feared  
And she with feigned joy it heard  
And gave him yefts largely  
But in the night all privily  
She took his letters which he had  
from point to point & over rad  
And she that was thurugh out untrue  
And do write other new  
In stead of hem & thus they speak   
Prima littera in commendacione n Constancy ab episcopo Regi missa per Domildam in contrarium falsata  
Our lyege lord we the beseke  

That thou with us ne be not wroth  
Though we such thing as is the loath  
Upon our truth certify  
Thy wife which is of fairy  
Of such a child delynerd is  
Fro kind which stant all amiss  
But for it should not be say  
We have it kept out of the weigh  
For dread of pure worlds shame  
A power child & in the name  
Of thilk which is so mysbore  
We took & thereto we be swore  
That none but only thou & we  
Shall know of this privity  
Morys it hat & thus men ween  
That it was borne of the queen  
And of thy own body get  
But this thing may not be foryete  
That thou ne send us word anon  
What is thy will & thereupon  
This letter as thou hast herd devise  
Was counterfeit in such a wise  
That no man should it perceive  
And she which thought to deceive  
It laid where she that other took  
This messenger when he awoke  
And w●st no thing how it was  
He ●oos & ●ood the great pas  
And took his letters to the king  
And when he saw this wonder thing  
He maketh the messenger no cheer  
But nevertheless in wise manner  
He wrote again & gave hem charge  
That they ne suffer not at large  
His wife to go but keep her still  
Till they have herd more of his will  
This messenger was yeftles  
But with his letter nevertheless  
●● be him leef or be him loath  
In all hast again he goth  
By ●●na●●sbu●●gh & as he went  
Unto the mod●● his intent  
Of that he fond to ward the king  
He told & she upon this thing  
saith that he should abide all night  
And made him fest & cheer aright  
Feigned as though she could him thonk  
But he with strong win which he drunk  
Forth with the travail of the day  
Which drunk a sleep & while he lay  
She hath his letters over say  
And form in another way  
There was a new letter write   
Secunda le●t●ra per Regem Epis●●●● missa a Domilda iterum falsata/  

which saith do you for to wite  
That thorough the counsel of you two  
It stand in point to be undo  
As he which is a king deposed  
For every man it hath supposed  
How that my wife Constance is say  
And if that I feign the delay  
To put her out of company  
The worship of my regal  
Is lore & over this they tell  
Here child shall not among you dwell  
To claymen any heritage  
So can I see none advantage  
But all is lost if she abide  
For thy to look on every side  
Toward the mischief as it is  
I charge you & bid this  
That ye the same ship victual/  
In which that she took arryvaylle  
Theryn & putteth both two  
Her self forth with her child also  
And so forth brought in to the deep  
Be taketh her the see to keep  
Of four days time set  
That ye this thing no longer let  
So that your life be not forfeit  
And thus this letter counterfeit  
The messagyer which was unware  
Upon the kings half bare  
And where he should it have bytake  
But when that they heed take  
And rad that written is within  
So great a sorrow they begin  
As they her own mother sayn  
Brenne in a fire before their eyen  
There was weeping & there was woe  
But finally the thing is do  
Upon the see they have here brought  
But she the cause wist nought  
And thus upon the flood they won  
This lady with her young sone  
And than her hands to the heaven  
She 'straught & with a mild steven  
Knelend upon her bare knee  
She said O high majesty  
Which seest the point of every troth  
Take of thy woeful woman routh  
And of thylk child which I shall keep  
And with that word she began to weep  
Swooned/ as deed & there she lay  
But he which all things may  
Comforteth her & at the last  
She looketh & her eyen cast  
Upon her child & said this  
Of me no manner charge it is  
What sorrow I suffer but of the  
Me thinketh it is great pity  
For if I starve thou shalt die  
So moat I needs by that weigh  
For moderhode 7 for tenderness  
With all mine hole business  
Ordain me for this office  
As she which shall be thy nurse  
Thus was she strengthened for to stand  
And th● she took her child on hand  
And gave it suck/ but ever among  
She wept & other while song  
To rokke with her child on sleep  
And thus her own child to keep  
She hath under the god's cure   
Qualiter navis constancy post biennium in parts hispanie superior is inter Saraʒinos iactabatur/ In quorum manibus deus ipsam conseruans graciosissime liberavit  

aNd so fell upon adventure  
When ilk year hath made his end  
Her ship so as it moat wend  
With strength of wind which god hath  
yine/ Estward was in to spain drive  
Right fast under a castle wall  
Where that an heathen admyralle  
Was lord & he afterward had  
One Thelons' which all was bad  
A falls knight & a renegade  
He goth to look in what estate  
The ship was comen & there he fond  
Forth with a child upon her hand  
This lady where she was all one  
He took heed on the person  
And saw she was a worthy wight  
And thought he would upon the night  
Demene her at his own will  
And in the ship she kept her still  
That noman saw her not that day  
At god's will & thus she lay  
Unknown what her shall betide  
And fell so that by nights tide  
This knight without felauship  
Hath take a boot & came to ship  
And thought of her his lust to take  
And swore if she him danger make  
That certainly she should die  
She saw there was none other weigh  
And bade him for her comfort  
That he look first out at the port  
That no man were nigh the stead  
Which might know what they deed  
And that he may do what he would  
He was right glad that she so told  
And to the port anon he feared  
She prayeth god & he her herd  
And suddenly he was out throw  
And dreynt & then began to blow  
Wind movable fro the land  
And thus the mighty gods hand  
Her hath conveyed & defended  
And when three year been full dispended   
Qualiter Navicula constancy quo dam die per altum mare vagans inter copio●am navium multitudinem dilapsa est. quarum Ar●ennius Romanorum Consul/ Dux▪ & Capitaneus Ipsam ignotam suscipiens usque ad Ro mam secum perduxit ubi equalem ux ori sue Elene permansuram reverenter associavit/ Nec non et eiusdem filium Mauricium in omni habundanaa qua si propririum educavit  

her ship was drive upon a day  
Where that a great navy lay  
Of ships all the world at ones  
And as god would for the nonce  
Her ship goth in among 'em all  
And stint not or it be befall  
And hath the vessel under getes  
Which master was of all the fleet  
And there it resteth & abode  
This great ship on anchor road  
though lord come forth & when he sigh  
That other lay on board so nigh  
He wondereth what it might be  
And bad men to go in & see  
This lady though was ●rope on side  
Aus she that would her seluen hide  
For she ne wist what they were  
They sought about & her fond there  
And brought up her child & here  
And thereupon this lord to spear  
began fro whence that she came  
And what she was/ quod she I am  
A woman woefully bestead  
I had a lord & thus he had  
That I forth with my pytra soon  
Upon the wawes should won  
But why the cause wot I nought  
But which all things wrought  
Yet ay I thank him of his might  
My child & me so kept upright  
That we be safe both two  
This lord ●xr ' asketh eu●●mo  
How she believed & she saith  
I ●●ue & trust in Crystes faith  
Which died upon the ●●od ●●e  
What is thy name though quoth he  
My name is Cust she him said  
But furthermore for nought he prayed  
Of her estate the truth plain  
She would him else nothing s●yne  
But of her name which she feigned  
All other things she restrained  
That a word more she ne told  
This lord than asketh if she wold●  
With him abide in company  
And said he came fro barbary  
To Rome ●ard & home he w●nte  
though she supposeth what it mente  
And saith she would with him wend  
And duelle to her lives end  
If it so be to his pleasance  
And thus upon here acquaintance  
He told her plainly as it stood  
Of Rome how that the gentle blood  
In Barbarye was betrayed  
And thereupon he hath assayed  
By were & take such vengeance  
That none of thylk alliance  
By whom the treason was compassed  
Is from the sword a live passed  
But of constance how it was  
That couth he know by no ●●s  
Where s●● became as he saide  
Her ere unto his word she laid  
But further made she no che●e  
And ne●h●les in this maner●  
It happened that ●lke time so  
This lord with whom she would go  
Of Rome was the Senator  
And of her father the emperor  
His brother daughter hath to wife  
Which hath her father eke on live  
And was Salustes cleped though  
His wife Eleyne height also  
To whom constance was cousin  
Thus to the seek a medicine  
Hath god ordained of his grace  
That forthwith in the same place  
This Senator his truth plight  
For ever while he live might  
To keep her in worship & in weal  
Be so that god will give her hele  
This lady which fortune him sen●●  
And by ship thus forth saylende  
Her & her child to Rome he brought  
And to his wife thus he sought  
To take her in to company  
And she which couth of courtesy  
Al that a good wife should con  
Was ●ly glad that she had won  
The felauship of so good one  
though twelve years were a gone  
This emperors daughter Custe  
Forth with the daughter of Saluste  
Was kept/ but no man readily  
knew what she was & not for thy  
They though●●● well she had be  
In her estate of high degree  
And every life her loveth weal   
Qualiter Rex Allce inita pace cum S●otis a guerris rediens & non inventa vyore sua causa m exilij diligencius pers●rutans cum matre● suam Domi● da● inde culpabilem sciusset ●psam in igue proiciens conburi fecit  

nOw hark thylk unstable wheel  
Which ever turneth went about  
The king all which was out  
As thou tofore hast herd the cas  
D●ceyued thoruh his mother was  
But when that he come home again  
He asketh of his Chamberlain  
And of the bishop eke also  
Where they the queen had do  
And they answered there he bade  
And have him thylk letter rad  
Which he hem for warrant  
And told him plainly as it stant  
And sayne ●t thought he● great pity  
To see so worthy one as she  
With such a child as there was bo●e  
So suddenly to be forbore  
And asketh 'em what child it were  
And they him said that nowhere  
In all the world though men it sought  
Was never woman that forth brought  
A fairer child than it was one  
And than he asketh 'em anon  
Why they ne hadden written so  
They tolden so they had do  
He said nay they saiden yis  
The letter showed ●ad it is  
Which they forsoken every deal  
though was it underscond weal  
That there is treason in the thing  
The messenger to fore the king  
Was brought & suddenly opposed  
As he which no thing hath supposed  
But all well began to say  
That he nowhere upon the way  
Abode but only in a stead  
And cause why that he so deed  
Was as he went to & fro  
At ●naresburgh by nyght●s two  
The kings mother died him du●lle  
And when the king it herd tell  
Within his heart he wist ●s fast  
The treason which his mother cast  
And thought he would not abide  
But forth right in the same tide  
He took his●hors & rood anon  
With him there ride many one  
To knaresburgh & forth they went  
And ●yche the fire which thunder hence  
In such a rage as s●yth the book  
His mother suddenlike took  
And said unto her in this wise  
O ●este of hell in what guise  
Hast thou deserved for to die  
That thou thus hast put away  
With treason of thy backbiting  
The truest at my knowledging  
Of wives & the most honest  
But I will make this behest  
I shall be avenged or I go  
And let a fire make tho  
And bad men for to cast her in  
But first she told out all her sin  
And deed hem all for to wite  
How she the letters had write  
from point to point as it was wrought  
And though she was to death brought  
And brunt to fore her sons eye  
Whereof these other which it sigh  
And herden how the cause stood  
Seyn● that the ●ngement was good  
Of that her son her hath so served  
For she it had well deserved  
thorough treason of her own tongue  
Which thorough the land was after  
song. Constance & every wight cōple●neth  
But he who all woe dystreyneth  
This sorrowful king was so bys●ad  
That he shall nevermore be glad  
He saith eftsone for to wed  
Till he wist how that she sped  
Which had been his first wife  
And thus his young unlusty life  
He driveth forth so as he may   
qValiter post ●apsum duodecim anuozum rex Allee absolucionis causa Romam proficiscens uxorem suam Constana●m una cum filio suo divina providencia ibidem letus invenit  

till it befell upon a day  
When he his wars had achieved  
And thought he would be relieved  
Of soul he'll upon the faith  
Which he hath take than he saith  
That he to Rome on pilgrimage  
Would go where pope was pelage  
To take his absolution  
And upon this condition  
He made Edwin his lieutenant  
Which heir to him was apparent  
That he the bond m absence  
Shall rule & by providence  
Of all thing well by-gone  
He took his leave & forth is gone  
Elda which was with him though there  
At they fulfilled at Rome were  
Was sent tofore to purvey  
And he his guide upon the weigh  
In help to be his herbeg●our  
Hath aid who was Senator  
That he his name might ken  
Of Ca●odece he said Arcenne  
He height & was a worthy knight  
To him goth Elda forth right  
And told him of his lord tiding  
And prayed for that his coming  
He would assign him herbergage  
And he so died of good courage   

When all is do that is to done  
The king himself came after soon  
This Senator when that he come  
To Cust & to his wife at home  
Hath told how such a king Allee  
Of great array to the city  
Was come & cust upon his tale  
With heart c●●se & colour pale  
A swoon fell/ & he meruaylleth  
So suddenly what thing her aileth  
And caught her up & when she work  
She sigheth with a pytove look  
And feigneth sickness of the see  
But it was for the king Allee  
For joy which fell in her thought  
That god him hath to Town brought  
This king hath spoke with the pope  
And told all that he couth grope  
What grieveth in his conscience  
And than he thought in reverence  
Of his estate or that he went  
To make a feast anon he sent  
Unto the Senator to come  
Upon the morrow & other some  
To sit with him at meet  
This tale hath Cust not foryete  
But to Morys her sone told  
That he upon the morrow should  
In all that ever he couth & might  
Be present in the kings sight  
So that the king him oft sigh  
Morys to fore the kings ●ye  
Upon the morrow where he sat  
Full oft stood & upon that  
The king his cheer upon him cast  
And in his face he thought as fast  
He saw his own wife Constance  
For nature as in resemblance  
Of face him liketh for to cloth  
That they were of one suit both▪  
The king hath moved in his thought  
Of that he saw & knew it nought  
This child he loveth kindly  
And yet he wot no cause why  
But well he saw & understood  
That he toward Arcenne stood  
And asketh him anon right there  
If that this child his sone were  
He said ye so I him call  
And would it were so befall  
But it is all in other wise  
And though 'gan he to devise  
How he the child's mother fond  
Upon the see from every land  
Within a ship was stereles  
And how this lady he speles  
●●orth with her child he hath forth draw  
The king hath understand his saw  
The child's name & asketh tho  
And what the mother height also  
That he him would tell he prayed  
Moris this child is hot he saide  
His mother hat Cust & this  
I not what manner name it is  
But Allee wist well enough  
Whereof somedeal smylend he lough  
For Cust in Saxon is to say  
Constance upon the word Romeyn  
But who that couth specify  
What tho was in his fantasy  
And how his wit about runneth  
Upon the love in which he brenneth  
It were wonder for to here  
For he was neither there ne here  
But clean out of himself away  
That he note what to think ne say  
So fain he would it were she  
Whereof his hearts privity  
began the were of ye & nay  
The which in such balance lay  
That countenance for a throw  
He lost till he might know  
The sooth but in his memory  
The man which lieth in purgatory  
Desireth not the heaven more  
That he ne longeth also sore  
To wite what him shall betide  
And when the boards were a side  
And every man was rise about  
The king hath waived all the rout  
And with the Senator all one  
He spoke & prayed him of a bone  
To see this Cust where she dueleth  
At home with him where as he telleth  
The Senator was well apaid  
This king no longer is delayed  
To see this Cust goth the king  
And she was warned of the thing  
And with Eleyne forth she came  
Ayene the king & he though nam  
Good heed & he saw his wife  
Anon with all his hearts life  
He caught her in his arms & kyst  
Was never wight that sigh ne wist  
A man that more joy made  
Whereof they weren all glad  
Which herd tell of this chance  
The king though with his wife Constance  
Which had a great part of his will  
In Rome for a time still  
Abode & made him well at case  
But so yet could he never please  
Of her estate the truth plain  
His wife that she would him say  
Of what conntre that she was bore  
Ne what she was & yet therefore  
With all his wit he died seek  
Thus as they lay in bed & speak  
She prayeth him & counseyleth both  
That for the worship of hem both  
So as here thought it were honest  
He would an honourable fest  
Make or he went in the city  
Where the Emperor shall be  
He granted all that she him prayed  
But in that time as men said  
Thylk Emperor from that day  
That first his daughter went away  
He was than after never glad  
But what that any man him bad  
Of grace for his daughter sake  
That grace would he nought forsake  
And thus full great alms he deed  
Whereof she had many a bede   
qValiter Constancia que antea per totum tempus exilij sui penes omnes incognitam se celavit tunc ●●mum patri suo Imperatori se ipsam per omnia manifestant/ Qd cum Rex Allee sci●●sset una cum universa Romanorum multitudine inestimabili gaudio admirances cuuctipotentem laudarunt  

tHis Emperor out of the town  
Within a ten mile e●uyroune  
Where as it thought him for the best  
Hath sundry places for to rest  
And as fortune would though  
He was duellend at one of though  
The king Allee forth with th'assent  
Of Cust his wife hath thither sent  
Moryce his son as he was taught  
To Themperor & he goth 'straught  
And in his father half he sought  
As he which his lordship sought  
That he of his high worthiness  
He would do so great meekness  
His own Town to come & see  
And give a time in the city  
So that his father might him get  
That be wosd ones with him eat  
This ford hath granted his request  
And when the day was of the fest  
An worship of the Emperor  
The king & este the Senator  
Forth with her wives both two  
With many a lord & lady more  
On horse riden him again  
Till it befell upon a pleyne  
They sigh where he was commend  
With that constance anon preyend  
Spoke to her lord that he abide  
So that I may to fore ride  
To been upon his bien benu  
The first which shall him salu  
And thus after her lords grant  
Upon a mule white amblaunt  
Forth with a few rood his qu●ne  
They wondered what she would mean  
But riden after a soft pas  
But when this lady comen was  
To th'emperor in his presence  
She said aloud in audience  
My lord my father well you be  
And of this time that I see  
Your honour & your good heal  
Which is the help of my quarrel  
I thank unto the gods might  
For t●ye his ●●rt was aflyght  
Of that she told in remembrance  
And when he wist it was constance  
Was never father half so blithe  
Wepend he kissed her oft sith  
So was his heart all overcome  
For though his mother were come  
Fro death to life out of the grave  
He might no more wonder have  
Than he hath when he her sight  
With that her own lord come night  
And is to th'emperor obeyed  
And when that comfort is be w●eyed  
How that constance is come about  
So hard an heart was none out  
That he for pity though ne wept   

Arcenius which her fond & kept  
Was than glad of that is fall  
So that with joy among 'em all  
They riden in at Rome gate  
This Emperor thought all to late  
Till that the pope were come  
And of though lords send some  
To pray him that he will haste  
And he came forth in all haste  
And when he the tale herd  
How wonderly his chance fir  
He thanked god of his miracle  
To whom may be none obstable  
The king a noble feast hem made  
And thuo they were all glade  
A parliament or that they went  
They setten unto this intent  
To put Rome in full espeyre  
That morys was apparent heir  
And should abide with him still  
For such was all the lands will   
Qualiter Mauricius cum Impera to ●e ut heres imperij remansit/ Et Rex Allee et Constantia in ang●●am regress si sunt  

wHen every thing was fully spoke  
Of sorrow we & quaint was all that smoke  
though took his leave allee that king  
And with full many a rich thing  
Which th'emperor him had give  
He hath a glad life for to live  
For he Constance hath in his hand  
Which was the comfort of his land  
For when that he come home again  
There is no tongue that might say  
What joy was that ilk stound  
Which ●rst was sent of god's sound  
By whom the misbelieve of sin  
Was left & Crystes faith came in  
To hem that whilom were blind   
Qualiter Rex All●● in Ang●a post bicnnium human carnis resolucionem subiens nature debitum persoluit/ post cuius obitum X cum patre suo Rome se transtulit moraturam  

●t he which hindereth every kind  
And for no gold may be forlouȝt  
The death coming or he besought  
Took with this king such acquaintance  
That he with all his retenaunce  
Ne might not defend his life  
And thus he parteth from his wife  
Which than made sorrow enough  
And thereupon her heart droughe  
To leave england for ever  
And go where that she had liefer  
To Rome whence that she came  
And thus of all the land she nam  
Her leave & goth to Rome again  
And after that the books say  
She was not there but a throw  
When death of kind hath overthrow  
Her worthy father which men saide  
That between her arms died  
And after ward the year suend  
The god of her hath made an end  
And fro this worlds fairy  
Hath take her in to company  
Moryce her son was coroned  
Which so farforth was abandoned  
To Crystes faith that men him call  
Morys the Crystnest of all  
And thus the wheel moving of love  
Was at the last set above  
And so as thou hast herd to fore  
The false tongues were lore  
Which upon love would lie  
For thy touchend of this envy  
Which longeth unto bakbytyngr  
Be ware thou make no losing  
In hindering of another wight  
And if thou would be taught aright  
What mischief backbiting doth  
By other weigh a tale soothe  
Now might thou here anon sewend  
Which to this vice is acordend   
hIc ponit Confesso● exemplum contra istos detractores qui in afterius bitupeaum mendacia confingentes diffamacom fieri procuravit. Et natrat qualiter Perseus Philippi Regis Macedonij filius Demetrio fratri suo ob eius provitatem invidens composito detractionis mendacio ipsum apud patrem suum mortaliter accusavit 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 breve postea mortuus est/ Et Persio successive regnant deus huius detractionis iwidiam abhorrens Ipsum cum bniversa suorum pugnatorum multitudine extra Dawbij fluuium ab emilio tunc Romanorum Consul even tu bellico interfeci fortunavit/ ita ꝙ ab illo die Macedonij potestas penitus des tructa Romano Imperio subiugata de seruivit/ & eius detractio quam contra a●●um conspiraverat in sui ipsius diffamacionem pro perpetuo diwlgata consistit  

IN'a chronic as thou shalt wite  
A great ensample I find write  
Which I shall tell upon this thing  
Phelyp of macedony the king  
Two sons had he by his wife  
whose fame is yet in grece ryf  
Demetrius the first brother  
Was hot & Perseus that other  
Demetrius they saiden though  
The better knight was of tho  
To whom the land was attendanut  
As he which heir was apparent  
To regne after his father day  
But that/ thing which no water may  
Quench in this world but ever brenneth.  
In to his brother heart runneth  
The proud envy of that he sight  
His brother should clynne on hyght  
And he to him than moat obey  
That may he suffer by no wey●  
With strength durst he no thing stō●  
So took he losing upon hand  
When he sigh time & spoke thereto  
For it befell that time so  
His father great wars had  
With Rome which he strait lad  
thorough mighty strength of his manhood  
As he which hath yvough knygthod  
And oft h●m had sore grieved  
But or the were were achieved  
As he was upon ordinance  
At home in grece it fell perchance  
Demetaus which oft about  
Rydend was stood that time out  
So that this pierce in his absence  
Which bore the tongue of pestilence  
With false words which he feigneth  
Upon his own brother plaineth  
In privity behind his back  
And to his father thus he spoke   

My dear father I am hold  
By weigh of kind as reason would  
That I fro you shall no thing hide  
Which might torn in any side  
In your estate to grievance  
For thy mine hearts obeisance  
Toward you I think to keep  
For it is good ye take keep  
Upon a thing which is me told  
My brother hath us all sold  
To hem of Rome & you also  
For then they behote him though  
That he with them shall regne in peace  
Thus hath he cast for his increases  
That your estate shall go to nought  
And thus to prove shall be brought  
So farforth that I undertake  
It shall not well mow be forsake   

The king upon his tale answered  
And said if this thing which he herd  
Be sooth & may be brought to prove  
It shall not be to his behove  
Which us hath shapen so the wert  
For he himself shall be the ferst  
That shall be deed if/ that I may  
Thus afterward upon a day  
When that Demetrius was come  
Anon his father hath him nome  
And bad to his brother pierce  
That he his tale shall rehearse  
Of thylk treason which he told  
And which all untruth would  
Counseylleth that so high a need  
Be treated where as it may speed  
In common place of judgement  
The king thereto gave his assent  
Demetrius was put in hold  
Whereof that Perseus was bold  
Thus stood the troth under the charge  
And the falsehood goth at large  
Which though behest hath overcome  
The greatest of the lords some  
That prevelyche of his accord  
They stand as witness of record  
The judge was made favourable  
Thus was the law deceivable  
So farforth that the fronth fond  
Rescouse none & thus the land  
Forth with the king deceived were  
The gyliles was dampened there  
And deyde upon acusement  
But such a false conspyrement  
Though it be privy for a throw  
God would not it were unknown  
And that was after ward well proved  
In him which hath that death controved  
Of that his brother was so slain  
This Perseus was wonder fain  
As he that▪ though was apparent  
Upon the reign & expectaunt  
Whereof he wax so proud & beyn  
That he his father in dysdeyn  
Hath take & set at none account  
As he which thought him to surmount  
That where he was first debonair  
He was though rebel & contrary  
And not as heir but as a king  
He took upon him in all thing  
Of malice & of tyranny  
In contempt of Regalye  
Lived his father & so wrought  
That when the father him bethought  
And saw to whedyr side it droughe  
Anon he wist well enough  
How pierce his false tongue  
Hath so th'envious bell rung  
That he hath slain his own brother  
Whereof as then he knew none other  
But suddenly the judge he nome  
Which corrupt sat upon the doom  
In such a wise & hath him pressed  
That he the soothe him hath confessed  
Of all that he hath spoke & do  
More sorry than the king was though  
Was never man upon this mould  
And thought in certain that he would  
vengeance take upon this wrong  
But the other party was so strongr  
That for the law of no statute  
There may no right be execute  
And upon this division  
The land was turned up so down  
Whereof his herb is so distraught  
That he for pure sorrow hath caught  
The malady of which nature  
Is quaint in every creature   

And when this king is passed thus  
This falls tongued Perseus  
The regiment hath underfang  
But there may no thing stand long  
Which is not upon truth grounded  
For god which hath all thing bounded  
And saw the falsehood of his guile  
Hath set him but a little while  
That he shall regne upon depose  
For suddenly as the rose  
So suddenly down he fell   

In thylk time it so byfelle  
This new king of new pride  
With strength shope him for to ride  
And said he would Rome waste  
Whereof he made a busy haste  
And hath assembled him an host  
In all that ever he might most  
What man that might weepen be re  
Of all he would none forbear  
So that it might not be numbered  
The folk which was encumbered  
thorough him that god would overthrow  
Anon it was at Rome know  
The pomp which that pierce lad  
And the romans that time had  
A consul which cleped was thus  
The name Panle Emilius  
A noble & a worthy knight with all  
And he which chief was of all  
This were on hand hath undertake  
And when he should his leave take  
Of a young daughter which was his  
She wept & what cause it is  
He asketh & she him answereth  
That Perseus is deed & he it heareth  
And wondereth what she mean would  
And upon childhood him told  
That pierce his little hound is deed  
Withethat he pulleth up his heed  
And made right a glad visage  
And said how that was a presage  
Touchend unto that other pierce  
How that fortune him shald adverse  
He saith for such a prenostyke  
most of an hound was to him like  
For as it is an hounds kind  
To berke upon a man behind  
Right so behind his brothers back  
With false words which he spoke  
He hath do slain & that is ruth  
But he which hateth all untruth  
The high god it shall redress  
For so my daughter prophetess  
Forth with her little hounds death  
Betokeneth & thus forth he geth  
Comforted of this euydeuc●  
With the romans in his defence  
again the greeks that be comende  
This Perseus as nought semende  
This mischief which that him abode  
With all his multitude road  
And prayed him upon the thing  
Of that he was becomen a king  
And how he had his Royalme getes  
That he hath all the right foryetes  
Which longeth unto governance  
Whereof thorough good ordinance  
It fell upon the winter tide  
That with his host he should ride  
Oner Dawbye thilk flood  
Which all be frorn than stood  
So hard that he wend well  
To pass but the blind wheel  
Which turneth oft or men beware  
Thylk ye which horse men bare  
To brake so that a great party  
Was dreynt of the chivalry  
The rearward it took away  
came none of 'em to land drey   

Paulus the worthy knight romeyn  
By his aspye it herd sayne  
And hasteth all that he may  
So that upon that other day  
He came where he this host byheld  
And that was in a large field  
Where the banners been displayed  
He hath anon his men arrayed  
And when that he was enbataylled  
He goth & hath the field assailed  
And slough & took all that he fond  
Whereof the macedony land  
Which through king alisander is honoured/  
Long time stood was than devoured/  
To pierce & all infortune  
●●●y wite so that the common  
Of all the land his heir exile  
And he dyspeyred for the while  
disguised in a power weed  
To Rome goth & there for need  
The ●●aft which thylk time was  
To worken in lawn & in bras  
He learneth for his sustenance  
such was the sons purveyance  
And of his father it is said  
In strong prison that he was laid  
In Albe where that he was deed  
For hunger & for default of breed  
The hound was token of prophecy  
That lyche an hound he should die  
Which lyche was of condition  
When he with detraction  
Bark on his brother so behind    

Coufessor  

Lo what proufyde a man may find  
Which hinder will another wight  
For thy with all thine hool might  
My sone eschew thylk vice.    

Amans  

My father else were I nice  
For ye thereof so well have spoke  
That it is in mine heart look  
And ever shall but of envy  
If there be more in his bailiff  
Towards love say me what   

My sone as guile under the hat  
With sleights of a Tregetour  
Is hid envy of such colour  
Hath yet the fourth deceivant  
The which is cleped falls semblant  
Whereof the matter & the form  
Now herkne & I the shall inform   
Nil bilinguis aget nisi duplo concitat o'er/ Dumque diem loquitur vox sua vota tegit/ Vultus habet lucem tenebras mens sermo salutem/ Actus sed morbum dat suus esse gravem/ 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 falls semblant if I shall tell  
Above all other it is the well  
Out of that which deceit floweth  
There is no man so wise that knoweth  
Of thylkf lood which is the tide  
Ne how he should himself guide  
To take safe passage there  
And yet the wind to man's ere  
Is soft & as it seemeth out  
It maketh clear weather all about  
But though it seem it is not so  
For falls semblant hath ever moo  
Of his counseyl in company  
The dark untrue Ipocrysye  
Whoos word destroyeth in his thought  
For thy they be to guider brought  
Of one coven of one household  
As it shall after ward thus be told  
Of falls semblant it needeth nought  
To tell of old ensamples ought  
For all day in experience  
A man may see thylk evidence  
Of fair words which he heareth  
But yet the barge of envy steereth  
And halt it ever from the land  
Which falls semblant with oore in hand  
It roweth & will not arrive  
But let it on the wawes drive  
In great tempest & great debate  
Whereof that love & his estate  
Empeyreth & therefore I read  
My sone that thou flee & dread  
This vice & what that other sayn  
let thy semblant be true & plain  
For falls semblant is thylk vice  
Which never was without office  
Where that envy thinketh to guile  
He shall before that ilk while  
Of prive counsell be messenger  
For when his semblant is most clear  
Than is he most dark in his thought  
Though man him see they know him  
nought/ But as it showeth in the glass  
Thing which therein never was  
So showeth it in his visage  
That never was in his courage  
Thus doth all his thing with sleight  
Now lay thy conscience in weight  
My good son & shrive the here  
If thou were ever customer  
To falls semblant in any wise   

For ought I can me yet advise  
My good father certes no  
For I for love have do so  
Now ask I would pray you  
For else I wot never bow  
Of falls semblant how that I have gy●t  
My sone & sethyn that thou wilt  
That I shall ask gabbe nought  
But tell if ever was thy thought  
With false semblant & coverture  
To wite of any creature  
How that he was with love stad  
So weary or sorry or he were glad  
When thou wystyst how it were  
All that he rouneth in thine ere  
Thou toldest forth in other place  
To setten him fro loves grace  
Of that woman that him best list  
Theryn no man his counsel wist  
But thou by whom he was deceive▪  
Of love & from his purposes waived  
And thoughtest at his disturbance  
Thine own cause should advance  
As who saith I am so secret  
There may no man's privity  
Beh●led half so well as mine  
Art thou my son of such engine   

Tell on/ My good father nay  
As for the more party I say  
But of somedeal I am byknowe  
That▪ I may stand in thylk row  
Among 'em that saundres use  
I will me not thereof excuse  
That I with such colour ne stain  
When I my best semblant feign  
Tell my fela we of that I wot  
All his counsell both cold & hot  
For by that cause I make him cheer  
Till I his love know & here  
And if so be mine heart soucheth  
That aught unto my lady toucheth  
Of love that he would me tell  
Anon I run unto the well  
And cast water in to the fire  
So that his cart amid the fire  
By that I have his counsel know  
Full oft sith I overthrow  
When that he weeneth best to stand  
But this I do you to understand  
If that a man love else where  
So that my lady be nought there  
And he me tell he will it hide  
There shall no word escape aside  
Forth with deceit of no semblant  
To him break I none covenant  
Me liketh not in other place  
To let no man of his grace  
Ne for to be Inquesyty●  
To know another man's life  
Where that he love or love nought  
That toncheth no thing to my thought  
But all it passeth thorough mine ere  
Right as a thing that never were  
And is foryete & laid aside  
But if it toucheth any side  
My lady as I have ere spoken  
Mine ears be than nought looken  
For certes when that by tit  
My will mine heart & all my wit  
Ben fully set to hearken & spear  
What any man will say of here  
Thus have I feigned company  
Full oft for I would aspye  
What thing it is that any man  
Tell of my worthy lady can  
And for two causes I do this  
The first cause whereof is  
At that I might hearken & seek  
That any man of her myspeke  
I will excuse her so fully  
That when she wist it verily  
Mine hope should be the more  
To have her thank for evermore   

That other cause I you assure  
Is why that I see coverture  
Have feigned semblant offtime  
To them that passen all day byme  
And ben● lovers as well as I  
For this I ween truly  
That there is of 'em all none  
That they ne loven everichone  
My lady sothelyche I leave  
And durst sitten it in preue  
Is none so wise that should asterte  
But he were lustles in his heart  
For why & he my lady sigh  
Her visage & her goodly eye  
But he her loved or he went  
And for that such is mine intent  
That is the cause of mine aspye  
Why that I feign company  
And make follow over all  
For gladly would I known all  
And hold me covert always  
That I fulofte ye or nay  
Ne list answer in any wise  
But feigning semblant as the wise  
And hearken tales till I know  
My lady lovers all on row  
And when I here how they have wrought/  
I far as though I herd it nought..  
And as I no word understood  
But that is no thing for her good  
For leaveth well soothe it is  
That when I know it so is  
I will but fordrens hem a light  
But all the wert I can indite  
I tell it to my lady plat  
For forthring of mine own estate  
And hinder them all that I may  
But for all that yet dare I say  
I find unto myself no boat  
Al though mine heart needs more  
Though of love all that I here  
discover unto my lady dear  
For in good faith I have no might  
To hele fro that sweet wight  
If that it toucheth her any thing  
But this wot well the heaven king  
That sithen first this world began  
Unto none other strannge man  
Ne feigned I semblannt ne cheer  
To wite or ask of this matter  
Though that he loveth x or twelve  
When it was nought my lady self  
But if he would ask any read  
All onlyche of his own heed  
How he with other love feared  
His tales with mine ears I herd  
But to mine heart came it nought  
Ne sank no depper in my thought  
But held counsell as I was bid  
And told it never m other stead  
But let it pass●as it come  
Now father say what is thy doom  
And how thou wilt that I be pained  
For false semblannt as I have feigned   

My sone if reason be well poised  
There may no virtue be up raised  
Ne vice none be set in prise  
For thy my son if thou be wise  
Do no vizor upon my face  
Which will not thine heart embrace  
For if thou do within a throw  
To another man it shall be know  
So might thou lightly fall in blame  
And lose a great part of thy name  
And nevertheless in this degree  
Full offtime thou might see  
Of such men as now a day  
This vice set in assay  
I speak for no man's blame  
But for to warn the thy shame  
My sone as I may here talk  
In every place where I walk  
I not if it be so or none  
But it is many days gone  
That I first herd tell this  
How falls semblant hath be & is  
Most commonly from year to year  
With 'em that duelle among us here  
Of such as we Lombard's call  
For they be the slyest of all  
So as men say in Town about  
To feign & show thing without  
Which is reverses to that within  
Whereof that they oft win  
When they by reason should lose  
They been the last & yet they chief  
And we first & yet behind  
We gone where as we should find  
The profit of our own land  
Thus gone they fire without bond  
To done her profit all at large  
And other men bear all the charge  
Of Lombard's unto this covin  
Which all lands con engine  
May false semblant in especial  
Br likened for they ever all  
Where that they thinken for to duelle  
Among themself so as they tell  
first been informed for to lere  
A craft which cleped is faucrere  
For if faucrere come about  
Than afterward stant no doubt  
To void with a subtile hand  
The best goods of the land  
And bring chaff & take corn  
Where as faucrere goth to forn  
In all his weigh he fynt no let  
That do●e can none usher shut  
In which him list to take entre  
And thus the counsel most secre  
Of every thing faucrere knoweth  
Which in to strange place he bloweth  
Which he wot it may most grieve  
And thus faucrere maketh believe  
So that full oft he hath deceived  
Ere that he may been apperceived  
Thus is his vice for to dread  
For who these old books read  
Of such ensamples as were are  
Him ought be the more war  
Of all though that feign cheer  
Whereof thou shalt a tale here   
hIc ponit Confessor Exemplum contra istos q sub dissimulate benivolencie speculo alios m amore defrau daunt/ Et narrat qualiter Hercules c● Ipse quoddam fluuium cuius vad● non novit cum Deianeira transmeare proposuit/ superueniens Nessus Gigas ob amiciciam Herculis ut dixit Deianyram in ulnas su●s suscipiens trans ripam saluo perduxit/ Et statim cum ad litus pervenisset ꝙ cito currere pptuit ipsam tamquam propriam in preiudicium Herculis asportare fugiens conabatur Per qd non solum ipsi sed eciam Herculi mortis eventum fortuna post modum causavit  

oF falls semblant which is believed/  
Full many a worthy  
wight is grieved.  
And was long time or he was boar  
To the my son I will therefore  
A tale tell of falls semblant  
Which falseth many a covenant  
And many a fraud of false counsell  
There be hanged upon his seylle  
And that abouten guiltless  
Both Deyanyre & hercules  
The which in great disease fell  
thorough falls semblant as I shall tell  
When hercules within a throw  
All only hath his heart throw  
Upon the fair Deyanyre  
It fell him on a day desire  
Upon a river as he stood  
That pass he would over the flood  
Without boat & with him lead  
His love but he was in dread  
For tenderness of that sweet wight  
For he knew not the forth aright  
There was a giant than nigh  
Which Nessus' height & when he sigh  
This hercules & Deianyre  
Within his heart he 'gan conspire  
As he which thought his treachery  
Hath Hercules in great envy  
Which he bore in his heart look  
And than he thought it shall be wroke  
But he ne durst nevertheless  
Ayene this worthy Hercules  
Fall in debate as for to fight  
But feigned semblant all by sleight  
Of friendship & of all good  
And cometh where as they both stood  
And maketh 'em all the cheer he can  
And saith that here own man  
He is/ all ready for to do  
What thing he may & it fell so  
That than upon his semblant tryst  
And asketh 'em if that they wist  
What thing were best to done  
So that they mighten safe & sont  
The water pass he & she  
And when Nessus the privity  
knew we of heart what it meant  
As he that was double of intent  
He made 'em right a glad visage  
And when he herd of the passage  
On him & her he thought guile  
And feigneth semblant for a while  
But he thought all another wise  
To done 'em pleasance & service  
This Nessus with his words slyghe  
gave counsell to fore her eye  
Which seemed outward profitable  
And was within deceivable  
He bad hem of the streams deep  
That they beware & take keep  
So as they know not the compass  
But for to help in such a cas  
He saith himself that for his ease  
He would if that it might 'em please  
The passage of the water take  
And for this lady undertake  
To bear her to that other strand  
And safe to set her upon the land  
And Hercules may then also  
The weigh know how he should go  
And they thereto accordene all  
But what as after shall befall  
Well paid was hercules of this  
And this giant also glad is  
And took his lady upon loft  
And set her on his shoulder soft  
And in the flood began to wade  
And he which no grudging made  
And bore her over safe & sound  
But when he stood on dry ground  
And Hercules was far behind  
He set his truth all out of mind  
Who so there be lief or loath  
With Deianyre & forth he goth  
As he thought to dissever  
The company of hem for ever  
When Hercules thereof took heed  
As fast as ever he might him speed  
He hieth after in a throw  
And happeneth that he had a bow  
The which in all hast he bend  
As he that would an arrow send  
Which he to fore had venomed  
He hath so well his shot tymed  
That him thorough the body smet  
And thus the false wight he let   

But lest now such a felony  
When Nessus wist he should die  
He took to Deianyre his shirt  
Which with the blood was of his heart  
thorough out desteyned over all  
Told how she so●t keep shall  
And privily to her intent  
That if her lord his heart went  
To love in any other place  
This shirt he saith hath such a grace  
That if she may so mochel make  
That he the shirt upon him take  
He shall all other let in veyn  
And torn m to her love again  
Who was so glad but Deianyre  
Her heart her thought was on a fire  
Till it was in her coffer look  
So that thereof no word was spoke  
The days gone the years pass  
The hearts waxed lass & lass  
Of 'em that be to love untrue  
This Hercules with heart new  
His heart hath set on Eolen  
And thereof speaken all men  
This Eolen this fair maid  
Was as men thylk time said  
The kings daughter of Euryce  
And she made Hercules so nice  
Upon her love & so assote  
That he him clotheth in her cote  
And she in his was clothed oft  
And thus feblesse is set aloft  
And strength was put under foot  
There can no man thereof do bo●e  
When Deianyre hath herd this speech  
There was no sorrow for to seche  
Of other help wot she none  
But goth unto her coufer anon  
With wepeud eye & woeful heart  
She took out thylk unhappy shirt  
And as she wend well to do  
And brought her work about so  
That Hercules this shirt on deed  
Of such intent & as she was bid  
Of Nessus & as I said ere  
But that therefore was she not the ner  
And no fortune may be waived  
With falls semblant she was deceived  
Then when she wend best have won  
She lost all that she hath begun  
For thylk shirt unto the bone  
His body set a fire anon  
And cleaveth so it may not twin  
For the venom that was therein  
And he than as a wild man  
Unto the high wooed ran  
And as the clerk Ovid telleth  
The great trees to the ground he felleth  
With strength of his own might  
And made an huge fire upright  
And leapt himself therein at ones  
And brent him both flesh & bones  
Which thing came thorough falls semblant  
That falls Nessus the Geant  
Made unto him & to his wife  
Whereof that he hath lost his life  
And she also for evermo   

For thy my son or thou be woe  
I read be well were therefore  
For when so great a man was lore  
It ought to give a great conceit  
To warn all other of such deceit  
Grant mercy father I am aware  
So far that I no more dare  
Of falls semblant take acquaintance  
But rather I will do penance  
That I have feigned cheer or this  
Now ask forth what so their ●s  
Of that belongeth to my shrift  
My sone yet there is the fift  
Which is conceived of envy  
And clepend is supplantarye  
thorough whose compassement & guile  
Full many hath lost his while  
In love as well as other wise  
Here after as I shall devise   
Inuidus alte riu s ● supplantator honris Et tua quo vertat cultura subtus arat Est opus occultum qi q latrt angins in herba Qd facit & subita sort nociws adest Sic subtilis amans alium supplantat amant● Et capit occult qd ne●t ipse palam Sepe que supplantans in plantain plantat amo ●s/ Quod pntat m proprijs alter ha bear bo●us  
High tractat Confessor de quinta spe cie Inuidie/ que supplantacio dicitur cu ius cultor pr●usque percipiatur alien dignitatis & officij multociens intrusor existens  

tHe vice of Supplantation  
With many a falls collation  
Which he conspireth'al vnknowe.  
Full offtime hath overthrow  
The worship of another man  
So well no life await can  
Ayene his sleight for to cast  
That he his purposes at the last  
Ne hath or that it withset  
But most of all his heart is set  
In court upon these great offices  
Of dignities & benefices  
Thus goth he with his sleight about  
To hinder & shove another out  
And stonden with his slyghe compass  
In seed there another was  
And so to set himself in  
He r●ebeth not be so he win  
Of that another man shall l●se  
And thus full oft chalk for chief  
He changeth with full little cost  
Whereof another hath the lost  
And he the proufyt shall receive  
For his fortune is to receive  
And for to change upon the wheel  
His woe with other men's weal  
Of that another man availeth  
His estate thus up he haileth  
And taketh the bird to his beyete  
Where other men the bushes beat  
My sone & in the same wise  
There be lovers of such emprise  
That shapen hem to be relieved  
Where it is wrong to be achieved  
For it is an other man's right  
Which he hath take day & night  
Tie keep for his own store  
Toward himself for evermore  
And is his proper by the law  
Which thing that asketh no fellow  
But they that worchen by supplawt  
And take a part of thylk plant  
Which he hath for himself set  
And so fulofte is all unknet  
That some man weeneth be right fast  
For supplaunt with his sly cast  
Full oft happeneth for to mow  
Thing which another man hath ●owe  
And maketh common of property  
With sleight & with subtlety  
As men may seen from year to year  
Thus cleymeth he the boot to steer  
Of which another master is   

For thy my son if thou or this  
Hast been of such profession  
discover thy confession  
Hast thou supplanted any man   

For aught that I you tell can  
Mine holy father as of the deed  
I am withouten any dread  
And gilteles but of my thought  
My censcyence excuse I nought  
For were it wrong or were it right  
Me lacketh no thing but might  
That I ne would long or this  
Of other man's love ●wys  
By weigh of Supplantation  
Have made appropriation  
And hold that I never bought  
Though it another man forthought  
And all this speak I but of one  
For whom I let all other gone  
But here I may not overpass  
That I ne might alway compass  
●e wrought not by what queynty●e  
So that I might in any wise  
Fro such that my lady serve  
His heart make for to swerver  
Without any part of love  
For by thegoddes all above  
I would it might so befall  
That I alone should hem all  
Supplante & weld her at my will  
And that thing may I nought fnlfylle  
And if I should strength make  
And that I dare not undertake  
though I were as was Alysander  
For thereof might rise a slander  
And certes that shall I do never  
For in good faith yet had I lener  
In any simplesse for to die  
Than work such supplantarye  
Of other wise I will not say  
That if I fond a syker way  
I would as for conclusion  
work after supplantation  
So high a love for to win  
Now father if that this be sin  
I am all ready to redress  
The guilt of which I me confess   

My sone as of supplant  
The dare not dread tant ne quant  
As for no thing that I have herd  
But only that thou hast mysferd  
Thynkend and me liketh nought  
For god beholt a man's thought  
And if thou understood in sooth  
In loves cause what it doth  
A man to be a supplantour  
Thou wouldest for thine honour  
By double way take keep  
first for thine own estate keep  
To be thyself so well be thought  
That thou supplanted were nought  
And eke for worship of thy name  
Towards other do the same  
And suffer every man have his  
But nevertheless it was & is  
That in wait at all assays  
Supplant of love in other ways  
The leef full oft for the liefer  
Forsaketh & it hath done ever  
Ensample I find thereupon   
Qualiter Agamenon de amore Brexeide Achillen & Diomedes de amore Cri seide Troilum supplanta●ut/  

aT Troy how that Agamenon  
Supplanted the worthy knight  
Achilles for that sweet wight  
Which named was Brexeyda  
And also of Cryseyda  
Whom Troilus to love chose  
Supplanted hath Diomedes   
Qualiter Amphitriun socium suam Geta m qui Almaenam peramavit seipsum loco alterius cautelosa supplanta cione substituit  

oF Geta & Amphitryone  
That whilom were both as one  
Of friendship & company  
I read how that supplantarye  
In love as it betid tho  
Beguiled hath one of 'em two  
That this Geta of whom I mean  
To whom the lusty fair Almene  
Assured was by weigh of love  
When the best wend to be above  
And sykerest of that he had  
Cupid so the cause lad  
That while he was out of the weigh  
Amphytryon in haste the next weigh  
Hath take & in this form hath wrought  
By night unto the chambre sought  
Where she lay & within a while  
And counterfeited & died do file  
The voys of Geet in such a wise  
That made her of her bed arise  
Wenend that it were he  
And let him in & when they be  
To guider a bed m arms fast  
This Geta came than at at last  
Undo the door & said undo  
And she answered & bade him go  
And said how that a bed all warm  
Her lief lay naked in her arm  
She wend that it were sooth  
Lo what supplaunt of love doth  
This Get● forth beiaped went  
And yet ne wist he what it meant  
Amphitryon him hath supplanted  
With sleyghtr of love & her enchauntrd  
And thus put every man out other  
The ship of love hath lost his rother  
So that he can no reason steer  
And fo: to skepe of this matter  
Touchend love & his supplant  
A tal● which is acordaunt  
Unto thine ere I think inform  
Now hearken for this is the form   
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 ultra mare in parts 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 accrevisset centigit ut in quodam bello contra ●aliphum Egipti inito Soldanus a Sagitra mortaliter vulneratu● priusquam moreretur quendam anulum suum filie sue secretissunum isto Romano tradi●●t dicens avaliter 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 civitatem que Lroyre dicitur itinerantes Iste Romanus commilitoni suo huius mistrij secretum revelaiut/ qui ●octāter a bursa domini sui anulo fur to surripiens/ Hec que audivit usui proprio falsissima supplātacōne applicuit.  

●F thylk city chief of all  
Which men the noble room call  
Ere it was set to crystes faith  
There was as the chronic saith  
An Emperor which it lad  
In peace that he no wars had  
There was no thing dysobeysaunt  
Which was▪ to Rome appertenant  
But all was turned in to rest  
To some it thought for the best  
To some it thought no thing so  
And that was only unto though  
whose heart stood upon knighthood  
But most of all of his manhood  
The worthy son of the Emperor  
Which would been a warrior  
As he that was chivalrous  
Of worlds fame & desirous  
began his father to beseech  
That he the wars might seche  
In strange marches for to ride  
His father said he should abide  
And would grant him no leave  
But he which would not believe  
A knight of his which he tryst  
Right even as he thought & list  
He took & told him his courage  
That he purposyth in viage  
If that fortune with him stand  
He said how that he would fond  
The great see to pass unknown  
And there abide for a throw  
Upon the wars to travail  
And to this point without fail  
This knight when he hath herd his lord  
Is sworn & stant of his accord  
And they both young were  
So that in preny counseyl there  
They been assented for to wend  
And thereupon to make an end  
treasure enough with hem they token  
And when the time is best they looken  
That suddenlike in a galley  
from Rome land they went▪ their weigh  
And landed upon that other side  
The world fell so that ilk tide  
Which ever his haps hath diverse  
The great Sultan of pierce  
Ayene the caliph of Egypt  
A were which that him beclypt  
Hath in a march costeraunt  
And he which was a pursuivant  
Worship of arms to attain  
This roman anon let ordain  
That he was ready every deal  
And when he was arrayed weal  
Of every thing which him belongeth  
Strauȝt unto Kayre his weigh he fong  
fonggeth/ where he the sultan than fond  
And asketh that within his land  
He might him for the were serve  
As he which will his thank deserve  
The Sultan was right glad with all  
And well the more in special  
When that he wist he was roman  
But what he was else incertayn  
That might he wite by no weigh  
And thus the knight of whom I say  
Toward the Sultan he is be left  
And in the marches now & eft  
Where that the deadly wars were  
He wrought such knighthood there  
That every man spoke of him good  
And thilk time so it stood  
This mighty Sultan by his wife  
A daughter hath that in her life  
Men said there was none so feyr  
She should be her fathers heir  
And was of years ripe enough  
Her beauty many an heart drongh  
To bow to that ilk law  
Fro which no life may be withdraw  
And that is love whose nature  
Set life & death in no measure  
Of 'em that knighthood undertake  
This lusty pain hath overtake  
The h●rte of this roman so sore  
That to knighthood more & more  
Pro wesse avaunteth his courage  
Lyche to the Lion in his rage  
Fro whom that all beasts fbe  
Such was the knight in his degree  
Where he was armed in the field  
Theridamas durst none abide his shield  
great price upon the wars he had  
But she which all the chance lad  
Fortune shope the marches so  
That by th'assent of both two  
The Sultan & the caliph eke  
battle upon a day they seek  
Which was in such away set  
That longer should it not be let  
They made 'em strong on every side  
And when it drough toward the tide  
That the battle should be  
The Sultan in great prynetes  
A goldring of his daughter took  
And made her swear upon a book  
And eke upon the gods all  
That if fortune so befall  
In the battle that he die  
That she shall thylk man obey  
And take him to her husband  
Which thylk same ring to hand  
Her should bring after his death  
This hath she swore & forth he geth  
With all the power of his land  
Unto the marches where he fond  
His enemy full enbataylled   

The Sultan hath the field assailed  
They that been hardy soon assemblen  
Whereof the dreadful hearts tremblen  
That one sleeth/ that other starveth  
But above all his price deserveth  
The knight roman where he road  
His deadly sword no man abode  
Ayene the which was no defence  
Egypt fled in his presence  
And they of pierce upon the chase  
Pursuen but I not what grace  
befell on arrow out of a bow  
Al suddenly that ilk throw  
The Sultan smote & there he lay  
The chaas is left for thilk day  
And he was boar in a tent   

The soldan sigh how it went  
And that he should algate dy●  
And to this knyaht of Romanye  
As to him he most tryst  
His daughter ring anon twist  
He took him & told him all the cas  
Upon here oath what token it was  
Of that she should been his wife  
When this was said the hearts life  
Of this soldan departed soon  
And thereupon as was to done  
The deed body well & fair  
They carry till they come at Kayre  
Where he was worthelyche begrave   

The lords which as wolden save  
The reign which was desolate  
To bring it in to good estate  
A parliament they set anon  
Now herkne what fell thereupon  
This young lord this worthy knight  
Of Rome upon the same night  
That they a morrow treat should  
Unto his bachelor he told  
His counsel & the ring with ●lle  
He showeth through which that he shall  
He saith the kings daughter wed  
For so the ring was laid to wed  
He told in to her father hand  
That with that man that she it fond  
She should ●ym took unto her lord  
And thus he saith stant of record  
But no man wot who hath this ring  
This bachelor upon this thing  
His ere & his intent laid  
And thought more than he saide  
And feigneth with a●fals visage  
That he was glad but his courage  
Was s●t in another wise  
These old philosophr●s wise  
They written upon thylk while  
That he may best a man beguile  
In whom the man hath most credence  
And this befell in evidence  
Toward this young lord of Rome  
His bachelor which he nome  
When that his lord by night slept  
This ring which his master kept  
Out of his purse awere he deed  
And put another in the stead  
A morrow when the court is set  
This young lady was forth fet  
To whom the lords done homage  
And after that of marriage  
They treten & axen of her will  
But she which thought to fulfil  
Her father hest in this matter  
Said openly that men may here  
The charge which her father bad  
though was this lord of Rome glad  
He droughe toward his purse anon  
But all for nought it was a gone  
His bachelor hath forth draw  
And asketh thereupon the law  
That she him hold covenant  
The tokne was so suffisant  
That it might not be forsake  
And nevertheless his lord hath take  
Quarelle again his own man  
But for no thing that ever he can  
He might as than nought be herd  
So that his claim is unansuerd  
And he hath of his purpose failed  
This bachelor was so counseled  
And wedded & of thylk empire  
He was crowned lord & sire  
And all the land him hath received  
Whereof his lord which was deceived  
A sickness or the third morrow  
conceived hath of deadly sorrow  
And as he lay upon his death  
There while him lasteth speech & breath  
He send for the worthiest  
Of all the land & eke the best  
And told 'em all the sooth though  
That he was son & heir also  
Of th'emperor of great Rome  
And how that they to guider come  
This knight & he right as it was  
He told 'em all the pleyne cas  
And for that he his counsel told  
That other all that he would  
And he hath failed of his meed  
And for the good he taketh none heed  
He saith but only of the love  
Of which he wend have be above  
And thereupon by letter write  
He doth his father for to wite  
Of all this matter how it stood  
And than with an bertely mood  
Unto the lords he besought  
To tell his lady how he bought  
Her love of which another gladeth  
And with that word his hew fadeth  
And said adieu my lady sweet  
The life hath lost his kindly heat  
And he lay deed as any stone  
Whereof was sorry many one  
But none of all so as she   

This falls knight in his degree  
Arrested was & put in hold  
For openly when it was told  
Of the treason which is fall  
thorough out the land they saiden all  
If it be soothe that men suppose  
His own untruth him shall depose  
And for to seche an evidence  
With honour & great reverence  
Whereof they mighten know an end  
To th'emperor anon they send  
The letter which his sone wrote  
And when that he the sooth wot  
To tell his sorrow is endless  
But yet in haste nevertheless  
Upon the tale which he heard  
His steward in to pierce feared  
With worthy romans eke  
His lyege traitor for to seek  
And when they thither come were  
This knight him hath confessed there  
How falsely that he hath him bore  
Whereof his worthy lord was lore  
though saiden some he should die  
But yet they have founden such a weigh  
That he shall not be deed in pierce  
And thus the skyles be diverse  
By cause that he was coroned  
Of that the land was abandoned  
To him all though it werr unright  
There is no pain to him dight  
But to this point & to this end  
They grant well that he shall wend  
With the romans to Rome again  
And thus acorded full & plain  
The quick body with the deed  
With leave take forth they lead  
Where that supplant hath his juice  
Whereof that thou the might advise  
Upon this information  
Touchend of supplantation  
That thou my son do not so  
And for to take heed also  
What supplaunt doth in other half  
There is no man can find a salve  
plainly to hele such a sore  
It hath & shall be evermore  
When pride is with envy joint  
He suffereth no man in good point  
Where that may his honour let  
And thereupon if I shall set  
Ensample in holy church I find  
How that supplant is not behind  
God wot now if that it be so  
For in chronic of time a go  
I find a tale concordable  
Of supplant which is no fable  
In the manner as I shall tell  
So as whilom the things fell   
I● ponit Confessor Exemplum contra istos in causa dignitatis adquirende supplantatores/ Et narrat qualiter papa Bonefacius predecessorem suum celestinun a papatu contractata circumuencione fraudulenter supplantavit/ 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 oft fall  
The vyker general of all  
Of 'em that lyeven cristes faith  
Ists all which none with saith  
Hath shut as to the worlds eye  
whose name if I shall specify  
He height Pope Nycholas  
And thus that he passed was  
The cardinal's that would save  
The form of law in the conclave  
Gone for to cheese a new pope  
And after that they couth agrope  
Hath each of 'em said his intent  
Till at the last they assent  
Upon an holy good recluse  
Which full was of ghostly vertuse  
His patience & his simplesse  
Hath set him in to high noblesse  
Thus was he pope canonized  
With great honour & intronyced  
And upon chance as it is fall  
His name Celestyn men call  
Which notyfyed was by bull  
To holy church & to the full  
In all lands magnified  
But every worship is envy  
And that was thylk time sen●  
For when this pope of whom I mean  
Was chose & other set a side  
A Cardynal was thylk tied  
Which the papate hath long desired  
And thereupon greatly hath conspired  
But when he sigh fortune is failed  
For which long time had travailed  
That ilk fire which Ethna burneth  
thorough his woeful heart runneth  
Which is resembled to envy  
Whereof Supplaunt & treachery  
Engendered is & nevertheless  
He feigneth love he feigneth pes  
Outward he doth the reverence  
But all within his conscience  
thorough falls imagination  
He thought Supplantation  
And thereupon a wonder wile  
He wrought for at thilk while  
It fell so that of his lineage  
He had Clergyon young of age  
Whom he had in his chamber affaited  
This cardinal his time hath waited  
And with his words sly & quaint  
The which he couth lightly paint  
He shope this clerk of which I tell  
Toward the pope for to duelle  
So that within his chambre a night  
He lay & was a privy wight  
Toward the pope on nights tide  
May no man flee that shall be tied  
This cardinal which thought guile  
Upon a day when he had while  
This young clerk to him took  
And made him swear upon a book  
And told him what his will was  
And forth with all a Trump of bras  
He hath him take & bade him this  
That shall he say when time is  
Await & take right good keep  
When that the pope was fast a sleep  
And that none other man be nigh  
And than that thou be so sly  
thorough out the Trump in to his ere  
from heaven as though a voys it were  
To sown of such prolation  
That he his meditation  
Thereof may make & understand  
As though it were gods sonde  
And in this wise thou shalt sex  
That he do thylk estate away  
Of pope in which he stant honoured  
So shall his soul be succoured  
Of thylk worship at the last  
In heaven which shall ever last  
This clerk when he hath herd the form  
How ho the pope should inform  
Took of the cardinal his leave  
And goth him home till at eve  
And privily the trump be head  
Till that the pope was a bed  
And at midnight when that he knew  
The pope slept than he blew  
Within his Trump through out that wall  
And told in what manner he shall  
His papacy leave & take  
His first estate & thus awake  
This holy pope hath made thrice  
Whereof divers fantasies  
Upon his great holiness  
Within his heart he 'gan impress  
The pope full of Innocence  
conceiveth in his conscience  
That it is gods will he cese  
But in what wise he may release  
His high estate that wot he nought  
And thus within himself he thought  
He have it still in his memory  
Till he came to the consistory  
And there in presence of 'em all  
He asketh if it so befall  
That any pope chief should  
How that the law it suffer would  
They seten all still & herd  
Was none which the point answered  
For to what purpoos that he meant  
There was no man knew his intent  
But only he which shope the guile  
This Cardyval the same while  
Al openly with wo●des pleyne  
saith if the pope will ordain  
That there be such a law wrought  
Than might he cheese & else nought  
And as he said done it was  
The pope anon upon the cas  
Of his papal authority  
Hath made & you the decree  
And when the law was confirmed  
In due form & all affirmed  
This Innocent which was deceived  
His papacy anon hath waived  
Revounced & resigned eke  
That other was no thing to seek  
But underneath such a jape  
He hath for himself so shape  
That thou as ever it him be seem  
The mitre with the diadem  
He hath thorough supplantation  
And in his confirmation  
Upon the fortune of his grace  
His name is cleped Boneface  
Under the vizor of envy  
Lo was hid the treachery  
Which hath beguiled many one  
But such counsel there may be none  
Which treason when it is conspired  
That it nies like the spark fired  
Up in the roof which for a throw  
Lieth hid till when that winds blow  
It blazeth out on every side  
This Boneface which can not hide  
The treachery of his supplant  
Hath openly made his avannt  
How he the papacy hath won  
But thing which is with wrong be-  
gone/ May never stand well at end  
Where pride shall the bow bend  
He sheteth full oft out of the weigh  
And thus the pope of whom I say  
When that he stood on high the wheel  
He can not suffer himself be we'll  
Envy which is loveless  
And pride which is lawebes  
With such tempests made him err  
That charity goth out of her  
So that upon misgovernance  
Against Louis the king of france  
He took quarrel of his outrage  
And said he should done homage  
Unto the church bodily  
But he that wist no thing why  
He should do so great service  
After the world in such a wise  
Withstood the wrong of that demand  
For nought the pope may command  
The king will not the pope obey  
This pope though by all weigh  
That he may work of violence  
Hath sent the bull of his sentence  
With cursing & enterdyt  
The king upon this wrongful plight  
To keep his reign fro servage  
counseled was of his baronage  
That with might it shall be withstand  
Thus was the cause take on hand  
And saiden that the papacy  
They honour & magnify  
In all that ever is spiritual  
But of the pride temporal  
Of Boneface in his person  
Ayene that ilk wrong alone  
They wolden stand in debate  
And thus the man & nought the state  
The french shopen by her might  
To grieve & fell there was a knight  
Sire Gwilliam de langaret  
Which was upon this cause set  
And thereupon he took a rout  
Of men of arms & rood out  
So long & in await he lay  
That he aspyede upon a day  
The pope was at Auynyon  
And should ride out of the town  
Unto Ponniforge which is  
A castle in a province of his  
Upon the weigh & as he rood  
This knight which hoved & abood  
Embuysshed upon horseback  
All suddenlike upon him brake  
And hath him by the bridal seized  
And said O thou which hast diseased  
The court of france be thy wrong  
Thou shalt sing another song  
Thine interdict & thy sentence  
Ayene thine own conscience  
Here afcer thou shalt feel & grope  
We pleyne nought again the pope  
For thylk name is honourable  
But thou which hast be deceivable  
And trecherours in all thy work  
Thou Boneface thou proud clerk  
Mysl●der of the papacy  
Thy false body shall abye  
And suffer that it hath deserved  
Lo thus this supplantour was served  
For they him lad in to france  
And setcen him to his penance  
Within a tour of hard bonds  
Where he for hunger both his hands  
Ece of & died god wot how  
Of whom the writing is yet now  
registered as a man may here  
Which speaketh & saith in this manner  
Thy entry like a fox was slyghe  
Thy regne also with pride on high  
Was lyche the lion in his rage  
But at the last at thy passage  
Thy death was to the hounds like  
Such is the letter of his chronic  
Proclaimed in the court of Rome  
Whereof the wise ensample nome  
And yet as farforth as I dare  
I read of other men beware  
And that they look well/ algate  
That none his own estate translate  
Of holy church in no degree  
By franude ne by subtlety  
For thylk Aaron which honour took  
Shall none receive as saith the book  
But he becleped as he was  
What shall I thinken in this cas  
Of that I here now a day  
I not but he which can & may  
By reason both & by nature  
The help of every man's cure  
To keep Simon fro the fold   
Nota de prophecia Ioachim quanti meranarij sunt in ovile dei tuas aures meis narracionibus fedare nolo  

fOr joachim thylk abbot told  
How such days sholden fall  
That comonlyche in places all  
The chapmen of such mercery  
With fraud & with supplantary  
So many sholden buy & sell  
That he ne may for shame teste  
So foul a sin in man's ●re  
But god forbid that it so were  
In our days that he saith  
For if the clerk be aware his faith  
In chapmanhode in such a feyre  
The remnant moat needs impair  
Of all that to the world belongeth  
For when that holy church wrongeth  
I not what other thing shall be  
And nevertheless at man's own eye  
Envy for to be preferred  
Hath conscience so differed  
That no man looketh to the vice  
Which is the mother of malice  
And that is thylk falls envy  
Which causeth many a treachery  
For where he may another see  
That is more gracious than he/  
It shall not stonden in his might  
But if he hinder such a wight  
And that is well nigh overall  
This vice is now so general   
Qualiter Ioab princeps milicie david Inuidie causa Abner subdole inter fecit. Et qualit Achitofell ab hoc qd Cusy in Consilio Absolon preferebatur/ attenso invidia laqueo se suspendit  

Envy thylk unhap in drough  
When joab by deceit slough  
Abnet for dread he should be  
With king david such as was he  
And ennye also it fell  
Of thylk falls Achitofelle  
For his counsell was not ach●ued  
But that be saw Cusy believed  
With Absalon & him forsake  
He hinge himself upon a stake   

Senec witnesseth openly  
How that envy propyrly  
Is of the court the common wench  
And halt tavern for to shence  
That drink which maketh an heart to brenne  
/ And doth the wit about run  
By every weigh to compass  
How that he might all other pass  
As he which thorough unkyndeshyp  
envieth every falauship  
So that thou might well know & see  
There is no vice such as he  
first toward god abominable  
And to mankind vuprofytable  
And that been worth but a few  
I shall by reason prove & show  
Inuidie stumilus sine causa ledit abortus/  
Name 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 invidie tam in amore quam aliter secundum proprietatem vicij  

envy if that I shall deseryue  
He is not shapely for to wife  
In earth among the women here  
For there is in him no matter  
Whereof he might do pleasance  
first for his heavy countenance  
Of that he seemeth ever unglad  
He is not able to be had  
And eke he brenneth within  
That kind may no profit win  
Whereof he should his love please  
For thylk blood which should have ease  
To regne among the moist veins  
Is dry of thylk unkindly pains  
thorough which envy is fired ay  
And thus by reason prove I may  
That toward love envy is nought  
And other wise if he besought  
Upon what side as ever it fall  
It is the wert vice of all  
Which of himself hath most malice  
For understand that every vice  
Some cause it hath whereof it groweth  
But of envy no man knoweth  
Fro whence he came but out of hell  
For thus the wise clerks tell  
That no spirit but of malice  
By weigh of kind but on a vice  
Is tempted & by such a way  
Envy hath kind put a way  
And of malice hath his sturing  
Whereof he maketh his bakbyting  
And is himself thereof diseased  
So may there be no kind pleased  
For ay the more that he envieth  
The more again himself he plenyeth  
Thus stant enuyt in good espeyr  
To been himself the devils heir  
As he which is the next lyche  
And forthest from the heaven rich  
For there he may never won   

For thy my good dear soon  
If thou would find a siker weigh  
To lone put envy away  
Mine holy father reason would  
That I this vice esche we should  
But yet to strength my courage  
If that ye would in advantage  
Thereof set a recover  
It were to me a great desire  
That I this vice might flee   

Now understand my son & see  
There is physic for the seek  
And virtues for the vices eke  
Who that the vices would esche we  
He mote by reason than sew  
The virtues for by thylk weigh  
He may the vices done away  
For they to gydre may not duelle  
For as the water of a well  
Of fire abateth the malice  
Right so virtue fordoth the vice  
Ayene envy is charity  
Which i● the mother of pity  
That maketh a man's heart tender  
That it may no malice engendre  
In him that is incline therein  
For his courage is tempered so  
That though he might himself relieve  
Yet would he not another grieve  
But rather for to do pleasance  
He beareth himself the grievance  
So fain he would another case  
Whereof my son for thine ease  
Now ● t●ne a tale which I read  
And understand it well I read   
hIc ponit Confossor Exemplum de virtute cartatis centra Inuidi am/ Et narrat de Constantino E lean filio suo qiu cum Imperij Romani dig nitatem obtinuerat a morbo lepre in ●fectus medici pro sanitate recuperanda ipsum in sanguined 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 servum pietatis. Et his dictis statum suum cuncti potentis medele commuttens sui ipsius morbum pocius quam infancium mortem benignus elegit/ unde ipse quo an t●a paganus & lepresus extiterat ex unda baptismatis renatus utrinsque materie tam corporis que anime divine miraculo consecutus est salutem  

IMong the books of latin  
I find it write of Constantyn  
The worthy emperor of rome  
Such infortunes to him come  
When he was in his lusty age  
The leper caught in his visage  
And so forth over all about  
That he might not riden out  
So left he both shield & spear  
As he that might him not bestere  
And hold him in his chambre close  
thorough all the world the fame arose  
The great clerks been assent  
And come at his commaaundement  
To treat upon this lords he'll  
So long they together deal  
That they upon this medicine  
Appoynten hem & determine  
That in the manner as it stood  
They would him bathe in child's blood  
Within seven year age  
For as they say that should a suage  
The leper & all the violence  
Which that they knew of accidence  
And not by weigh of kind is fall  
And thereto they accordene all  
As for final conclusion  
And tolden her opinion  
To th'emperor & he anon  
His counseyl took & therupon  
With letters & with seals out  
They send in every land about  
The young children for to seche  
Whoos blood they said should be leech  
For th'emperors malady  
There was enough to weep & cry  
Among the modres when they herd  
How woefully this cause fir  
But nevertheless they moat bow  
And thus women there come enough  
With children soukend on their teat  
There were many tears let  
But were 'em lyef or were 'em loath  
The women & the children both  
In to the palace forth be brought  
With many a sorry hearts thought  
Of 'em which of her body bore  
The children had & so forlore  
Within a while should see  
The modres weep in her degree  
And many of 'em a swoon fall  
The young babies crieden all  
This noise arose this lord it heard  
And looked out & how it feared  
He saw & as who said abraid  
Out of his sleep & thus he said  
O thou divine purveyance  
Which every man in the balance  
Of kind hast form to be lyche  
The poor is boar as is the rich  
And dieth in the same wise  
Upon the fool upon the wise  
Seken esse & he'll enter common  
May not eschew that fortune  
Which kind hath in her law set  
Her strength & beauty been set  
To every man a lyche fire  
That she proffereth no degree  
As in the disposition  
Of bodily complexion  
And eke of soul reasonable  
The poor child is boar as able  
To virtue as the kings sone  
For every man his own won  
After the lust of his assay  
The vice or/ virtue chief may  
Thus stand all men fraunchysed  
But in estate they be devised  
To some worship & richesse  
To some poverty & distress  
One lordeth another serveth  
But yet as every man deserveth  
The world giveth not his yefts here  
But certes he hath great matter  
To be of good condition  
Which hath in his subjection  
The men that been of his semblance  
And eke he took a remembrance  
How that he made law of kind  
Would every man to law bind  
And bade a man such as he would  
Toward himself right such he should  
Toward another done also  
And thus this worthy lord all though  
Set in balance his own estate  
And with himself stood in debate  
And thought how it was not good  
To see so mochel man's blood  
Be spilled by cause of him alone  
He saw also the great moan  
Of that the moders were unglade  
And of the woe the children made  
Whereof that his heart tendereth  
And such pity within engendereth  
And that him was liefer for to cheese  
His own body for to lose  
Than see so great a mordre wrought  
Upon the blood which gylteth nought  
Thus for the pity which he took  
All other leches he forsook  
And put him out of adventure  
All only in to god's cure  
And saith who that will master be  
He moat be servant to pity  
So farforth he was overcome  
With charity that he hath nome  
His counsel & his officers  
And bad unto his tresorers  
That they his treasure all about  
Depart among the poor rout  
And of women & of children both  
Whereof they might hem feed & cloth  
And soothly borne home again  
Without loss of any greyne  
thorough charity thus he dyspendeth  
His/ good whereof he amendeth  
The poor people & countrevayleth  
The harm that he hem so travaileth  
And thus the woeful nights sorrow  
To joy is turned on the morrow  
Al was thanking anl was blessing  
Which erst was weeping & cursing  
These women gone home glad enough  
eachone of joy on other lough  
And prayed for this lords hele  
Which hath released the quarrel  
And hath his own will forsake  
In charity for god's sake  
But now here after thou shalt here  
What god hath wrought in this matter  
As he that doth all equity  
To him that wrought charity  
He was againward charytous  
And to pity he was piteous  
For it was never know yet  
That charity geth unaquit  
The night when he was laid to sleep  
The high god which would him keep  
saint peter & saint paul him send  
By whom he would his leper amend  
They two to him slepend appear  
Fro god & said in this manner  
O Constantyn for thou hast served  
pity thou hast pity deserved  
For thy thou shalt such pity have  
That god thorough pity will the sane  
Thou shalt so double he'll find  
For the first bodelyche kind   

●nd for thy woeful soul also  
Thou shalt be hole of both two  
And for thou shalt not the despair  
Thy leper shall no more impair  
Till thou wilt send thereupon  
Unto the mount of Celyon  
Where Syluestre & his clergy  
To guider duellen in company  
For dread of the which many a day  
Hast been a foo to Crystes lay  
And hast destroyed to much shame  
The prechours of his holy name  
But now thou hast somedeal appeased  
Thy god & with good deed pleased  
That thou thy pity haste bewared  
Upon the blood which thou hast spared  
For thy to thy salvation  
Thou shalt have information  
such as Syluestre shall the teach  
The needeth of none other leche  
This Emperor which all this herd  
Grant mercy lord he answered  
I will do as ye me say  
But of one thing I would pray  
What shall I tell unto Syluestre  
Of your name or of your estre  
And they him told what they height  
And forth with all out offhis sight  
They passen up in to the heaven  
And he awoke out of his sweven  
And clepeth & men come anon  
And told his dream & therupon  
In such a wise as hem telleth  
The mount where Syluestre dueleth  
They have in all hast sought  
And founden he was & with 'em brought  
To th'emperor which to them told  
His sweven & else that he would  
And when Siluestre hath herd the king  
He was right joyful of that thyng●  
And him began with all his wit  
To techen upon holy wryt  
first how mankind was for●ore  
And how the hyghe'god therefore  
His sone send from above  
Which born was for man's love  
And after of his own choice  
He took his death upon thee/ croys'  
And how in grave he was byloke  
And how that he hath hell broke  
And took 'em out that were him lyeve  
And for to make us full/ bylove  
That he was very gods sone  
Ayene the kind of man's won  
Fro death he rose the third day  
And when he would as he well may  
He styghe up to his fathers even  
With flesh & blood in to the heaven  
And right so in the same form  
In flesh & blood he shall reform  
When time cometh the quick & deed  
At thylk woeful day of dread  
Where every man shall take his doom  
As well the master as the groom  
The mighty kings retinue  
That day may stand of no value  
With worldly strength to defend  
For every man might than intend  
To stand upon his own deeds  
And leave as other men's needs  
That day may no counseyl avail  
The pledour & the ple shall fail  
The sentence of that ilk day  
May none appeal set in delay  
There may no gold the judge ply  
That he ne shall the sooth try  
And fetten every man up right  
As well the plough man as the knight  
The lewd man the great clerk  
Shall stand upon his own work  
And such as he is found though  
Such shall he be for evermo  
There may no peyve be released  
There may no joy be increased  
But endless as they have do ●  
He shall receive one of the two  
Thus Sylvester with his saw  
The ground of all the new law  
With great devotion he preacheth  
Fro point to point & teacheth  
Unto this he then Emperor  
And saith the high creator  
Hath under fonge his charity  
Of that he wrought such pity  
When he the children had no hand  
Thus when this lord hath understand  
Of all this thing how that it feared  
Unto Syluestre he than answered  
With all his hool heart & saith  
That he is ready to the faith  
And so the vessel which for blood  
Was made Syluestre there it stood  
With clean water of the well  
In all hast he let do fell  
And set Constantyn therein  
All naked up in to the chin  
And in the while it was begun  
A light as though it were a son  
from heaven in to the place come  
Where that he took his christendom  
And ever among the holy tales  
Like as they weren fishes scales  
They fellen from him now & eft  
Till that there was no thing be left  
Of all his great malady  
For he that would him purify  
The high god hath made him clean  
So that there left no thing seen  
He hath him cleused both two  
The body & the soul also  
though knew this Emperor in deed  
That Crystes faith was for to dread  
And send anon his letters out  
And let do cryen all about  
Upon pain of death that no man waive  
That he baptism ne receive  
After his mother queen Eleyne  
He send & so between 'em twain  
They treten that the city all  
Was christened & she forth with all  
This Emperor which heel hath found  
Within Rome anon let sound  
Two churches which he did make  
For Peter & for paul sake  
Of whom he had a vision  
And give thereto possession  
Of lordship & of worldly good  
But how so that his will was good  
Toward the pope & his franchise  
Yet hath it proved other wise  
To see the working of the deed  
For in chronic thus I read  
Anon as he hath made the yefte  
A voys was herd on high the left  
Of which all Rome was adread  
And said this day venom is shed  
In holy church of temporal  
Which meddleth with the spyrytal  
And how it stant of that degree  
Yet may a man the sooth see  
God may amend it when he will  
I can thereto none other skill  
But for to go there I began  
How charity may help a man  
To both worlds I have said  
And if thou have an ere laid  
My sone thou might understand  
If charity be take on hand▪  
●here followeth after mochel grace  
For thy if that thou wilt purchase  
How that thou envy i'll  
Acqueynte the with charity  
Which is the virtue sovereign   

My father I shall do my pain  
For this ensample which ye told  
With all mine heart I have withhold  
So that I shall for evermore  
Eschew envy well the more  
And that I have or this misdo  
Ye●e me my penance or I go  
And over that to my matter  
Of shrift while ye sitten here  
In privity between us fifty  
Now ask what there is I prey    

Confessor  

My good son & for thy lore  
I will the tell what is more  
Thou shalt so the vices know  
For when they be to the full know  
Thou might hem well the better eschew  
And for this cause I think sew  
The form both & the matter  
As now sewend thou shalt here  
Which vice stant next after this  
And when thou wost what it is  
As thou shalt hear me devise  
Thou might thyself the better advice    
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 ut equo. ●ure sui pondus nulla statera tenet/ Omnibus in causis gravat Ira inter amantes/ Illa magis facili sort gravamen agit/ Esis ubi vir discors leviter 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 vices lest know/  
My sone it hath not be unknown  
Fro first that men their swords ground  
That there is none upon the ground.  
A vice foreign fro the law  
Whereof that many a good fellow  
Hath be dystraught by sudden chaū●●  
And yet to kind no pleasance  
It doth but where he most achieveth  
His pur●●os most to kind he grieveth  
As he which outr of conscience  
Is enemy unto patience  
And is by name one of the seven  
Which oft hath set the world unevent  
And cleped is the cruel Ire  
Whoos heart is evermore on fire  
To speak amiss & to do both  
For his servants been ever wroth  
My good father tell me this  
What thing is Ire. son it is  
That in our english wrath is hot  
Which hath his words ay so hot  
That all a man's patience  
Is fired of the violence  
For he with him hath ever five  
Servants that helpen him to seryve  
The first of hem Melancolye  
Is cleped which m company  
An hundred times in an our  
Wol as an angry best louvre  
And no man wot the cause why  
My sone shrive the now for thy  
Hast thou be malencolyen  
My father ye by saint Iulyen  
But I untrue words use  
I may me not thereof excuse  
And all maketh love well I wot  
Of which mine heart is ever hot  
So that I burn as doth a gleed  
For wrath that I may not speed  
And thus full oft a day for nought  
save onlyche of mine own thought  
I am so with my seluen wroth  
That how so that the game goeth  
With other men I can not glad  
But I am well the more unglade  
For that is other men's game  
It turneth me to pure grame  
Thus am I with myself oppressed  
Of thought which I have impressed  
That all waking I dream & meet  
That I with her alone meet  
And prayed▪ her of some good answer  
But the will not gladly swear  
She saith me nay withouten oath  
And thus wax I within wroth  
That outward I am all afraid  
And so dystempered & so es●●ayed  
A thousand times on a day  
There soundeth in mine ears nay  
The which she said me tofore  
Thus be my wits as forlese  
And namely when I begin  
To rekne with myself within  
How many years been agone  
sith I have truly loved one  
And never took of her heed  
And ever a lyche for to speed  
I am the more fool with her deal  
So that my hap & all my hele  
Me thinketh is ay the longer the far  
That bringeth my gladship out of err  
Whereof my wits been empryred  
And I as who saith all dispeyred  
For finally when that I muse  
And think how she will me refuse  
I a● with anger so bestead  
For all this world might I be glad  
And for the while that it lasteth  
Al up so down my joy it casteth  
And ●y the further that I be  
When I ne may my lady see  
The more I am ready to wrath  
That fo: the touching of a lathe  
Or for the turning of a sere  
I wooed as doth the wild see  
And am so melancholious  
That their nies servant in mine house  
Ne none of though that be about  
That each of 'em ne stant in doubt  
And ween that I would rave  
For anger that they see me have  
And so they wondre more & lass  
That they seen it overpass▪  
But father if it so betide  
That I approach at any tide  
The place where my lady is  
And than her liketh I iwis  
To speak a goodly word untome  
For all the gold that is in Rome  
Ne couth I after that be wroth  
But all mine anger over goth  
So glad I am of the presence  
Of her that I all offence  
Foryete as though it were nought  
So over glad is my thought  
And▪ nevertheless the sooth to tell  
A e'en word if it so befell  
That I at thylk time sigh  
On me that she myscast her eye  
Or that she list nought to look  
And I thereof good heed took  
Anon in to my first estate  
I torn & am with that also mate  
That ever it asyche wycke  
And thus mine hand again the prick  
I hurt & have do many a day  
And go so forth as I go may  
Fulofte biting on my lip  
And make unto myself a whip  
With which in many a chele & he●●  
My woeful heart is so to beat  
That all my wits been unsoft  
And am wroth I not how oft  
And all it is melancholy  
Which groweth on the fantasy  
Of love that me will not lout  
So bear I forth an angry sno wte  
Full many times in a year  
But father now ye sitten here  
In loves stead I you beseech  
That some ensample ye me teach  
Whereof I may myself appease   

Confessor  

My son for thine hearts ease  
I shall fulfil thy prayer  
So that thou might the better ler●  
What mischief that this vice steereth  
Which in his anger not forbeareth  
Whereof that after him for thinketh  
When he is sober that him thinketh  
Upon the folly of his deed  
And of this point a tale I read   
Hic ponit Confessor Exemplum contra istos qcum vires amoris non sunt realiter experti contra al●os amantes malen ●ol●●● s●ueritate ad iracundiam vindicte provocantur/ Et narrat qualiter rex Eolus filium nomine Marcharium & Filiam nomine can●●●m habuit/ qui cum ab infanci●●sque pubertatem invi cem▪ fuerant educati/ Cnpi●o cum ignito iaculo amborum cordis desideria amo rose penetravit/ I●a que natura Canacis cooperan●● a fratre suo inpregnata parturit/ super quo pater intollerabilem i● ventutis concupiscenci●m▪ ignorans nimiamque furoris malencolia preuentus dictam filiam cum partu dolorosissimo c●su interfeci diiudicavit  

●Her was a king which Aeolus  
Was hot & it befell him thus  
That he two children had fair  
The sone cheped was Machayre  
The daughter Canace height  
By day both & este by night  
While they be young of common won  
In chammbre they together come  
And as they should played hem oft  
Till they be grown up aloft  
In the youth of lusty age  
When kind assaileth the courage  
With love & doth him for to low  
That he no reason can allow  
But halt the laws of nature  
For whom that love hath under c●re  
And he is blind himself ryghtso▪  
He maketh his client blind also  
In such manner as I you tell  
As they all day together duelle  
This brother might not asterte  
That he with all his hole heart  
His love upon his sister cast  
And so it fell 'em at the last  
So that this Machayre with Canace  
When they were in a privy place  
cupid bad hem first to ●rysse  
And after she which is maystrysse  
In kind & teacheth every life  
Without law positive  
Of which she taketh no manner charge  
But keepeth her laws all at large  
Nature took 'em in to lore  
And taught 'em so that overmore  
She hath 'em in such a wise da●i●●d  
That they were as who saith enchanted  
And as the blind another leadeth  
And till they fall nothing dreadeth  
Right so they had none insyght  
But as a bird which will a light  
And seethe the meet & not the net●e  
Which in deceit of him is set●●  
These young folk no peril sigh  
But that was liking in her eye  
In that they fell upon the chance  
Where wit hath lore his remembrance  
So long they together assemble  
The womb a●●os & she 'gan to tremble  
And held her in her chambre close  
For dread it should be discloos  
And come unto her father ere  
Whereof the son had also fere  
And feynend cause for to ride  
For long durst he not abide  
In aun●et if men will say  
That he his sister hath forleyn  
For yet she had it not be know  
whose was the child at thilk throw  
Machayre goth Canace abyt  
The which was not delynerd yet  
But right soon after that she was   

Now lest & herkne a woeful cas  
The sooth which may not been hid  
Was at the last know & kid  
Unto the king how that it stood  
And when that he it understood  
Anon in to Melenoolye  
As though it were a frenzy  
He fell as he which no thing couth  
How master full love is youth  
And for he was to love strange  
He would not his heart change  
To be benign & favourable  
To love but unmerciable  
between the wawe of wood & wroth  
In to his daughter chambre be goth  
And saw the child was late bore  
Whereof he hath his oath swore  
That she it shall full sore abye  
And she began mercy for to cry  
Upon her bar● kn●●s & prayed  
And to her father thus she said  
Have mercy father think I am  
Thy child & of thy blood I came  
That I misdeed youth it made  
And m the floods bade me wade  
Where that I saw no peril though  
But now it hath befall so  
Mercy my father do no wretch  
And with that word she lost her speech  
And fell swounend at his foot  
As she for sorrow needs more  
But his▪ horrible cruelty  
That might attempre no py●●  
Out of her chambre forth he▪ went  
And fnl of wrath in his intent  
And took the counseyl in his heart  
That she shall not the death asterte  
And he which is Melan●●lyen̄  
Of patience hath no lean  
Whereof he may his wrath restrain  
And in this wild wood pain  
When all his reason was untame  
A knight he cleped by his name  
And took him as by weigh of sand  
A naked sword to bear on hand  
And said him that he should go  
And tell unto his daughter so  
In the manner as be him bad  
How she that sharp swords blade  
receive should & do with all  
So that she wo●● where to she shall  
Forth in message goth the knight▪  
Unto this woeful young wight  
This sharp sword to her ●e took  
Whereof that all her body quook  
For well she wist what it meant  
And that it was to thilk intent  
That she her seluen should slay  
And to the knight she said ye  
Now that I wot my fathers will  
That I shall in this wise spill  
I wol●o●eye me there to  
And as he will it shall ●e ●●  
But now this thing▪ may be none other/  
I will a letter unto my brother  
So as my feeble hand may write  
With all my woeful heart indite  
She took a pen on hand though  
from point to point & all the woe  
As farforth as her self it wot  
Unto her deadly friend she wrote  
And told how that her father grace  
She might for no thing purchase  
And over that as thou shalt here  
She wrote & said in this manner  
O thou my sorrow & my gladness  
O thou my hele & my sickness  
O thou my wanhope & my trust  
O thou my disease & all my lust  
O thou my weal O thou my woe  
O thou my friend O thou my foo  
O thou my loan O thou my hate  
For the more I be deed algate  
Thylk death may I not asterte  
And with all mine hole heart  
whist that me lasteth any birth  
I will the love in to my death  
But of oo thing I shall the prey  
If that my little son die  
●ete him be buried in my grave  
Beside me so shalt thou have  
Upon us both remembrance  
For thus it standeth of my grenaunce  
Now at this time as thou shalt wit  
With 〈◊〉 & with ink write  
This letter I have in car●● cold  
In my right hand my pen I hold  
And in my left my sword I keep  
And in my barm there lieth to weep  
Thy child & mine which sobbeth fast  
Now am I come unto my last  
Fare well for I shall soon die  
And think how I thy love abye  
The pommel of the sword to ground  
She set & with the point a wound  
thorough out her heart anon she made  
And fo●th with that all pale & fade  
She fell down deed fro there she stood  
The child lay bathend in her blood  
Out rolled fro the mother barm  
And for the blood was h●te & warm  
He basked him about therein  
There was no boat for to win  
For which he ●an no pity know  
The king came in the same throw  
And saw how that his daughter died  
And how this baby all bloody cried  
But all that might him not suffice  
That he ne bad to do juyse  
Upon the child & bear him out  
And seek in the fo●●st about  
So in wild place that it were  
To cast him out of hand there  
So that some best him may devours  
Where as no man him shall succour  
All that he ●ad was done in deed  
A who herd ever sing o● read  
Of such a thing as though was done  
But he which lad his wrath s●ne  
Hath know of love but a light  
But for all that he was to wite  
thorough his sudden melanoolye  
To do so great a felony   

For thy my son how so it stand  
By this case thou might vnderston●  
That if thou ever in cause of love  
Shall dem● & thou be so above  
That thou might lead it at thy will  
let never thorough thy wrath spill  
Which every kind should save  
For it sit every man to have  
Reward to love & to his might  
Against whose streugthe may no wight  
And sith an heart is so strained  
That reddour ought to be restrained  
To him that may bet away  
When he moat to nature obey  
For it is said thus overall  
That needs more that needs shall  
Of that a life doth after kind  
Whereof he may no boat find▪  
That nature bathe set in her law  
There may no man's might withdraw  
And who that wor●heth there ayen●  
Full offtime it hath ●e sayen  
There hath befall great vengeance  
Whereof I find a remembrance   
h Ic narrat qualiter Tiresias in quodam monte duos serpentes in venit 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 time though  
Told ensample & said so  
How that whilom Tiresias  
As he was walkend goth percase  
Upon an high Mounteyn he sigh  
Two serpents in his weigh nigh  
And they so as nature hem taught  
Assembled were & he though caught  
A yard which he bore on hand  
And thought that he would fond  
To let hem & smote 'em both  
Whereof the god's weren wroth  
And for he hath disturbed kind  
And was so to nature unkind  
Vnkyndelyche he was transformed  
That he which erst a man was form  
In to a woman was for shape  
That was to him an angry jape  
But for that he with angyr wrought  
His angyr angerlyche he bought   

Lo thus my son Ovid hath write  
Whereof thou might by reason wite  
More is a man than such a best  
So might it never been honest  
A man to wrathen him to sore  
Of that another doth the lore  
Of kind of which is no maly●●  
But only this is a vy●●  
And though a man be reasonable  
Yet after kind he is m●uable  
To love where he will or none  
Think thou my sone therupone  
And do melanoolye away  
For love hath his lust to play  
A● he which would no life grieve    

Amans  

My f●dre that I may well believe  
And that ye tell it is skill  
let every man love as he will  
Be so it be not my lady  
For I shall not be wroth there by  
But that I wrath & fare amiss  
Alone upon myself it is  
That with both love & kind  
I am so bestead that I can find  
No weigh how it may asterte  
Which stant upon mine own hert●  
And toucheth to none other life  
Sauf only to that sweet wife  
For whom but if it be amended  
My glad/ days been dispended  
That I myself shall not forbear  
The wrath which I now bear  
For there is none other lyche  
Nowa●e forth I you beseech  
Of wrath if there ought e●●es is  
Whereof to shrive son yis   
●●a movet ●●tem que lingue frena resoluens/ Laxa per infam●s ●●rrit ubiquam 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 wrath. the second is chest  
Which hath the winds of tempest  
To keep & many a sudden blast  
He bloweth whereof been aghast  
That they that desire peace & rest  
He is that ilk ungoodlyeste  
Which many a lusty hath twynned  
For ever he beareth his mouth unpynned!  
So that his lips been unloke  
And his courage is all to broke  
That every thing which he couth tell  
It springeth up as death a well  
Which may no man of his stumes hide  
But runneth ou●● on every side  
So boylen up the foul saws  
That chest wot of his fellows  
For as a Syve keepeth Ale  
Right so can chest keep a tale  
Al that he wot he will disclose  
And speak or any man oppose  
As a city without wall  
Where men may go out overalle  
Without any resistance  
So with his crooked eloquence  
He speaketh all that he wot within  
Whereof men lose more than win  
For offtime of his chiding  
He bringeth to house such tiding  
That maketh were at beds heed  
It is the leveyn of the breed  
Which soureth all the past about  
Men ought well such one to doubt  
For ever his bow is ready bent  
And whom he hit I tell him shent  
If he may pierce him with his tongue  
And e●e so loud his bell is rung  
That of the noise & of the son  
Men ferens him in all the Town  
Well more than they done of thunder  
For that is cause of more wondre  
For with the winds which he bloweth  
Full of●● sith he overthroweth  
The cities & the policy  
That I have herd the people cry  
And eachone said in his degree  
Ha wicked tongue woe the be  
Men say that the hard bone  
Al though himself have none  
A tongue breaketh all to pieces  
He hath so many sundry spy●●●s  
Of vices that I may not well  
Desc●yue 'em by a thousand deal  
But when that he to chest falleth  
Full many a wonder thing byfalleth  
For he ne can no thing forbear  
Now t●lle my son of thine answer  
If it hath ever so beryd  
That thou at any time hast chid  
Tothard thy love father nay  
Such chest yet unto this day  
Ne made I never god forbid  
For ere I sing such a creed  
I had le●er to be lewd  
For than were I all beshrewed  
And worthy to be put a back  
With all the sorrow upon my back  
That any man ordain couth  
But I spoke never yet by mouth  
That unto chest might touch  
And that I durst right well vouch  
Upon her self as for witness  
For I wot of her gentleness  
That she me would well excuse  
That I no such things use  
And if it should so betide  
That I algates must chide  
It might not be to my love  
For so yet never was I above  
For all this wide world to win  
That I durst any word begin  
By which she might have be amoved  
And I of chest also reproved  
But rather if it might her like  
The best words would I pike  
Which I couth in mine heart cheese  
And serve 'em forth in stead of chose  
For that is helpelyche to defy  
And would my words ply  
That might wrath in chest avail  
With telling of my soft tale  
Thus dare I make a forward  
That never unto my lady ward  
Yet spoke I word in such a wise  
Whereof chest sh●ld arise  
Thuo say I not that I full oft  
N● have when I spoke most soft  
Parca's said more than enough  
But so well halt no man the plough  
That he ne balketh other while  
N● so well can no man affyle  
His tongue that sometime in ia●●  
Him may some light word overscape  
And yet ne meaneth he no chased  
But then I have ay●● her hest  
Full oft spoke I am byknowe  
That thou my will i● that ye know  
For when my time cometh about  
That I dare speak & say all out  
My long love of which she wot  
That never in one alyche hot  
Me grieveth than all my disease  
I tell & though it ●er displease  
I speak it forth & nought ne leave  
And though it bebesyde her leave  
I hope & trow nevertheless  
That I do not again the peace  
For though I tell her all my thought  
She wot well that I chide nought  
Men may the high god beseech  
And he will here a man's speech  
And be not wroth of that he saith  
So giveth it me the more saith  
And maketh me hardy s●th to say  
That I dare well the better ●●●y  
My lady which a woman is  
For though that I tell her that there is  
Of love which me grieveth sore  
Her ought not be wroth therefore  
For I without noise or cry  
My plaint make all buxoml●●  
To putten all wrath away  
Thus dare I say unto this day  
Of chest in earnest or in game  
My lady shall no thing blame  
But offtime it hath be tide  
That with my seluen I have chid  
That no man couth better chide  
And that been at every tide  
When I ●●m to myself alone  
Forthan I made a privy mon●  
And every tale by & by  
Which as spoke to my lady  
I think & p●yse in my balance  
And draw in to my remembrance  
And than if that I find a lak  
Of any word that I myspak  
Which was to much in any wise  
Anone● my wits I despise  
And mast a chiding in mine heart  
That any word me should asterte  
Which as I should have holden in  
And so after I begin  
And if there was else aught  
To speak & I spoke it nought  
And if I may seche & find  
That any word be l●●t behind  
Which I should more have spoke  
I would upon myself be wroke  
And chide with myself so  
That all my wit is over go  
For no man may his time lor●  
Recover & thus I am therefore  
So over wroth in my thovyht  
That I myself chide all to nought  
Thus for to much or for to light  
Full oft I am myself to wite  
But all that may me not avail  
With chest though I me travail  
But owl on stock & stok on owl  
though more that a man defoul  
Men wot well which hath the wrose  
And so to me nies worth a ●erse  
But turneth unto mine own heed  
Though that I tell that I were deed  
Would ever chide in such a wife  
Of love as I to you devise  
But father ye have all herd  
In this manner how I have fir  
Of chest & of dissension  
Yeve me your absolution    

Confessor  

My sone if thou wystest all  
That chest doth in special  
To love & to his welwylling  
Thou wouldest fleen his knowledging  
For who that most can speak fair  
And learn to be debonair  
Is most according unto love  
Fair speech hath oft brought above  
Full many a man as it is know  
Which else should have be right low  
And failed much of/ his will  
For thy hold thy tongue still  
And let thy wit thy will r●ste  
So that thou fall not in chest  
Which is the sour of great dystasice  
And taste in to thy remembrance  
If thou might ge●e patience  
Which is the seek of all offence  
As tell us the old wise  
For when nought else may suffice  
By strength ne by man's wit  
Then patience is over sit  
And over cometh at the last  
But he may nen●● long sast  
Which will not bow or that he break  
Take heed son of that I speak  
My father of your goodly speech  
And of the wit which ye me teach  
I thank you with all mine hole heart  
For that world shall me never astart  
That I ne shall your words hold  
Of patience as ye me told  
As farforth as mine heart thinketh  
And of my wrath it me forethinketh  
But father if ye forth with all  
Some good ensample in special  
Me wolden tell in some C●●nyste  
It should well mine heart like  
Of patience for to he●●  
So that I might in my matter  
The more unto my love obey  
And putten my disease away   
●Ic ponit Confessor exemplum de paciencia in amore contra ●tem habenda/ Et narrat qualiter uxor Socratis ipsum quodam die multis sermonibus ●tigauit/ Sed cum ipse abs●●●lla responsione omnia probra pacienter sustulit indignat● uxor qmndam ydriam plenam aque quam in manu tenebat super caput viri sui subito effudit dicens E●●gila & loquere, qui respondens tune ait. O bear iam scio & expertus sum quam post ventorum rabiem sequuntur umbres/ Et isto modo litis contumeliam sua paciencia devicit  

mY sone a man to buy him peace  
Behoveth suffer as Socrates'  
Ensample left which is write  
And for thou shalt the sooth wy●e  
Of this ensample that I mean  
Al though it be now little seen  
Among the men thylk evidence  
Yet he was upon patience  
So set that himself to assay  
In thing which might him most  
myspay, Desired & a wicked wife  
He wedded which in sorrow & stry●  
Against his ease was contrary  
But he spoke ever soft & fair  
Till it befell as it is told  
In winter when the day is cold  
This wife was fro the well come  
Where that a pot with water nome  
She hath & ●●ought it in to house  
And saw how hat there silly spouse  
Was set & looked on a book  
Nigh to the fire as he which ●●●●  
His ease as for a man of age  
And she began the wood ●●ge  
And asketh him what devil he thought  
And bore on hand that him ne ●●●●  
What labour she took on hand  
And saith that such an husband  
Was to a wife not worth a stre  
He said neither nay ne ye  
But held him still & le●e her ●●●●●  
As she which may her self not hide  
Bygan within for to sweet  
And that brought in fro the well  
The water pot she ●ent▪ a●●f●●  
And bad him speak & le all soft  
Sat still & no word answered  
And she was wroth that ●e so ford  
And axrth him if he be deed  
And all the water on his heed  
She poured out & bade him wake  
But he which will not forsake  
His patience than fpa●  
And said how he fond no last  
In no thing which she had do  
For it was winter time th●  
And winter as by weigh of kind  
Which stormy is as men may find  
first maketh the winds for to blow  
And after that within a throw  
He tryneth & the water gates  
●ondoth & thus my wife algates  
Which is with reason well beseyn  
Hath made me both wind & win  
After the season of the year  
And than he set him ner the fire  
And as he might his clothes dried  
That he no more no word ne said  
Whereof he got him somedeal rest  
For that him thought was for the best   

I not of thylk ensample yet  
Acordeth with a man's wit  
To suffer as Socrates' deed  
And if it fall in any seed  
A man to ●ese so his gall  
Him aught among the women all  
In loves court by judgement  
The name bear of patient  
To give ensample to the good  
Of patience how that it stood  
That other men it might know   

And soon if thou at any throw  
Be tempted against patience  
Take heed upon this evidence  
It shall par was the less grieve   

My father so as I believe  
Of that shall be no manner need  
For I will take so good heed  
That ere I fall in such assay  
I think▪ esche we if that I may  
But if there be aught else more  
Whereof I might take lore  
I pray you so as I dare  
Now tell that I may beware  
Some other tale of this matter   

son it is ever good to lere  
Whereof thou might thy word restrain  
Ere that thou fall in any pain  
For who that no counseyl can hide  
He may not fail of woe beside  
Which shall befall or he it wy●●  
As I find in the books write   
hIc ponit Confessor Exemplum ꝙ de alterius lite intromittere cauen dum est/ Et narrat qualiter jupiter cum junone super quadam questi one litigabat/ videlicet utrum vir an mulier in amous concupiscencia feruencius ardebat super quo Tiresiam eorum judicem constituebant/ Et quia ille contra junonem in dicte litis causa sm̄agh diffinivit irata ipsorum amborum oculorum lumine claritatis absque remis sione privauit  

yEt came there never good of seryf  
To seche in all a man's life  
Though it begin on pure game  
Full oft it turneth in to grame  
And doth grievance on some side  
Whereof the great clerk Ovid  
After the law which was tho  
Of jupiter & of juno  
Maketh in his books mention  
How they fell at dissension  
In manner as it were a board  
As they bygonne for the word  
Among hem self in privity  
And that was upon this degree  
Which of the two more amorous is  
Or man or wife/ & upon this  
They might not accord in to one  
And took a judge thereupon  
Which cleped is Tyresyas  
And bade him dame in the caas  
And he without advisement  
Ayene juno gave judgement  
The goddess▪ upon this answer  
Was wroth & would not forbear  
Butler took a weigh for evermo  
The light from both his eyen two  
When jupiter this hurt hath seen  
Another benefete their again  
He gave & such a grace him doth  
That for he wist he said soothe  
A sooth sayer he was for ever  
But yet that other had liefer  
Have had the looking of his eye  
Than of his word the prophecy  
But how so that the sooth meant  
Strxfe was the cause of that he hent  
So great a pain bodily   

My sone be thou ware there by  
And hold thy ton● still close  
For who that hath his word dyscloos  
Or he wot what they mean  
He is full oft nyhe his tene  
And loseth full many time grace  
Where that he would his thank purchase  
And over this my son▪ dear  
Of other men if thou might here  
In privity what they have wrought  
Hold counsel & discover it nought  
For chest can no counseyl hele  
Or be it woe or be it weal  
And take a tale into thy mind  
The which of old ensample I find   
hIc ponit Confessor Exemplum centra illos qui in amoris causa al●●●●us consilium revelare presumunt Et narrat qualiter quedam avis tunc albissima nomine Coruus Consilium ●●mine sue Cornide Phoebo denudavit/ ●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 which maketh that days light/  
A love he had which tho height/  
Cornide which above 'em all  
He pleaseth but what shall befall  
Of love there is noman that knoweth  
But as fortune her haps throweth  
So it befell upon a chance  
A young knight to her acquaintance  
And had of her what he would  
But a falls bird which she hath hold  
And kept in chambre of pu●● youth  
D●scoueryth all that ever he couth  
The birds name was as though  
Coruus which was than also  
Well more white than any swan  
And he that shrew all that he can  
Of his lady to Phoebus said  
And for wrath his sword out braid  
The which Cornyde anon be slough  
But after him was woe enough  
And took full great repentance  
Whereof in token & in remembrance  
Of 'em which used wicked speech  
Upon this bird he took his wretch  
That there he was snow white tofore  
Ever afterward coal black therefore  
He was transformed as it showeth  
And many a man yet him beshreweth  
And clepe him in to this day  
A Raven yet by whom men may  
Take evidence when he crieth  
That some mishap it▪ signifieth  
Beware therefore & say the best  
If thou wilt be thyself in rest  
My good son as I the rede   
hIc loquitur super eodem Et narrat qualiter Laar Nimpha de eo qd jupiter juturnam adulteravit ●unoni iovis uxori secretnm revelavit Quapropter jupiter ira commotus lin gua Laaris prius abscisa ipsam post●a in profundum Acherontis exulem ꝓ perpetuo man●pauit  

For in another place I read  
Of thylk Nymph which Laar height  
For she the privity by night  
How jupiter lay by juturne  
Hath told/ god made ●yr overturn  
Her tongue he cut & her in to hell  
For ever he send there for to duelle  
As she that was not worthy here  
To been of love a● Chamberere  
For she no counseyl couth hele  
And such a days be now feel  
In loves court as it is said  
That let her tongues gone untied  
My sone be thou none of though  
To liangle & tell tales so  
And namely that thou ne chide  
For chest can no counseyl hide  
For wrath said never weal  
My father sooth is every deal  
That ye me teach & I will hold  
The rule which I am hold  
To▪ flee the chest as ye me bid  
For well is him that never chid  
Now tell me forth if there be more  
As touching unto wraths 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 juris adire scivit/  
Hic tractat Confessor de tercia specie ire que odium dicitur cuius natura om̄s ire inimicicias ad mentem reducens illas usque ad tempus vindict velut scriba demonis in cordis pappiro commemorandas inserit  

oF wrath yet there is another  
Which is to chest his own brother/  
And is by name cleped hate/  
That suffceth not within his gate/  
That there came other love or pes  
For he will make no reles  
Of no debate which is befall  
Now speak if thou art one of all  
That with the vice hast be withhold  
And ●yet for aught that ye me told   

My father I not what it is  
In good faith son I too we yis  
My father nay but ye me leave  
Now lest my son & thou shalt here   

Ha●● is a wrath not shewend  
But of loug time gaderend  
And dueleth in the heart looken  
Till he see time to be wroken  
And than he showeth his tempest  
More sudden than the wild best  
Which wot no thing what mercy is  
My sone art thou known of this  
My good fadee as I ween  
Now wot I sonidele what ye mean  
But I dare saufly make an oath  
My lady was me never loath  
I will not swear nevertheless  
That I of hate am guiltless  
For when I to my lady ply  
from day to day & mercy cry  
And she no mercy on me layeth  
But shrote words to me saith  
Though I my lady love algate  
though words moat I needs hate  
And would they were all dyspent  
Or so far out of land went  
That I hereafter should hem not here  
And yet love I my lady dear  
Thus is there hate as ye may see  
between my lady word & me  
The word I hate & her I love  
What so shall me betide of love  
But furthermore I will me shrive  
That I have hated all my live  
These janglers which of her envy  
Ben ever ready for to lie  
For with her false compassement  
Full often they have made me shent  
And hindered me full offtime  
When they no cause wist ●yme  
But onlyche of her own thought  
And thus full oft have I bought  
The lie & drank not of the win  
I would her hap were such as mine  
For how so that I be now shrive  
Them ne may I not foryeve  
Till that I see them at debate  
With love & than mine estate  
They mighten by her own dame  
And look how well it should hem queme  
To hinder a man that loveth sore  
And thus I hate 'em evermore  
Tyf love on hem will do his wretch  
For that I shall al●●cy beseech  
Unto the mighty cupido  
That he so moche would do  
So as he is of love a god  
To smy●● with the same rod  
With which I am of love smitten  
So that they might know & wyten  
How hindering is a woeful pain  
To him that love would at●●yn●  
Thus ever on 'em I wait & hope  
Till I may seen 'em leap a lope  
And halten on the same sore  
Which I do now for evermore  
I would than do my might  
So for to stonden in her light  
That they ne sholden have away  
To that they wolden put away▪  
I would hem put out of the st●de  
from love right as they me deed  
With that they spoke of me by mouth  
So would I do if that I ●●uth  
Of hem & this so god me save  
Is all the hate that I have  
Toward the janglers every deal  
I would all other fir weal  
Thus have I father said my will  
Say forth now for I am still   

My sone of that thou hast me said  
I hold me nought fully paid  
That thou wilt hat●n any man  
To that accordene I ne can  
Though he have hindered tofore  
But this I tell the therefore  
Thou might upon my benison  
Well haten the condition  
Of the janglers as thou me toldest  
But furthermore if that thou wouldest  
Hempskirk hinder in any other wise  
Such ha●● is ever to despise  
For thy my son I would the rede  
That thou draw in by frendelyhede  
That thou ne might not do by hate  
So might thou get love algate  
And set the my son in rest  
For thou shalt find it for the best  
And over this so as I dare  
I ●●d● that thou be right ware  
Of other men's ha●● about  
Which every wise man should doubt  
For hate is ever upon a wait  
And as the fisher on his bait  
Sleeth when he seeth the fishes fast●  
So when he seeth time at the last  
That he may work an other woe  
Shall no man torn him there fro  
That hate nyl his felony  
fulfil & feign company  
Yet nevertheless for fal● semblant  
Is toward him of covenant  
withhold so that under both  
The privy wrath can him cloth  
That he shall seem a great believe  
But ware the well that thou ne love  
Al that thou seest afore thine eye  
So as the Gregoys whilom sigh  
The book of Troy who so ●●de  
There may he fyude ensample in deed   
hIc ponit Confesso: exemplum ●ō troth 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 Troy a quibus dam suis Emulis proditory interfectus fuisset/ pater que suus Rex Namplus in patria sua tun● existens huiusmodi eventus certitudinem sci●usset grecoes in sui cordis odium super omnia r●●●llegit/ unde contigit ꝙ cum greci devicta Troia per altum mare versus Greciam navigio remeantes obscurissimo noctis tempore nimia ventorum tempestate iac tabantur Rex Namplus in terra sua contra litus maris ubi m●ioca saxorū●minebant pericula super cacumina moncium grandissimos noctanter fecit ignes/ quos greci aspicientes saluum po● tum ibidem invenire certissime putabant Et terram approxim●ntes diru●●is navibus magna pars grecorum 〈◊〉 riclitabatur  

soon after the destruction  
When troy was all beat down  
And slain was ●amus the king  
The gregoys which of all this thing  
Ben cause tornen home again  
There may no man his hop wythseyn  
It hath been seen & felt full oft  
The hard time after the soft  
By see forth as they homeward went  
A rage of great tempest hem hent  
juno let bend her party bow  
The s●y was derk the wind 'gan blow  
The fiery welkin began to thunder  
As though the world should all a sunder  
From heaven out of the water gates  
The reyny storm fell down algates  
And all her tacle made unwieldy  
That noman might himself byheld●  
There may men here shipmen cry  
That stood in aunter for to die  
He that behind sat to steer  
May not the for stern here  
The ship arose again the wawes  
The lodesman hath lost his laws  
The see on beat on every side  
They nysten what fortune abide  
But setten 'em all at gods will  
Where he would hem self save or spill  
And thylk time fell thus  
There was a king which Namplus  
Was hot & he a sone had  
At Troy which the gregoys ●ad  
As he that was made prince of all  
Till that fortune let him fall  
His name was palamydes  
But thorough an hate nevertheless  
Of some of 'em his death was cast  
And he by treason over cast  
His fadee when he herd it tell  
He swore if ever his time fell  
He would him venge if that he might  
And thereto his avow he height  
And thus this king through privy  
hate/ Abode upon a wait algate  
For he was not of such emprise  
To avengyn him in open wise  
The fame which goth wide where  
Maketh know how that the gregois were  
Home with all her fellowship  
from Troy upon the see by ship  
Namplus when he this understood  
And knew the tides of the flood  
And saw the wind blow to the land  
A great deceit anon he fond  
Of privy hate as thou shalt here  
Whereof I tell all this matter  
This king the weather he 'gan behold  
And wist well that they moten hold  
Her course endelong the march right  
And made upon the derk night  
Of great shydes & of blokkes  
Gre●● fire again the great rokkes  
To show upon the hills high  
So that the fleet of grece it sigh  
So it fell right as he thought  
This fleet which an haven sought  
Thomas bright fires saw a far  
And they hem drawn ner & nerre  
And wist well & understood  
How all that fire was made for good  
To show where men should aryue  
And thitherward they hasten belive  
And in semblant as men say is guile  
And that was proved thylk while  
The ship which wend himself accroche  
Droof all to pieces on the roche  
And so deden ten or twelve  
There might no man help himself  
For there they wenden death escape  
Withouten help her death was shape  
Thus they that comen first tofore  
Upon the Rokkes been forlore  
But through noise & their cry  
The other were all ware thereby  
And when they began to row  
though might they the soothe kuowe  
That where they wend friends find  
They fond friendship all behind  
The land was than soon weyved  
Where that they hadden be de●eyued  
And took 'em to the high see  
Thereto they saiden all ye  
Fro that day forth where they were  
Of that they have assayed there   

My sone whereof thou might advise  
How fraud stant in many wise  
Among 'em that guile think  
There is no s●ryueyne with his ink  
Which half the fraud write can  
That stant in such a manner man  
For thy the wise men ne demen  
That things after that they semen  
But after that they know & find  
The mirror showeth in his kind  
As hath all the word withynne  
And is in sooth no thing withynne  
And so fareth hate for a throw  
Till a man hath overthrow  
Shall no man know by his cheer  
Which is avaunt & which is ar●re  
For thy my son think on this    

Confessor  

My father so I will iwis  
And if there more of wrath be  
Now ask for charity  
As y● by your books know  
And I the sooth shall be know   
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 utique 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 spm in naribus gestando ad omnes ire meciones in vindicta parata pacienciam nullatenus observat  

mY sone thou shalt understand  
That yet to ward wrath stand  
Of deadly vices other two  
And for to tell her names so  
It is conte●● & homicide  
That be together on every side  
Contake so as the books say  
Foolhast hath to his chamberlain  
whose counseyl all unadvised  
Is patience most despised  
Till homicide with him meet  
Fro mercy they be all unmeet  
And thus be they the worst of all  
Of 'em which unto wrath fall  
In deed both & eke in thought  
For they acompten their wrath nought  
But if there be shedding of blood  
And thus lyche a best wooed  
They known not the good of life  
Be so they have other sword or knife  
Her deadly wrath for to wreak  
Of pity list 'em not to speak  
None other reason they ne song  
But that they have mygh●●o strong  
But ware him well in other place  
Where every man behoveth grace  
But there I trow it shall him fail  
To whom no mercy might avail  
But wron ●hten upon Tyranny  
That no pity might 'em ply   

Now tell my son/ my father what  
If thou hast be culpable of that   

My father nay christ me forbid  
I speak only for the deed  
Of which I was never culpable  
With no cause reasonable  
But this is not to my matter  
Of shrift why we sitten here  
For we be set to shrive of love  
As we begun first above  
And nevertheless I am beknow  
That as touchend of loves throw  
When my wits over wend  
Mine hearts contek hath none end  
But ever stant upon debate  
To great disease of mine estate  
As for the time that it lasteth  
For when my fortune overcasteth  
Her wheel & is to me so strange  
And I see she will not change  
Than cast I all the world about  
And think how I at home in doubt  
Have all my time in vain fpended  
And see not how to be amended  
But rather for to be impaired  
As he that is well nyhe despeyred  
For I ne may no thank deserve  
And ever I love & ever I serve  
And ever I am a lyche near  
Thus for I stand in such a were  
I am as who saith out of her  
And thus upon myself I were  
I bring & put out all peace  
That I fulofte in such a rees  
Am weary of mine own life  
So that of contek & of strife  
I am byknowe & have answered  
As ye my father now have herd  
Mine heart is wonderly begun  
Which counseyl whereof wythe is one  
Which hath reason in company  
I again which stand party  
will which hath hope at accord  
And thus these bringen up discord  
Wit & reason counseylen oft  
That mine heart should soft  
And that I should well renew  
And put out of retinue  
Or ●lles hold him under foot  
For as they say if that he moat  
His own rule have upon hand  
There shall no wit be understand  
Of hope & so they tell this  
That over all where that he is  
He set the heart in champarty  
With wishing & with fantasy  
And is not tr●we of that he saith  
So that in him there is no faith  
Thus with reason & wit advised  
Is wit & hope all day despised  
Reason saith that I should leave  
To love where there is no leave  
To speed & will saith ageyn  
That such an heart is to vyleyn  
Which dare not leave till that he speed  
Lat hope serve at such a need  
He saith eke where an heart sit  
All governed after wit  
He hath his lives lust for lore  
And thus mine heart is all to ●●re  
Of such a con●●ck as they make  
But yet I may not well forsake  
That he nies master of my thought  
Or that I speed or speak nought  
Thou dost my son against the right  
But love is of so great might  
His law may no man refuse  
So might thou the better excuse  
And nevertheless thou shalt be learned  
That will should be governed  
Of reason more than of kind  
Whereof a tale write I find   
hIc ponit Consessoz Exemplum qd oins Impetuosa voluntas sit discrecionis moderamine gubernanda/ Et narrat quartter Dyogenes qui motus sui ammiracione subiugaverat Regem alexandrum sub isto facto sibi opponente plenins informavit  

a Philosopher whilom men told  
That whilom by days old  
And Dyogenes than he height  
So old he was that he ne might  
The worlds travail & for the best  
He shope for to take his rest  
And duellyth at home in such a wise  
That nyhe his house he let devise  
Endelong up an extre  
To set a Ton in such degree  
He it might torn about  
Whereof an end was taken out  
For therein sit he should  
And torn himself as he would  
And take the eyer & see the heaven  
And dame of the planets seven  
As he which couth moche what  
And thus full oft there he sat  
To muse in his philosophy  
Sool without company  
So that upon a morrow tide  
A thing which should so betide  
When he was set where him list  
To look upon the son upryst  
Whereof the propyrtees he sigh  
It fell there came riding nigh  
King Alysander with a rout  
And as he cast his eye about  
He saw this Ton & what it meant  
He would wite & thither sent  
A knight by whom he might know  
And he himself that ilk throw  
Abode & hoveth there still  
This knight after the kings will  
With spore made his horse to gone  
And to the Ton he came anon  
Where that he fond a man of age  
And to him told the message  
such as the king him had bid  
And asketh within thylk stead  
The Ton stood & what it was  
And he which understood the cas  
Sat still & spoke no word again  
The knight bade speak & said villain  
Thou shalt me tell or that I go  
It is thy king which asketh so  
My king quoth he that were unright  
What is he than said the knight  
Is he thy man that say I nought  
Quoth he but as I am bethought  
My man's man how that he is  
Thou liest false chorl iwis  
The knight him said & was right wroth  
And to the king again he goth  
And told him how this man answered  
The king when he this tale herd  
Bad that they should all abide  
For he himself would thither ride  
And when he came to fore the Ton  
He hath this tale thus begun  
All heyl he saith what man art thou  
Quoth he such one as thou seest now  
The king which had words wise  
His age would not despise  
But saith father I the pray  
That thou wilt me the cause say  
How that I am thy man's man  
Sire king quoth he that I can  
If thou wilt/ yes saith the king  
Quod he this is the sooth thing  
sith I first reason understood  
And knew that was evil & good  
The will which of my body moveth  
whose works that the god reproveth  
I have restrained ever more  
As him that stant under the lore  
Of reason whose subject he is  
So that he may not do amiss  
And thus by weigh of covenant  
Will is my man & my servant  
And ever hath be & ever shall  
And will is thy principal  
And the lordship of thy wit  
So that thou couthest never yet  
Take a day rest of thy labour  
But for to be a Conqueror  
Of worlds good which may not last  
Thou highest ever a lyche fast  
Where thou no reason haste to win  
Thus thy will is cause of sin  
And is thy lord to whom thou servest  
Whereof thou little thank deservest  
The king of that he thus answered  
Was no thing wroth but when he herd  
The high words which he said  
With gooodly words thus he prayed  
That he him would tell his name  
I am quod be thylk same  
Which men Dyogenes call  
though was the king right glad with all  
For he had herd oft to fore  
What man he was so that therefore  
He said O wise Dyogene  
Now shall thy great wit be seen  
For thou shalt of my yefte have  
What worlds good that thou wilt crave  
Quod he than hove out of my son  
And let it shine in to my Ton  
For thou bynemest me thylk gift  
Which lieth not in thy might to shift  
None other good of the me needeth  
The king whom every country dreadeth   

Lo thus he was informed there  
Whereof my son thou might lere  
How that thy will shall not believed  
Where it is of no wit relieved  
And thou hast said thyself or this  
How there thy will thy master is  
thorough which thine hearts thought  
within/ Is ever of contak to begin  
So that it is greatly to dread  
That it no homicide breed  
For love is of a wonder kind  
And hath his wits oft blind  
That they fro man's reason fall  
But when that it is so befall  
That will shall the courage lead  
In loves cause it is to dread  
Whereof I find ensample write  
Which is behovely for to wite   
Ic in amoris causa ponit Confess sore 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 adventus sui promptam non invenit animo impetuoso se ip sum pre dolore extracto gladio mortaliter transfodit. qui postea infra breve tempus veniens cum ipsum sic mortuum invenisset eciam et illa in sui ipsius mortem impetuose festinans eiusdem gladio cuspide sui cordis intima per medium penetravit  

I Rede a tale & tell this  
The city which Semeramis  
Enclosed hath with wall about  
Of worthy folk with many a rout  
Was inbabyted here & there  
Among the which two there were  
above all other noble & great  
Duellyug though within a street  
So nigh/ to gedre as it was seen  
There was no thing hem between  
But wow to wow & wall to wall  
This one lord hath in special  
A sone a lusty bachelor  
In all the Town was none his pyer  
That other bad a daughter eke  
In all the Town that for to seek  
Men wisten none so fair as she  
And fell so that it should be  
This fair daughter nigh this sone  
As they together than won  
cupid hath so the things shape  
That they ne might the hand escape  
That his fire on hem ne cast  
And so it fell at the last  
To follow his lore & sew  
Which never man might eschew  
And that was love as it is shaped  
Which hath her hearts overthraped  
That they by all ways seek  
How that they might win a speech  
Her woeful pain for to lysse  
Who loveth well it may not miss  
And namely when there be two  
Of one accord how so it go  
But if that they some weigh find  
For love is ever of such a kind  
And hath his folk so well affayted  
That how so that it be awaited  
There may no man the purpoos let  
And thus between 'em two set  
An hole upon the wall to make  
thorough which they have her counsel take  
/ At all time when they might  
This fair Maid Tysbe height  
And he whom she loved hot  
Was Pyramus by name hot  
So long her lesson they recorden  
Till at the last they accordene  
By nights time for to wend  
Alone out from the towns end  
Where was a well under a tree  
And who so came first be or she  
He should there still abide  
So it fell by nights tide  
This maid which disguised was  
All pryue●y the soft pace  
Goth thurugh the large town vnknow  
Till that she came within a throw  
Where that she liked for to duelle  
And thylk unhappy fresh well  
Which was also the forest nigh  
Where she ceming a lion sigh  
In the field to take his prey  
In haste & fleeth so away  
So as fortune should fall  
For fear & let her wympyl fall  
Nyhe to the well upon therbage  
This wild be'st in his rage  
A best which he found there out  
Hath slain & his bloody snout  
When he hath eaten what he would  
To drink of the streams cold  
Come unto the well where he fond  
The wympel which out of her hand  
Was fall & he hath to draw  
Be bled about & all for gnaw  
And he 'straught him for to drink  
Upon the fresh wells brink  
And after that out of the plain  
He turneth to the wood again  
And Tysbe durst not remove  
But as a bird which were in mewe  
Which in a bush she kept her close  
So still that she not arose  
Unto herself & plaineth ay  
And fell while that she there lay  
This Pyramus came after soon  
Unto the well & by the moan  
He fond her wympyl bloody there  
●am never yet to mannes ere  
Tiding ne to man's sight  
marvel which so sore a fright  
At man's heart as it though deed  
To him which in the same stead  
With many a woeful complaining  
began his hands for to wring  
As he which deemeth sickerly  
That she be deed and suddenly  
His sword all naked out he breyde  
In his fool haste & thus he saide  
I am cause of thy felony  
So it is reason that I die  
And she is deed by cause of me  
And with that word upon his knee  
He fell &/ to the gods all  
Unto the heaven he 'gan to call  
And prayed sin it was done so  
That he may not his love as tho  
Have in this world that of her grace  
He myght● her have in other place  
For here would he not abide  
He saith as it shall betide  
The pommel of his sword to ground  
He set & to his heart a wound  
He made up to the hard hylte  
And this wise he himself spylte  
With his fool haste & death he name  
For she within a while came  
Where he lay deed upon a knife  
So woeful yet was never life  
As Tysbe was when she him sigh  
She might not one word on high  
Speke for her heart shut  
That of her life no pries she set  
But deed swooning deed there she fell  
Till afterward it so byfel  
That she out of her trauns awoke  
With many a woeful piteous look  
Her eye alweye among ● she cast  
Upon her love & at the last  
She caught breath & said thus  
O thou which cleped art venus'  
Goddess of love & thou cupid  
Which loves cause haste for to guide  
I wot now well that ye be blind  
Of thylk unhap that now I find  
Only between my love & me  
This Pyramus which I here see  
Bledyng what hath he deserved  
For he thine hest hath kept & served  
And was young & I both also  
Alas why do ye with us so  
Yet set our hearts both on fire  
And made us such thing desire  
Whereof that we no skill couth  
But thus our fresh lusty youth  
Without joy is all dispended  
Which thing may never be amended  
For as for me this will I say  
That me is liefer for to die  
Then have after this sorrowful day  
And with this word there as he lay  
Her love in arms embraceth  
Her own death & she purchaseth  
That now she wept & now she kissed  
Till at the last or she it wist  
So great a sorrow is to her fall  
Which overgoth her wits all  
And she which might not asterte  
The swords point against her heart  
She set & fell down thereupon  
Whereof that she was deed anon  
And thus on a sword bledende  
They were found deed lyggende   

Now that my son haste herd this tale  
Beware of thine own bale  
Thou be not cause in thy foolhast  
And keep that thou thy wit ne cast  
Upon thy thought in adventure  
Whereof thy lives forfeiture  
May fall & if thou have so thought  
Tell thy tale & hide it nought   

My fad●e upon loves side  
My conscience I will not hide  
How that for love of pure woe  
I have full oft be moved so  
That my wishes if I might  
A thousand times I you plight  
I had starven in a day  
And thereof I me shrive may  
Though love fully me ne slow  
My will to die was enough  
So am I of my will culpable  
And if she be not merciable  
Which may me give life & he'll  
But that her list not with me deal  
I wot by whose counseyl it is  
And him would I long time or this  
And yet I would & ever shall  
Sleen & destroy in especial  
The gold of nine kings lands  
Ne should him save fro mine hands  
In my power if that he were  
But yet him stant at no fere  
For nought that ever I couth menace  
He is the hynderer of my grace  
Till he be deed I may not speed  
So moat I need taken heed  
And shape how that he were away  
If I thereto may find a weigh   

My sone tell me for thy  
Which is that mortal enemy  
That thou manacest to be deed  
My father it is such a quede  
That where I come he is tofore  
And doth so that my cause is lore  
What is his name he is danger  
Which is my lady counseyler  
For I was never yet so slyghe  
To come in a place nigh  
Where as she was by night or day  
That danger ne was ready ay  
With whom for speech ne for meed  
Yet might I never of love speed  
For ever this find I soothe  
All that my lady saith or doth  
To me danger shall make an end  
And that maketh all my world myswende  
And ever I ask help but he  
May be well cleped Sans pity  
For ay the more I to him bow  
The less he will my tale allow  
He hath my lady so englewed  
She will not that he be remewed  
For ever he hongeth on her seyl  
And is so privy of counseyl  
That ever when I have aught bede  
I find danger in her stead  
And mine answer of him I have  
But for no mercy that I crave  
Of mercy never a point I had  
And thus danger my fortune lad  
That worse might I never be  
And thus between danger & me  
I ever were till he die  
But might I be of such mastery  
That I danger might overcome  
With that were all my joy come  
Thus would I fond for no sin  
Ne yet for all the world to win  
If that I might find a sleight  
To lay all my state in weight  
I would him for the country desever  
So that he come again ward never  
Therefore I wish & would fain  
That he were on some wise slain  
For while he stant in thylk place  
Ne get I not my lady grace  
Thus hate I deadly thylk vyde  
And would he stood in none office  
In place where my lady is  
For if he do I will well this  
That other he shall die or I  
Within a while & not for thy  
On my lady full of●e I muse  
How that she may herself exa●se  
For if that I die in such ● plight  
Me thinketh she might not be quit  
That she ne were an homicide  
And if it should so betide  
As god forbid it should be  
By double weigh it is pity  
For I with all my will & wit  
Have give & ever served yet  
For when I should in such a wise  
In towarding of my service  
Be deed me thinketh it were ruth  
And furthermore I tell the truth  
She that ever hath be well named  
Were worthy than to be blamed  
And of reason to be appealed  
When with one word she might an healed  
A man & suffereth him for to die  
A who saw ever such a weigh  
A who saw ever such a distress  
Without pity or gentleness  
Without mercy or womanhede  
That will so quite a man his meed  
Which hath ever be to love true   

My good father if ye ●●we  
Upon my tale tell me now  
And I will stint & herkne you   

My sone attempre thy courage  
Fro wrath & let thine heart assuage  
For who so will him underfonge  
He may his grace abide long  
Or he of love be received  
And eke also but if it be waived  
There might mochel thing byfalle  
That should make a man to fall  
from love that ever afterward  
Ne durst he soak thitherward  
In hard ways men gone soft  
And ere they climb advise them oft  
And men seen all day that rape rueth  
And who so wicked ale breweth  
Full oft he moat the wrose drink  
better it is to fled than sink  
Better it is upon the bridal chew  
Than if he fell & overthrew  
The horse & stykked in the mire  
To cast water in the fire  
Better is than burn up all the house  
The man which is malicious  
And foolhasty full oft he falleth  
And selden is when love him calleth  
For thy better is to suffer a throw  
Than to be wild & over throw  
suffrance hath ever be the best  
To wysen him that secheth rest  
And thus if thou wilt love speed  
My sone suffer as I the rede  
What may the mous again the ca●  
And for thylk cause I ask that  
Who may to love make a were  
That he ne hath himself the were  
Love asketh pe●s & ever shall  
And who that fighteth most of all  
Shall jest conquer of his emprise  
For this they tell that been wise  
wick is to seryve & have the wrose  
To hasten/ is nought/ worth a kerse  
Thing that a man may not achieve  
That may not well be done at eve  
It moat abide till the morrow  
Ne hast not thine own sorrow we  
My sone & take this in thy wit  
He hath not lost that well abitte  
Ensample that it falleth thus  
Thou might well take of Piramu●  
When he in hast his sword out drough  
And on the point himself slough  
For love of Tysbe piteously  
For he high wimple fond bloody  
And wend a beast had her slain  
Where as him ought be right fain  
For she was safe right beside  
But for he would not abide  
This mischief fell for thy be ware  
My sone as I the warn dare  
Do now no thing in such a rees  
For sufferance is the well of peace  
Though thou to loves court pursue  
Yet sit it well that thou esche we  
That thou the court not ouerhas●  
For so thou might thy time waste  
But if thine hap thereto shape  
It may not help for to rape  
Therefore attempt thy courage  
Foolhast doth none advantage  
But if it set a man behind  
In cause of love & that I find  
By old ensamples thou shalt here  
Touchend of love 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 qmndam 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 Phoebus a● dencior in amorem daphnem per●ecutus est quanto magis frigidior phe By concupiscenciam dedignabatur  

aMayden whysom there was one  
Which daphne height & such was none.  
Of beauty than as it was said/  
Phebus hio love hath on her laid  
And thereupon to her he sought  
In his foolhast & so besought  
That she with him no rest had  
For ever upon her love he grad  
And she said ever unto him nay  
So it befell upon a day  
cupid which hath every chance  
Of love under his governance  
Saw phoebus hasten him so sore  
And for him should haste the more  
And yet not spoden at the last  
A dart thorough out his heart he cast  
Which was of gold & all a fire  
That made him many fold desire  
Of love more than he deed  
To Daphne eke in the same stead  
A dart of lead he cast & smote  
Which was all cold & no thing hot  
And thus Phoebus in lou● brenneth  
And in haste about runneth  
To book if that be might win  
Thus was he ever to begin  
For ever a weigh f●o him she fl●d  
So that he never his love sped  
And for to make him full believe  
That no foolhase might achieve  
To get love in such degree  
This Daphne in to a laurel tree  
Was torued which is ever green  
In tokne as yet it may be seen  
That she shall duelle a maiden still  
And phoebus failen of his will   

By such eusamples as they stand  
My sone thou might understand  
To basten love is thing in veyn  
When that fortune is there again  
To take where a man may leave  
Good is & else he moat leave  
For when a man's haps failen  
There is no haste may avaylen   

My father grant mercy of this  
But while I see my lady is  
No tree but hold her own form  
There may no man so on form  
To w●edyr part fortune wend  
That I unto my lives end  
●e would her serve evermo   

My sone sith it is so  
I/ say no more but in this ●●s  
Beware how it with Phoebus was  
Nought only upon loves chance  
But upon every governance  
Which falleth unto man's deed  
Foolhast is ever for to dread  
And that a man good counseyl take  
E● he his purpose undertake  
For counseyl put foolhast away   

Now good father jyowprey  
That for to wysse the more  
Some good ensample upon this lore  
Ye would me tell of that is write  
That I the better might wite  
How I foolhast sho●d esche we  
And the wisdom of counseyl sew   

My sone that thou might inform  
Thy pacy●nce upon the form  
Of old ensamples as they fell  
Now understand what I shall tell   
●Ic ponit Confessor Exemplum contra istos qui nimio furo● attensi vindictam ●re sue ultra quam decet construe 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 congregatorun arunde pugnat●rum ●●eratu regiones suas non solum vastare incendio sed & om̄s in e●sdem habitantes a minimo usque 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 Troy was byleyn  
And overcome & home again  
The gregoys turned from the siege  
The kings fond her own lyege  
In many places as men saide  
That hem forsook & dysobeyde  
Among the which fell this cas  
To Demephon & Athemas  
That were kings both two  
And both were served so  
Here syeges would not hem receive  
So that they more algates weyve  
To seche land in other place  
For there fond they no grace  
Whereof they token 'em to read  
And soughton friends at need  
And each of hem assureth other  
To help as to his own brother  
To vengen hem of thylk outrage  
And win oyene her heritage  
And thus they ride about fast  
To getten 'em help & at the last  
They hadden power suffisant  
And maden than a covenant  
That they should no life save  
Ne priest ne clerk ne lord ne knave  
Ne wife ne child of/ that they find  
Which beareth visage of mankind  
So that no life shall be succoured  
But with the deadly sword devoured  
In such a foolhast here ordinance  
They shape for to do vengeance  
When this purpose was wist & know  
Among their host though was their blow  
Of words many a speech about  
Of young men the lusty rout  
Were of this tale glad enough  
There was no care for the plough  
As they that were foolhastyf  
They been acorded to the seryf  
And say it may not be to great  
To vengen hem of such forfeit  
Thus saith the unwise wild tongue  
Of 'em that there were young  
But Nes●or which was old & door  
The salve saw to fore the sore  
As he that was of counseyl wise  
So that anon by his advise  
There was a privy counseyl no●e  
The lords be together come  
This Demephon & Anthemas  
Her purposes tolden as it was  
They seten all still & herd  
Was none but Nestor answered  
He bad hem if they would win  
They sholden see or they begin  
Here end & set her first intent  
That they hem after ne repent  
And asketh 'em this question  
To what final conclusion  
They wolden ●egne kings there  
If that no people in ●onde were  
And saith it were a wonder wyerd  
To seen a king becomen an hyerd  
Where no life is but only best  
●onder the legiance of his hest  
For who that is of man no king  
The remenawt is as no thing  
He saith eke if he the purpoos hold  
To slay the people as they two would  
When they it might not restore  
All grece it should abye full sore  
To see the wild lestes won  
Where whilom dwelled a man's soon  
And for that cause he had 'em treat  
And stint of the menaces great  
Better is to win by fair speech  
He saith than such a vengeance seek  
For when a man is most above  
Him needeth most to get him love   

When Nestor hath this toll said  
Arene him was no word withsaid  
It thought 'em all he said well  
And thus fortune her deadly wheel  
For were turneth in to peace  
But forth they wenten nevertheless  
But when the countries herd sayne  
And how here kings be beseyn  
Of such a power as they lad  
Was none so told that him nedrad  
And for to seche peace & ●ryth  
They send & prayed forthwith  
So that the kings been affesed  
And every man's heart is esed  
Al was foryete & not recorded  
And thus they ●en together acorded  
The kings were again received  
And peace was take & wrath waived  
And all thorough counseyl which was good/  
Of him that reason understood   

By this ensample soon attempre  
Thine heart & let no will dystempre  
Thy wytee & do no thing by might  
Which may be do by love & right  
Foolhast is cause of much woe  
For thy my son do not so  
And as touchend of Homycyde  
Which toucheth unto loves side  
Fulofte it falleth unadvised  
through will which is not well assised  
When wit & reason been away  
And that foolhast is in the weigh  
Whereof hath fall great vengeance  
For thy take in to remembrance  
To love in such a manner wise  
That thou dese●●e no juice  
For well I wot thou might not let  
That thou ne shalt thine heart set  
To love where thou wilt or none  
But if thy wit be overgone  
So that it torn in to malice  
There wot noman of thylk vice  
What perylle that there may befall  
Whereof a tale amongs all  
Which is great pity for to here  
I think for to tell here  
That thou such mordre might withs●●d  
When thou the tale hast understand   
Hic ponit Confessor Exemplum contra illos ob sue concupiscency desid●rium homicide efficiuntur Et narrat qualiter Climeston ●xor Regis Agamenonis cum ipse a bello Troiano domi redisset consi●io Egisti quem adulte●● peramavit sponsum suum in cubili dormientem sub noctis silencio tru●dabat. cuius mortem filius eius Horestes ●un●●nioris etatis postea dijs admonitus crudelissi ma severitate vindicavit  

OF roTyr at thylk noble town  
whose fame stant yet of renown  
And ever shall to man's ere  
The siege last long there  
Ere that the greeks it might win  
While P●●amus Was king withynne  
But of the greeks that lain about  
Agamenon lad all the rout  
This thing is known overall  
But yet A think in special  
To tell my matter thereupon  
An what wise Agamenon  
thorough chance which may not be  
werued. Of love untrue was deceived  
An old saw is who that is syhe  
An place where he may be nigh  
He maketh the far leef loath  
Of love & thus fulofte it goth▪  
There while Agamenon bataylleth  
To win Troy & it assaileth  
From home & was long time there  
Egysius drough his queen near  
And with the leisure which he had  
This lady at his will he lad  
Clymestre was her right name  
She was thereof greatly to blame  
To love there it may not last  
But fell to mischief at the last  
For when this worthy noble knight  
Fro Troy came the first night  
That he at home a bed lay  
Aegisthus long or it was day  
And this Clymestre had him assent  
And weren both of one assent  
By treason slough him in his bed  
But mordre which may not been head  
Sprung out to every man's ere  
Whereof the land was full of fere   

Agamenon hath by this queen  
A son/ & that was after seve  
But yet as than he was of youth  
A babe which no reason couth  
And as god would it fell him thus  
A worthy knight Taltabeus  
This young child had in keeping  
And when he herd of this tiding  
Of this treason of this misdeed  
He 'gan within himself to dread  
An aunter if this falls Egiste  
●pon him come or he it wist  
To take mordre of this malice  
This child which he hath to nurse  
And for that cause in all haste  
Out of the land he 'gan him haste  
And to the king of grece he goth strauȝt  
And him this young lord betaught  
And prayed him for his father sake  
That he this child would undertake  
And keep him till he be of age  
So as he was of his lineage▪  
And told him overall the cas  
How that his father murdered was  
And how egistus as men saide  
Was king to whom the land obeyed  
And when Adonemeus the king  
Hath understanding of this thing  
Which that this knight him had told  
He made sorrow manifold  
And took the child unto his ward  
And said he would him keep & ward  
Till that he were of such a might  
To handle a sword & be a knight  
To wngen him at his own will  
And thus Horestes dueleth still  
Snche was the child's right name  
Which after wrought n●ochel shame  
An ●●nĝeaunce of his father death  
The time of yerrs over ge  
That he was man of breed & length  
Of wit of manhood & of strength  
A fair person amongs all  
And he 'gan to clepe & call  
As he which come was to man  
Unto the king of grece than  
Prayend that he would him make  
A knight & power with him take  
For longer would he not believe  
He saith but prayeth the king of leave  
To gone & cleyme his heritage  
And venge him of thylk outrage  
Which was unto his father do  
The king assenteth well thereto  
With great honour & knight him maketh/  
And great power with him betaketh/  
And 'gan his journey for to case  
So that Horestes at the last  
His love he taketh & forth he goth  
As he that was in heart wroth  
His first plaint to be mean  
Unto the city of Athene  
He goth him forth & was received  
So there he was nought deceived  
The dust & ●tho that were wise  
They proferen 'em to his service  
And he them thanketh of their proffer  
And said himself he will gone offer  
Unto the gods for his speed  
And all men give him read  
So goth he unto the Temple forth  
Of yefts that be much worth  
His sacrifice & his offering  
He made & after his asking  
He was answered if that he would  
His estate than recover he sh●ld  
Upon his mother do vengeance  
So crue● that the remembrance  
Thereof might ever abide  
As she that ●as an Homycyde  
And of her o●ne lord Mordryce  
Horestes which of thylk office  
Was no thing glad as than ho prayed  
Unto the gods there & said  
That they the augment devise  
How she shall take the juyse  
And thereupon he had answer  
That he her paps should of t●re  
Out of her breast his own hands  
And for ensample of all lands  
With horse she should be to draw  
Till honndes had her bones gnaw  
Without any sepulture  
This was a woeful adventure  
And when Horestes hath all herd  
How that the gods have answered  
Forth with the strength which he lad  
The dust & his power he had  
And to a city forth they gone  
The which was cheped Cropheone  
Where as Phoieu● was lord & sire  
Which proffereth him withouten hire  
His help & all that he may do  
As he that was right glad thereto  
To grieve his mortal enemy  
And told him certain cause why  
How that Egyste in marriage  
His daughter whilom of full age  
Forlay & afterward forsook  
When he Horestes mother took   

Men say old sin new shame  
Thus more & more ●●rose the blame  
Ayene Egyst on every side  
Horestes with his host to ride  
began & Phoieus with him went  
Atro we Egyste shall him repent  
They riden forth unto Mycenae  
There lay Clymestre thylk queen  
The which Horestes mother is  
And when she herd tell of this  
The gates were fast shut  
And they were of her● entry let  
Anon this city was without  
Beleyn & besieged all about  
And ever it among assail  
from day to night & so travail  
Till at last they it won  
though was there enough begun  
Horestes did his mother call  
Anon tofore the lords all  
And eke to fore the people also  
To her & told his tale tho  
And said O cruel best unkind  
How mightest thou thine heart find  
For any lust of loves draft  
That thou acordest to the slaught  
Of him which was thine own lord  
Thy treason stant of such record  
Thou might thy works not forsake  
So moat I for my f●dre sake  
Vengeance upon thy body do  
As I commanded am thereto  
unkindly for thou hast wrought  
Vnkyndelyche it shall be bought  
The sone shall the mother sl●e●  
For that whilom thou saidest ye  
That thou shouldest nay have said  
And he with that high hondel hath laid  
Upon his mode●● breast anon  
And rend out from the bar● bone  
Her paps both & cast a way  
A mids in the cart way  
And after took the deed corpse  
And le●● it be draw away with horse  
Unto the hound & to the Raven  
She was none otherwise grnuen   

Aegisthus which was else where  
tidings come to his ere  
How that Mycenes was byleyn  
But what was more herd he not sayne  
With great menace & much boast  
He drough power & made an host  
And came in the ●●scous of the town  
But all the sleight of this treason  
Hoo●stes wist it by a spyr  
And of his men a gtr●● party  
He made abusshement abide  
To weighed on him in such a tide  
That he might her hand escape  
And in this wise as he hath shape  
The thing byfel so that Egyste  
Was take or he himself it wist  
And was forth brought his hands bond  
And when men have a traitor found  
And though that were with him take  
Which of reason were overtake  
together in one sentence fall  
But fale Egyst above be in all  
Was deemed in divers pain  
The wert that men couth ●●deyn●  
And so after by the law  
He was unto the gybet draw  
Where he above all other hongeth  
As to a traitor it belongeth   

The fame of her s●●yft wings  
About fleeth & bare tidings  
And made it couth in all lands  
How that Horestes with his hands  
Clymest●● his own mother s●●ugh  
Some sayn he deed well ●nough  
And somme seen he died amiss yvers opinion there is  
That she is deed they spesten all  
But plainly how it is befall  
The matter in so little throw  
An soothe there might noman know  
But they that weren at the deed  
And comonlyche at every need  
The worst speech is rathest herd  
And lived till it be answered  
The kings & the lords great  
Begun Horestes for to thre●●  
To putten him out of his regne  
He is not worthy for to regne  
The child which slough his mother so  
They said & thereupon also  
The lords of common assent  
The time set of parliament  
And to athens king & lord  
To geder●come of one accord  
To know how the sooth was  
So that Horestes in this cas  
They senden after & they come  
King Men ●lay the words nome  
And asketh him of this matter  
And he that all it might here  
answered & told his tale at large  
And how the gods in his charge  
Commanded him in such a wise  
His own hand to do juice  
With this tale a Duke arose  
Which was a worthy knight of lose  
His name was Menesteus  
And said unto the lords thus  
The wretch which Horestes deed  
At was thing of the god's ●ed●  
And no thing of his ocuelte  
And if there were of any degree  
An all this pla●● such a knight  
That will say it was no right  
I will it with my body prove  
And thereupon he cast his glove  
And eke this noble duke Alleyde  
Full many another skill he saide  
She had well deserved wretch  
first for the cause of spouse breach  
And after wrought in such a wise  
That all the world it ought agryse  
When that she for so foul a vice  
Was of her own lord Mordryce  
They sitten all still & heard  
But thereto was noman answered  
At aught hem all he said skill  
There is noman wythsey it will  
When they upon the reason musen  
Horestes all they ●●cusen  
So that with great solemnity  
He was unto his dygnyde  
received & coroned king  
And though befell a wonder thing  
Egyona when she it wist  
Which was the daughter of Egyst  
And sister on the mother side  
To this Horeste at thylan tied  
When she herd ho whis brother sped  
For pure sorrow which her led  
That he had len exiled  
She bathe her own life beguiled  
Anon & hinge her self though  
At hath & shall be evermo  
To mordre who that will assent  
He may not fail to repent  
This falls Egyona was one  
Which to mordre Agamenone  
gave her accord & her assent  
So that by god's augment  
Though none other man it would  
She took her juice as she should  
And as she to another wrought  
Vengeance upon herself she thought  
And hath of her unhappy wit  
A mordre with a mordre quit  
such is of mordre the vengeance   

For thy my son in remembrance  
Of this ensample take good frede  
For who that thinketh his love speed  
With mordre he shall with worlds shame/  
Himself & eke his love shame   

My father of this adventure  
Which ye have told A you assure  
Mine herti● sorry for to here  
But only for A Bold here  
What is to done & what to leave   

And over this by your leave  
That ye me would tell A pr●y  
Of there be leeful any weigh  
Without sin a man to slay   

My sone in sundry wise ye  
What man that is of Traytorye  
Of mordre or elles robbery  
attaint the judge shall not bet  
But he shall sleen of pure def  
And doth great syune if that he wound  
For who that law hath upon hand  
And spareth for to do justice  
For mercy doth not his office  
That he his mercy so be waxeth  
When for one shrew which he spareth  
A thousand good men he grieveth  
Which such mercy as who that believeth  
To please god he is deceived  
Or else more reason be waived  
The law stood or we were bore  
How that a kings sword is boar  
An sign that he shall defend  
His people & make an end  
Of such as wolden hem devour  
Lo thus my son to succour  
The law & common right to win  
A man may she without sin  
And thereof a great alms  
So for to keep right wysevesse  
And over this for this country  
An time of were a man is fee  
Himself his ●ous & eke his land  
Defend with his own hand  
And slain if that he may no bet  
After the law which is set   

Now father than A you beseech  
Of 'em that deadly wars seche  
An worlds cause & shed●n lobod  
Of such an homicide is good    

Confessor  

My sone upon thy question  
The truth of mine opinion  
Ale farforth as my wit arecheth  
And as the plain law teacheth  
A would the tell in evidence  
To reule with thy conscience  
Quoth create iyse deus n●eat hoc homicida creatum/  
●ltor & humano sanguine s● git humum/  
Vt pecoris sic est hominis cruor heu hom fusus/  
Victa jacet pietas & furo● urget opus/  
Angelus in term pax dixit & ultima Cristi.  
Verba so nent pacem quam m● guerra fugat   
Hic sequitur contra ●●oto●●s guerre que non solum homicidij sed vniuer se mnndi desolacionis matter existit  

tHe high god of his justice  
That ilk foul horrible vice  
Of Homycyde he hath forbid  
By Moses as it was bid  
When goddess son also was boar  
He sent his angel down therefore  
Whom the shepherds herd sing  
●●es to the men of well-willing  
In earth among us here  
So for to speak in this matter  
After the law of charity  
There shall no daily were be  
And eke nature it hath defended  
And in her law peace commended  
Which is the chief of man's wealth  
Of man's life of man's health  
But deadly were hath this covin  
Of pestilence & of famine  
Of poverty & of all woe  
Whereof this world we blamen so  
Which now the were hath underfoot  
Till god himself thereof do boat  
For all thing which god hath wrought  
In earth were it bringeth to nought  
The church is brent the priest is slain  
The wife the maid is the forlayn  
The law is lord & god unserved  
I not what meed he hath deserved  
That such wars leadeth Inn  
If that he do it for to win  
first to account his great cost  
Forth with the folk that he hath los●  
As to the worlds reckoning  
There shall he find no winning  
And if he do it to purchase  
The heaven meed of such a grace  
I can not speak nevertheless  
christ hath commanded love & pe●●  
And who that worcheth the reverses  
I trow his mood is full dyuers●  
And sithen▪ that▪ we find  
The wars in her own kind  
Ben toward god of no desert  
And eke they bringen in poverty  
Of worlds good it is marvel  
Among the men what it may eyle  
That they us a peace ne con set  
I trow sin be the let  
And every meed of sin is death  
So wot I never how it ge  
But we that be of one believe  
Among oure self this world I leave  
That better it were peace to cheese  
Than so by double weigh lose   

I not if that it now so stand  
But this a man may understand  
Who that these old looks readeth  
That one is covetise which leadeth  
And brought the first wars inn  
At grace if that I shall begin  
There was it proved how it stood  
To pierce which was full of good  
They maden were in especial  
An● so they dieden overall  
Where great richesse was in land  
So that they left no thing stand  
●n warred 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 wars made  
By cause it was barren & poor  
Whereof they might not recover  
And thus poverty was forbore  
He that nought had nought▪ hath lore  
But yet it is▪ a wonder thing  
When that a rich worthy king  
Or other lord what so he be  
Wol ask & claim property  
In thing which he hath no right  
But only of his great might  
For this may every man well wite  
That both kind & law write  
Expressly stand there again  
But he moat needs somewhat sayne  
All though▪ there be no reason in  
Which seek cause▪ for to win  
For wit that his will oppressed  
When covetise him hath redressed  
And all reason put away  
He can well find such a weigh  
To were where as ever he liketh  
Whereof that he the word entryketh  
That many a man of him complaineth  
But yet alway some cause he feigneth  
And of his wrongful heart hath deemed  
That all is well that ever him seemed  
Br so he may win enough  
For as the true man to the plough  
Only to the gaygnage intendeth  
Right so the warrior dyspendeth  
His time & hath no conscience  
And in this point for evidence  
Of 'em that such wars make  
Thou might a great ensample take  
How they her tyranny excusen  
Of that they wrongful wars usen  
And they stand of one accord  
The S●udyour forth with the lord  
The pour man forth with the rich  
As of courage they been lyche  
To make wars & to pile  
For lucre & for none other skill  
Whereof a propyr tale I read  
As it whilom befell in deed   
hIc declarat per Exemplum contra istos principes seu alios quos cumque illicit guerre motores/ Et narrat de quodam Pirata in parti●us mari nis spoliatore/ qui cum captus fuisset. & in judicium coram Rege Alexandro productus & de latricinio accusatus dixit/ O Alexandre vere quia cum paucis socijs spoliorum causa naves tantum exploro▪ ego latrunculus v●oo●. tu autem q●●a cum infinita bellatorum multitu dine universam 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 complaint  

oF him all this earth dread  
When he the world so overlad  
through were as it fortuned is/  
King Alysaunder I read this  
How in a march where he lay  
It fell perchance upon a day  
A Rover of the see was nome  
Which many a man had overcome  
And slain & take her good away  
This Pylour as the books say  
A famous man in sundry stead  
Was of the works which he deed  
This prisoner afore the king  
Was brought & thereupon this thing  
In audience was he accused  
And he his deed hath nought excused  
And prayed the king to done him right  
And said Sire if I were of might  
I have an heart lyche unto thine  
For if thy power were mine  
My will is most in especial  
To rifle & to get overall  
The large worlds good about  
But for I lead a power rout  
And am as who saith at mischief  
The name of Pylour & of thyef I bear/  
& thou which Routs great  
may lead & take thy beyete  
And dost right as I would do  
Thy name is nothing cleped so  
But thou art named Emperor  
Our deeds been of one colour  
And in effect of one desert  
But thy richesse & my poverty  
They be not taken even lyche  
And neth●l●● he that ●s rich  
This day to morrow he may by pour  
And in contrary also recever  
A poor man to great riches  
Men say for thy rightwiseness  
Be peyced even in the balance   

The king his hardy countenance  
Beheld & his words wise  
And said unto him in this wise  
Thine answer I have understand  
Whereof my will ●e that thou stand  
In my service & still abide  
And forth with all the same tide  
He hath him ●●●me of life withhold  
The more & for he shall behold  
He made him knight & give him land  
Which afterward was of his hand  
A● orped knight in many a stead  
And great prowess of arms deed  
As the chronic it recorden  
And in this wise they accordene  
The which of one ●●ndycy●n  
Be set upon destruction  
Such capitain such retinue  
But for to see what issue  
The king befallyth at the last  
In his great wondre what men cast  
Her ●●●t upon such wrong to win  
Where no be●●●e may be Inn  
And death dy●●se on every side  
But when reason is put a side  
And will g●nerneth the courage  
The fau●●n with that fleeth ramage  
And suffereth no thing in the weigh  
Whereof that he may take his prey  
Is not more set upon ravin  
Than ilk man which his covin  
Hath set in such manner wise  
For all the world ne may suffice  
To will which is not reasonable   

Whereof ensample concordable  
Lyche to this point of which I mean  
Was upon Alysander seen  
Which had set all his intent  
So as fortune with him went  
That the reason might him not govern  
But of his will he was so stern  
That all the world he ouer●an  
And what him list he took & won  
In inde the superior  
When that he was full conqueror  
And had his wilful purposes won  
Of all this earth under the son  
This king homeward to Macedoyne  
When that he came to Babyloyne  
And wend most in▪ his empire  
As he which was lord & sire  
In honour for to be received  
most sodenlyche he was deceived  
And with strong poison enuenyn●●d  
And as he hath the world mystymed  
Not as he should with his wit  
Not as he would it was acquyt  
Thus was he slain that whilom slongh  
And he which rich was enough  
This day/ to morrow had nought  
And in such wise as he was wrought  
In dysturbaunce of worlds peace  
His were he fond than endless  
In which for ever discomfit  
He was▪ lo now for what profit  
Of were it helpeth for to ride  
For covetise & worlds pride  
To slay the worlds men about  
As beasts which gone there out  
For any life which reason can  
Aught well▪ to know that a man  
Ne should thorough no tyranny  
Lyche to these other beasts die  
Till kind would for him send  
I not how he it might amend  
Which taketh away for evermore  
The life that he may not restore  
For thy my son in all weigh  
Be well advised I the prey  
Of slaught or that thou be culpable  
Without cause reasonable  
My father understand it is  
That ye have said but over this  
I pray you tell me nay or ye  
To pass oue● the great see  
To were & slay a Saraʒyn  
Is that the law son mine  
To preach & suffer for the faith  
That I have herd the gospel saith  
But for to slay that here I nought  
Cryst with his own death hath bought  
All other men & made 'em free  
In tokne of perfit charity  
And after that he taught himself  
When he was deed these other twelve  
Of his apostles went about  
The holy faith to preach out  
Whereof the death in sundry place  
They suffer & so god of his grace  
The faith of christ hath made arise  
But if they would in other wise  
By were have bought in the creance  
It had yet stand in balance  
And that may proven in the deed  
For what man the Cronykes read  
first that holy church hath waived  
To preach & hath the sword received  
Whereof the wars be begun  
A great party of that was won  
Of Crystes faith stant now miswent  
God do thereof amendment  
So as he wot what is the best  
But soon if thou wilt live in rest  
Of conscience well assysed  
Ere that thou slay be well advised  
For man as tell us the clerks  
Hath god above all earthly works  
Ordained to be pryncypal  
And eke of soul in special  
He is made lyche to the godhead  
So sit it well to taken heed  
And for to look on every side  
Ere that thou fall in homicide  
Which sin is now so general  
That it well nigh stant overall  
In holy church & else where  
But all the while it is so there  
The wdorl moat need fare amiss  
For when the▪ wheel of pity is  
thorough covetise of worlds good  
Defouled with shedding of blo●d  
The remnant of folk about  
Vnnethe stonden in any doubt  
To were each other & to slay  
So is it all not worth a stre  
The charity whereof we prechen  
For we do no thing as we techen  
And thus the blind conscience  
Of pe●● hath lost thylk evidence  
Which christ upon the earth taught  
Now may men see mordre & manslaught  
Lyche as is by days old  
When men the sins bought & sold  
In grece afore Crystes faith  
I read as the chronic saith  
Touchend of this matter thus  
In thylk time how peleus  
His own brother Phocus slough  
But he had gold enough  
To them his sin was dispensed  
With gold whereof it was compensed  
Achastus which with Venus was  
Her pryest assoiled in that cas  
All were there no repentance  
And as the books make remembrance  
It telleth of Med●e also  
Of that she slough her sons two  
Egeus in the same plight  
Hath made her of her sin quite  
The sone eke of Amphyoras  
whose right name Almeus was  
His mother slough Eryphele  
But Achylo the priest & he  
So as the books it recorden  
For certain sum of gold accordene  
That thylk horrible sinful deed  
assoiled was & thus for meed  
Of worlds good it falleth oft  
That homicide is set aloft  
Here in this life but after this  
There shall be know how that it is  
Of 'em that such things wyrche  
And how also that holy church  
let such sins pass quite  
How they will 'em acquit  
Of deadly wars that they make  
For who that would ensample take  
The law which is naturel  
By weigh of kind the weth well  
That homicide in no degree  
Which werreth again charity  
Among men should not duelle  
For a foer that the books tell  
To s●che in all the world rich  
Men shall not find one his lyche  
No best that will take his prey  
And sith kind hath such a weigh  
Than it is wonder of a man  
Which kind hath & reason can  
That he will either more or lass  
His kind & reason overpass  
And slay that is to him semblable  
So is the man not reasonable  
He kind & that is not honest  
When he is worse than a best   
Nota secundum Solinum contra ho●●iadium de natura cuiusdam aius faci●m ad similitudinem humanam habentis qiu cum de preda sua hominem myta flavium occident▪ vident que in aqua sunile sibi occisum statim pro delo 〈◊〉 moritur  

aMong the books which I find  
Solinus speaketh of a wonder kind  
And seith of fowls there is on  
Which hath a face of blood & bone  
Which to a man in resemblance  
And if it fall him so perchance  
As he which is a foul of prey  
That he a man find in his way  
He would him slay if that he m●y  
But after ward the same day  
When he hath eaten all his fill  
And that shall be beside a well  
In which he will drink take  
In which visage he seeth the make  
That he hath slain anon he thinketh  
Of his misdeed & it forethinketh  
So greatly that for pure sorrow  
He liveth not till on the morrow  
By this ensample it may well see we  
That men shall homicide eschew  
For ever is mercy good to take  
But if the law it hath forsake  
And that justice is them again  
Fnl offtime I have herd say  
amongs that wars hadden  
That they some while her cause lead  
By mercy when they might have slain  
Whereof that they were after fain  
And soon if that thou wilt record  
The virtue of misericord  
Thou sigh never thylk place  
Where it was used lak grace  
For every law & every kind  
The man's wit to mercy bind  
And namely the worthy knights  
When they stand most upryghtes  
And been most mighty for to grieve  
They sholden then most relieve  
Him whom they myghten overthrow  
As by ensample may men know   
Hic ponit Confessor Exemplum de pietate contra homicidium/ Et narrat qualiter Achilles una 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 postulavit, ꝓ quo facto ipse Rex adhuc vivens Thephalum Regni sui heredem libera voluntate constituit  

hE may not failen of his meed  
That hath mercy for this I read,  
In a chronic I find thus  
When Achilles with Telaphus  
His sone to ward Troy were  
It fell 'em or they come there  
Ayene Thoucer the king of mese  
To make war & for to lose  
His land as they that would regne  
And Theucer pnt out of his regne  
Thus the marches they assaylle  
But Theucer give to 'em bata ill  
They fought on both sides fast  
But so happeth at the last  
This worthy greek Achilles  
The king among all other ches  
As he that was cruel & fell  
With sword on hand on him he fell  
And smote him with a deaths wound  
That he unhorced fell to ground  
Achilles upon him alight  
And would anon as he well might  
Have slain him in the place  
But Thephalus his father grace  
For him besought & for pity  
prayeth that he would late him be  
And cast his shield between 'em two  
Achilles asketh him why so  
And Thephalus his cause told  
And saith that he is much hold  
For whilom Theucer in a stead  
great grace & succour to him deed  
And saith that he him would acquit  
And prayeth his father to respite  
Achilles though withdrough his hand  
But all the power of the land  
When that they saw her king thus take  
They fled & hath the f●ld forsake  
The greeks unto the chaas fall  
And for the most part all  
Of that country the lords great  
They took & won a great beyete  
And anon after this victory  
The king which had memory  
Upon the great mercy thought  
Which the laphus toward him wrought  
And in presence of all the land  
He took him fair by the hand  
And in this wise he 'gan to say  
My sone I mote by double weigh  
Love & desire thine increases  
first for thy father Achilles  
Whilom full many a day or this  
When I should far amiss  
Rescouse did in my quarrel  
And kept all mine estate in hele  
How so their fall now distance  
Among us yet remembrance  
I have of mercy which he deed  
Than▪ & thou now in this stead  
Of gentleness & of franchise  
Hast do mercy the same I guess  
So will I not that any time  
Be lost of that thou hast do byme  
For how so this fortune fall  
Yet stant my trust above all  
For the mercy which I now find  
That thou wilt after this ●e kind  
And for that such is mine espeyr  
And for my son & for mine he ire  
I the receive & all my land  
I give & sese in to thine hand  
And in this wise they accord  
The cause was myserycorde  
The lords do her obeisance  
To Thelaphus & purveyance  
Was made so that he was coroned  
And thus was mercy reguerdoned  
Which he to Theucer died to fore   

Loo this ensample is made therefore  
That thou might take remembrance  
My sone & when thou seest a chance  
Of other men's passion  
Take pity & compassion  
And let no thing to the belief  
Which to another man is grief  
And after this if thou desire  
To stand again the vice of Ire  
Counseyl the with patience  
And take in to thy conscience  
Mercy to be thy governor  
So shalt thou●fynde no rancour  
Whereof thine heart shall debate  
With homicide ne with hate  
For chest or melancholy  
Thou shalt be soft in company  
Without conteck or foolhast  
For else/ might thou long wast  
Thy time or that thou have thy will  
Of love for the wedyr still  
Men praise & blame the tempests  
My father I will do your hests  
And of this point ye have me taught  
Toward myself the better sought  
I thenke bewail while that I line  
But for as much as I am shrine  
Of wrath & all his circumstance  
Yeve that ye list to my penance  
And ask further of my life  
If other wise I be gyltyf  
Of any thing that toucheth sin  
My sone or we depart a twin  
I shall behind no thing leave    

Amans  

My good father with your leave  
Than ask forth what you list  
For I have in you such trust  
As ye that be my soul hele  
That ye fro me nothing will hele  
For I shall tell you the truth  
My sone art thou culpable of sloth  
In any point which to him longeth  
My father of the points me longeth  
To wite plainly what they mean  
So that I may me shrive clean   

Now herkne I shall the points devise  
And understand well mine apprise  
For shrift stant of no value  
To him that will him not virtue  
To leave of vices the folly  
For wind is word but the mastery  
Is that a man himself defend  
Of thing which is not to comende  
Whereof been few now a day  
And nevertheless so as I may  
Make unto thy memory know  
The points of sloth thou shalt know    
Explicit liber Tercius   

Incipit liber quartus  
dicunt accidian fore nutri●em viaorun/ Corpet & in cunctis tarda que lenta bonis/ Que fieri possent hody transfert piger in cease/ 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 vices to proceed/  
After the cause ofemamnes deed/  
The first point of sloth I call  
Lachesse and is the chief of all  
And hath this properly of kind  
To leaven all thing behind  
Of that he might do now here  
He tarrieth all the long year  
And evermore he saith to morrow  
And so he will his time borrow  
And wisheth after god me send  
Than when he weeneth to have an end  
Than is he forthest to begin  
Thus bringeth he many mischief Inue  
Unware till that he be mescheved  
And may not than be relieved  
And right so neither more ne less  
It stant oflove & of lachesse  
Sometime he slouteth on a day  
That he never after get may  
Now soon as of this ilk thing  
If thou have any knouleching  
That thou to love hast done or this   

Tell on. my good father yis  
As of laches I am be know  
That I may stand upon his row  
As I that am clad of his suit  
For when I thought my pursuit  
To make & thereto set a day  
To speak unto the sweet may  
Lachesse bade abide yet  
And bare on hand it was no wit  
Ne time for to speak as though  
Thus with his tales to & fro  
My time in tarrying he drough  
When there was time good enough  
He said another time is better  
Thou shalt now send here a letter  
And percase write more plain  
Than thou by mouth durst sayne  
Thus have I let time slide  
For sloth & kept not my tide  
So that laches with his vice  
Full of be hath made my wit so nice  
That what I thought speak or do  
With tarrying be ●eld me so  
Till when I would & might nought  
I not what thing is in my thought  
Or it was dread or it was shame  
But ever in earnest & in game  
I wot there is no long time passed  
But yet is not the love lassed  
Which I unto my lady have  
For though my tongue is slouȝ to ocave  
At all time as I have bid  
Mine heart stant ever in one stead  
And ask besylyche grace  
The which I may not yet embrace  
And god wot it is maugre mine  
For this I wot right well afyn  
My grace cometh so seld about  
That is the sloth which I doubt  
More than of all the remnant  
Which is to love appertenant  
And thus as touchend of lachesse  
As I have told I me confess  
To you my father E●byseche  
That furthermore ye will me teach  
And if there be of this matter  
Some goodly tale for to lere  
How I may do lachesse away  
That ye it would tell I prey  
To wysse the my son & read  
Among the tales which I read  
An old ensample thereupon  
Now herkne & I will tell on   
hIc ponit Confessor Exemplum contra Istos qui in amoris causa tardantes delinquunt/ Et narrat qualiter Dido Regina Eartaginis Eneam ab Incendijs troy fugitiwm in amo rem suum gaiusa suscepit/ qui cum postea in parts Italy a Cartagine bella turum se transtulit/ ninuam que ibidem moram faciens tempus redditus sui ad Didonem ultra modum tardavit Ipsa intolieravili gaudio concussa sui cordis intima gladio transfodit  

again lachesse in loves case  
I find how whilom Aeneas  
Whom Anchyses to soon had  
With greet navy which he lad  
Fro Troy arriveth at Eartage  
Where fo: a while his herbergage  
He took & betid so  
With her which was queen tho  
Of the city his acquaintance  
He won whose name in remembrance  
Is yet & Dydo she was hot  
Which loveth Aeneas so hot  
Upon the words which he said  
That all her heart on him she laid  
And did all holy what he would  
But after that as it be should  
Fro then he goth to italy  
By ship & thew his arrival  
Hath take & shope him for to ride  
But she which may not long abide  
The hot pain of loves throw  
Anon within a little throw  
A setter unto her knight hath write  
And died him pseynsy for to wite  
If he made any tarrying  
To dretche of his again coming  
That she ne might him feel & see  
She should stand in such degree  
As whilom stood a swan tofore  
Of that she had her make ●ore  
For sorrow a feather in to her brain  
She shoof & hath her self slain  
As king Menander in a lay  
The sooth hath fond where she lay  
Spraulend with her wings fifty  
As she which should than die  
For love of him which was her make   

And so shall I do for thy sake  
This queen said well I wot  
Lo to Enee thus she wrote  
With many another word of compleynt  
But he which had his thoughts faint  
Towards love & full of sloth  
●●s time let & that was ruth  
For she which loveth him to fore  
〈◊〉 ever more & more  
And when she saw him tarry so  
Her heart was so full of woe  
That compleynend manifold  
She hath her own tale told  
Unto herself & thus she spack  
A who fond ever such a lack  
Of sloth in any worthy knight  
Now wot I well my death is dight  
through him which should have be my  
●yf/ But for to stinten all this strife  
Thus when she sigh none other boat  
Right even unto her heart rote  
A naked sword anon she threste  
And thus she got her self rest  
In remembrance of all slow  
Whereof my son thou might know  
How tarrying upon the need  
In loves cause is for to dread  
And that hath Dydo sore about  
Whoos death shall ever be bethought  
And evermore if I shall seche  
In this manner another speech  
In a chronic I find write  
A tale which is good to wite   
His loquitur super eodem qualiter ●enolope ulixum maritum suum in obsidione troy diucius morantem ob ipsius ibidem tardacionem epistola sua redargiut  

aT Twye when king Vlyxes  
Upon the siege among the pres  
Of hem the worthy knights were  
Abode long time still there  
In thilk time a man may see  
How goodly that Penolope  
Which was to him his true wife  
Of his lachesse wa● pleyntyf  
Whereof to Troy she him send  
Her will by letter thus spekende   

My worthy love & lord alsso  
It is & hath be ever so  
That where a woman is alone  
At maketh a man in his persove  
The more hardy for to woo  
In hope that she would bow  
To such thyuge as his will werr  
While that here lord were else where  
And of myself I tell this  
For it so long passed is  
sith first that ye from home went  
That we'll nyhe every man is went  
To come there I am while ye be out  
And busily each of 'em about  
Which love can/ my love secheth  
With great prayer & me bysecheth  
And some maken great menace  
That if they might come in place  
Where that they might here will have  
There is no thing me should save  
That they ne would work things  
And somme tell me tidings  
That ye he deed & some said  
That certainly ye be beseyn  
To love a new & leave me  
But whole as ever that it be  
I thank unto the gods all  
As yet for aught that is befall  
May no man do my cheeks read  
But nevertheless it is to dread  
That lachesse in continuance  
Fortune might work such a●chaunce  
Which noman● after shall amend  
Loo thus this lady compleynend  
A letter unto her lord hath write  
And prayed him that he would wite  
And think how that she was all his  
And that he tarry not in this  
But that he would his love acquit  
To her againward & not write  
But come himself in all haste  
That he none other paper waste  
So that he keep & hold his truth  
Without let of any sloth   

Unto her lord & love lyege  
To Troy where the great siege  
Was laid/ this letter was conveyed  
And he which wisdom hath purveyed  
Of all that to reason belongeth  
With gentle heart it underfongeth  
And when he hath it over rad  
In part he was right Inly glad  
And eke in part he was diseased  
But love his heart hath thorough seized  
With pure imagination  
That for none occupation  
Which he 'gan take on other side  
He may not flit his heart aside  
For that his wife him had informed  
Whereof he hath himself conformed  
With all the will of his courage  
To shape & take the wyage  
Homeward what time that he may  
So that him thinketh one day  
A thousand year till he may see  
The visage of Penolope  
Which he desireth most of all  
And when the time was so byfalle  
That Troy was destroyed & brent  
He made no delayment  
But goth him home in all high  
Where that he fond to fore his eye  
His worthy wife in good estate  
And thus was seced the debate  
Of love & sloth was excused  
Which doth great harm where it is bsed  
And hindereth many a cause honest   
Nota ad huc de quodam Astrologo super eodem qui quondam opus ingeniosum quasi ad complementum septennius perducens unius momenti tardacione omnem sui operis diligenciam pe nitus feustravit/  

For of the great clerk Grostest  
I read how ready that he was  
Upon clergyr an heed of bras  
To make & forge it for to tell  
Of such things as befell  
And seven years business  
He laid but for the lachesse  
Of half a minute of an hour  
from first that he began labour  
He lost all that he had do   

And other while it fareth so  
In loves cause who is slow  
That he without under the woo  
By night fue oft stant a cold  
Which might if that he had would  
His time have kept have been Inn   
Nota ad huc contra tardacionem de virginibus fatuis que ni●●iam moram facientes intrante sponso ad nupa●●s cum ipso non introterunt  

But sloth may no profit win  
But he may sing in his Carole  
How late were come to the dole  
Where he no good receive might  
And that was proved well by night  
Whilom of the maidens five  
When thylk lord came for to wife  
For that her oy●e was away  
To light her lamps in the weigh  
Here sloth brought it so about  
from him that they be shut out   

Whereof my son that thou beware  
As farforth as I the tell dare  
For l●u● must be awaited  
And if thou be not well affayted  
In love to esehewe sloth  
My sone for to tell truth  
Thou might not of thyself be able  
To win love or make it stable  
As though thou mightest love achieve   

My father that I may well leave  
But me was never assigned place  
Where yet to get any grace  
●e me was no such time appointed  
For than I would I were unjointed  
Of every lime that I have  
If I ne should heap & save  
Mine our bethes & eke my seed  
If my lady it had ●●de  
But she is otherwise advised  
Than grant such time assysed  
And nevertheless of my lachesse  
There hath be no default I guess  
Of time lost if that I might  
But if her liketh not alight  
●pon no lure which I find & cast  
For ay the more I cry fast  
The less her liketh for to here  
So for to speak of this matter  
I seek that I may not find  
I hast & ever I am behind  
And wot not what it may amount  
But father upon mine account  
Which ye been set to examine  
Of shrift after the diseyplyne  
Say what your best counseyl is   

My son my counseyl is this  
How so it stand of time a go  
Do forth thy business so  
That no lachesse in the be found  
For sloth is mighty to confound  
The speed of every man● work  
For many a vice as saith the clerk  
There hungen upon slouthes' lap  
Of such as maketh man mishap  
To plain & tell of that I wist  
And thereupon if that the list  
To know of slouthes' cause more  
In special yet overmore  
There is a vice full grievable  
To him which is thereof culpable  
And stant of all wrtues bore  
Here after as I shall 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 favet ullus amor  
Hic loquitur Confessor de quadam specie Accidie que pusillanimitas dicta est cuius Imaginativa formido neque virtutes aggredi neque vicia f●gere audet/ sic quam utriusque vite tam active quam contemplative premium non attingit  

Ouchend of sloth in his degree t  
There is yet pusillanymyte  
Which is to say in this language  
He that hath little of courage  
And dare not man's work legynne  
So may he not by reason win  
For who that dare nought undertake  
By right he shall no profit take  
But of this vice the nature  
Dare no thyug set in adventure  
Him lacketh both worth & deed  
Whereof he should his cause speed  
He will no manhood understand  
For ever he hath dread upon hand  
All his peril that he shall say  
Him thinketh the wolf is in the way  
And of imagination  
He maketh his excusation  
And feigneth cause of pure dread  
And ever he faileth at need  
Till all be spilled that he with dealeth  
He hath the sore which no man healeth  
The which is cleped lak of heart  
Though every grace about him start  
He will not one's stew his foot  
So that by reason lose he moat  
That will not aunter for to win   

And so forth soon if we begin  
To speak of love & his service  
There been truants in such a wise  
That lakken heart uhan best were  
They speaken of love & right for fere  
They wexen dumb & dare not tell  
Without son as doth the bell  
Which hath no claper for to chime  
And right so they as for the time  
●●on herteles without speech  
Of love & dare no thing beseech  
And thus they lose & win nought  
For thy my son if thou art aught  
Culpable as touchend of this sloth  
shrive the thereof & tell me truth   

My sadee I am all beknow  
That I have been one of the slow  
As for to tell in loves ●●as  
Mine heart is yet & ever was  
And though the world should to break  
So fearful that I dare not speak  
Of what purpoos that I have nome  
When I toward my lady come  
But let it pass & over go   

My sone do no more so  
For after that a man pursueth  
To love so fortune seweth  
Full oft & giveth her happy chance  
To him which maketh continuance  
To praise love & to beseech  
As by ensample I shall the teach   
Hic in ●moris causa loquitur contra 〈◊〉/ Et dicit qd amon's pre timore verbis obtumeseere non debet sed concinuando 〈◊〉 sui amous ●●dia onem tucius prosequ●tur/ Et ponit confessor Exemplum qualiter Pigma●ion/ pro ●0 quam preces continuavit quandam imaginem e●urneam cuius puleritudinis concupiscencia illaque●tus extitit in carnem & sanguinem ad latus suum transformatam sencijt  

I Find how whilom there was one  
whose Iname was Pygmalyone  
Which was a lusty man of youth  
The works of entayll he couth  
Above all other men as tho  
And though fortune fell him so  
As he whom love shall travail  
He made an Image of entail  
Lycho to a woman in semblance  
Of feature & of countenance  
So fair was never figure  
Right as alyves creature  
She seemeth for of ivor white  
He hath her wrought of such delight  
She was rody on the eheke  
And rody upon her lips eke  
Whereof that he himself beguileth  
For with a goodly look she smyloth  
So that through pure impression  
Of his own Imagination  
With all the heart of his courage  
His love upon this fair image  
He set & her of lone he prayed  
But she no word againward saide  
The long day what thing he deed  
This Image in the same stead  
Was ever by and at meet  
He would her serve & prayed her eat  
And put unto her mouth the cup  
And when the board was taken up  
He hath her in to his Chambre nome  
And after when the night was come  
He layed her in his led all naked  
He was for wept he was for wasted  
He kissed her cold lips oft  
And wisheth that they were soft  
And oft he runneth in her ere  
And oft his arm now here & there  
He s●yd as he would her embrace  
And ever among he asketh grace  
As though she wist what he meant  
And thus himself he 'gan torment  
With such disease of loves pain  
That noman might him more pain  
But how it were of his penance  
He made such continuance  
Fro day to night & prayed so long  
That his prayer is underfang  
Which Venus of her grace herd  
By night & when that he wert fir  
And it say in his naked arm  
The cold image he felt warm  
Of flesh & bone & full of life   

●o thus he won a lusty wife  
Which obeysaunt was at his will  
And if he would have hold him still  
And no thing spoke he should have  
faysed/ But for he hath his word troth  
vayfed/ And durst speak his love he  
sped/ And all that he would abed  
For or they went than a two  
A man child between 'em two  
They ga●●e which that height  
●aphus after the whom yet full right  
A certain y●● which paphos  
Men clepe & of this name aros   

By this ensample thou might find  
That word may work above kind  
For thy my son if that thou spare  
To speak lost is all thy fare  
For sloth bringeth Inn all woe  
And over this to look also  
The god of love is favourable  
To hem that be of love stable  
And many a wonder hath befall  
Whereof to speak amongs all  
If that ye list to taken heed  
Whereof a solemn tale I read  
Which I shall tell in remembrance  
Upon the sort of loves chance   
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● pats tunc presence▪ 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 copulavit Sed cum Iphis debitum sui co●●ugij unde solvere 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 king Lyg●us upon a seryf  
Spa● unto Thelacuse his wife  
Which than was with child  
great▪ He swore it should not be let  
That if she had a daughter ●ore  
That it n● should be forlese  
And slain whereof she sorry was  
So it vyfel upon this cas  
When she delivered shld be  
isis by night in pryne●e  
Which of childing▪ is the goddess  
Cam for to help in that dys●r●sse  
Till that this lady was all small  
And had a daughter forth with all  
Which the goddess in all weigh  
Bad keep & that they should say  
It were a son & thus Iphys  
They named him & upon this  
The father was made for to ween  
And thus in chambre with the qu●●●  
This Iphis was forth draw tho  
And clothed and arrayed so  
Right as a kings sone should  
Till after as fortune it would  
When it was of a ten year age  
Him was bytake in marriage  
A duke's daughter for to wed  
Which Daun●e height & oft a bed  
These children lay she & she  
Which of one age both be  
So▪ that within time of years  
To gede● as they been play fer●s  
Lyggend a bed upon a night  
Nature which doth every wight  
Upon her law for to muse  
constraineth 'em so that use  
Thing which to hem was all vnknow  
Whereof Cupyde thylk throw  
Took pity for the great love  
And let do set kind above  
So that her law may be used  
And they upon her lust excused  
For love ha●eth no thing more  
Than thing which stant against ye●ore  
Of that nature ● kind hath s●t  
For thy Cupyde hath so beset  
His grace upon this adventure  
That he acordaunt to nature  
When that he saw the time best  
That each of hem hath other ●est  
Transformeth Iphe in to a man  
Whereof the kind love he won  
Of lusty youth jante his wife  
And though they led a merry life  
Which was to kind none offence  
And thus to take an evidence  
It seemeth love is well wyllend  
To hem that be contynuend  
With ●esy heart to pursue  
Thing which is to love due  
Whereof my son in this matere  
Thou might ensample taken here  
That with thy gre●e business  
Thou might attain to rych●sse  
Of love if that there be no slouth●  
I dare well say by my troth:  
As fe● as my wit can seche  
My father as for lak of speech  
But see as I me sh●oof tofore  
There is none other time lore  
Whereof there might be obstacle  
To let● love of his miracle  
Which I bys●ch● day & night  
But father so as is right  
In form of shryf●e to be know  
What thing belongeth to the slow  
Your faderhode I will prey  
If there be further any weigh  
Touchend unto this ilk vice  
My sone ye of this office  
There serveth one in special  
Which hath lost his memorial  
So that he can not withhold  
In thing which to keep is hold  
Whereof himself full oft aggrieveth  
And who that most upon him leaveth  
When that his wits ●en so weyved  
He may full little be deceived   
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 oblivionis quam matter eius Accidia ad o●s virtutum memo●ias nec non & in amo ris causa inmemorem constitu●t  

tO serve Accidie in his office  
There is of sloth another vice  
Which cleped is foryet ylness●  
That may not in his heart impress  
Of virtue which reason hath set  
So clean his wits he foryede  
For in the telling of his tale  
No more his heart than his male  
Hath remembrance of thy●k form  
Whereof he should his wit inform  
And than yet ne wot he why  
Thus is his purposes nought for thy  
Forlore of that he would abide  
And scarcely if he seeth the tide  
To love of that he had meant  
Thus many a lover hath be shent  
Tell on therefore hast thou be one  
Of 'em that hath sloth so begone   

Y● father it hath oft be so  
That when I am my lady fro  
And think unto ward her draw  
Then cast I many a new law  
And all the world torn up so down  
And so decorde I my lesson  
And write in my memoral  
That I to her tell shall  
For when I come there she is  
I have it all foryete ●wy●  
Of that I thought for to tell  
I can not than unneaths spell  
That I wend alther best have red  
So sore of her I am dreaded  
For as a man that suddenly  
A ghost beheld so far I  
So that for fere I can not get●  
My wit but I myself foryete  
That I wo●● never what I am  
N● whether I shall ne when I came  
But muse as he that were amazed  
●yche to the book in which is razed  
The letter & may no thing be rad  
See been my wits over lad  
That what as ever I thought have spo●en  
It is out fro mine heart stoken  
And stand as who saith dumb & deef  
That all nies worth an ivy leef  
Of that I wend well have say●  
And at last I make abraid  
●ast up mine heed & look about  
●●ght as a man that were in doude  
And wot not where he shall become  
Thus am I oft all overcome  
There as I wend best for to stand  
But after when I understand  
And am in other place alone  
I make many a woeful moan  
Unto myself & speak so  
A fool where was thine heart tho▪  
When thou thy worthy lady sigh  
Were thou afeard than of her eye  
For of her hand there is no dread  
So well I know her womanly de  
That in her is no more oultrage  
Then in a child of three year age  
Why hast thou dread of so good one  
Whom all virtue both begun  
That in her is no violence  
But goodlihead & Innocence  
Without spot●e of any blame  
A nice heart Fie for shame  
A coward heart of love unlered  
Whereof art thou so sore afered  
That thy ●ong thou suffcest frese  
And wilt thy goodly words lose  
When thou hast fond time & space  
How shouldest thou deserve grace  
When thou thyself darest ask none  
But all thou hast foryete anon  
And thus dispute in loves ●ore  
But help I find none the more  
But stumble upon mine own train  
And make an aching of my pain  
For ever when I think among  
Ho● all is on myself along  
I say O fool of all fools  
Thou farest as between two stole●▪  
That would sit & goth to groū●●  
It was ne never it shall be found  
between foryetylnes & dread  
That man should any cause speed  
And thus mine holy father dear  
Toward myself as ye may hare  
I plain of my fo●yetylnesse  
But else all the business  
That may be take of man's thought  
My heart taketh & is through sought  
To thinken ever upon that swe●●  
Without sloth I you byhete  
For what so fall or weal or woe  
That thought foryete I nevermo  
Where so I laugh or where so I louvre  
Nought half a minute of an our  
Ne might I let out of my mind  
But if Itho●ght upon that hende  
Thereof ne shall no sloth let  
Till death out of this world me fet●e  
All though I had on such a ring  
As moyses thorough his enchanting  
Sometime in ethiop made  
When that he Tharbys wedded hade  
Which ring bore of oblivion  
The name and was by reason  
That where on a finger it sat  
Anon his love he so forya●e  
And that he had it never know  
And so it fell that ilk throw  
When Tharbys had it on her hand  
No knowledging of him she fond  
But all was clean out of memory  
As men may read in his story  
And thus he went quite away  
That never after thylk day  
She thought that there was such one  
All was foryete & over gone  
But in good faith so may not I  
For she is ever fast by  
So that mine heart toucheth  
That for no thing that sloth voucheth  
I may foryete her leef ne loath  
For overall where as she goth  
Mine heart followeth her about  
Thus may I say without doubt  
For ●e● for worse for ought for nought  
She passeth never fro my thought  
But when I am there as she is  
Mine heart as I you said or this  
Sometime of her is so sore adread  
And sometime is overglad  
And once of reule & o●●e of space  
For when I see her goodly face  
And think upon her high pries  
As though I were in paradies  
I am so ●●uesshed on the sight  
To speak unto her I n● might  
As for the time though I weld  
For I ne may my wit unfold  
To find one word of that I men●  
But all is it foryete clean  
And though I stand there a mile  
Al is foryerte for the while  
A tongue I have & words none  
And thus I stoned & think alone  
Of thing that h●lpeth oft nought  
But what I had afore thought  
To speak when I come there  
It is foryete as nought ne were  
And stand amazed & asso●ed  
That of no thing which I have noted  
I can not than a note sing  
But all is out of knouleching  
Thus what for joy & what for dread  
All is foryete at the need  
So that my father of this sloth  
I have you said the plain troth  
Ye may it as ye list redress  
For thus stant my forgetfulness  
And eke my pusyllanymy●e  
Say now forth what ye like to me  
For I will only do by you  
My sone I have well herd how thou  
Hast said & thou must amend  
For love his grace will not send  
To that man which dare ask none  
For this we known everichone  
A man's thought without speech  
God wot & yet men beseech  
His will is for without beds  
He doth his grace but in few steeds  
And what man that foryete himself  
Among a thousand be not twelve  
That will him take in remembrance  
But let him fall & take his chance  
For thy pull up a busy heart  
My sone & let no thing aster●e  
Of love fro thy business  
For touching of forgetfulness  
Which many a love hath set behind  
A tale of great ensample I find  
Whereof it is py●e for to wite  
In the manner as it is write   
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 ecian in amorem gandio magno susceptus est qui postea a● ipsa Tro●● descendens rediturum infra certum tempus fide●●ss● me se compromisit/ sed qiva huiusmodi promissiones diem statutum oblitus ● Phillis oblivionem Demephontis lacrimis primo deplangens tandem cordula collo suo circumligata▪ se mortuam suspendit  

king demophon when he by ship  
To Troy ward with felauship  
Seylend goth upon his weigh  
It happeneth him at Rodepeyr  
As Aeolus him had blow  
To l●nd & rested for a throw  
And feast that ilk time thus  
That the daughter of Lygurgius  
Which queen was of the country  
Was sojourned in the city  
Within a castle in the strand  
Where Demophon came up to the land  
●hylles she height & of young age  
And both of stature & of visage  
She had all that her best vesemeth  
Of Demophon right well her quemeth  
When he was come she made him cheer  
And he that was of such manner  
A lusty knight ne might asterte  
That he ne s●t on her his heart  
So that within a day or two  
He thought how ever that he go  
He would assay the fortune  
And 'gan with this queen commune  
With goooly words in her ere  
And for to put her out of fere  
He swore & hath his truth plight  
To be for ever her own knight  
And thus with her he still abode  
There while his ship on anchor rood  
And bad enough of time & space  
To speak of love & seek grace  
This lady herd all that he said  
How he swore & how he prayed  
Which was an enchantment  
To her that was an Innocent  
And though it were truth & faith  
She leaveth all that ever he saith  
And as her fortune should  
She granteth him all that he would  
Thus was he for the time in joy  
Till that he should go to T●o●e  
But though she made much sorrow  
And he his troth laid to sorrow  
To come & if that he live may  
again within a month day  
And thereupon they kysten both  
But were him leef or were him loath  
To ship he goth & forth he went  
To Troy as was his first intent  
The days gone the month passeth  
Her love increaseth & his lasseth  
For him she lost sleep & meet  
And he his time hath all foryete  
So that this woeful young queen  
Which wot not what it might mean  
A letter send & prayed him come  
And said that she was overcome  
With strength of love in such a wise  
That she not long may suffice  
To lyven out of his presence  
And put upon his conscience  
The truth which he hath 〈◊〉  
Whereof she loveth him so hot  
She saith if that he longer let  
Of such a/ day as she him set  
She should ste●●en in his sloth  
Which were a shame unto his troth  
This letter is forth upon her fond  
Whereof somedeal comfort on hand  
She took as she that would abide  
And waiteth upon that ilk tide  
Which she hath in her letter write   

But now is pity for to wite  
As he died erst/ so he forgot  
His time eftsone & forsate  
But she which might not do so  
The tide awaiteth evermo  
And cast her eye upon the se●  
Sometime nay sometime ye  
Sometime he came sometime nought  
Thus she disputeth in her thought  
And wot not what she think may  
But fastened all the long day  
She was in to the derk night  
And though/ she hath do set up light  
In a lantern on high 〈◊〉  
Upon a tour where she goth oft  
In hope that in his coming  
He should see the light brenning  
Whereof he might his ways right  
To come where she was by night  
But all for nought she was deceived  
For Venus hath her hope waived  
And showed her upon the sky  
How that the day was fast by  
So that within a little throw  
The days light she might know  
though she beheld the see at large  
And when she saw there was no barge  
●e ship 〈◊〉 far as she may ken  
Down fro the tower she 'gan to run  
In to an herber all her one  
Where many a wonder woeful moan  
She made that no life it wist  
As she which all her joy mist  
That now she swouneth now she plaineth  
And her face she dyst●yneth  
With tears which as of a well  
The streams from her eyen fell  
So as she might & ever in one  
She cleped upon Demephon  
And said Alas thou slow wight  
There was never such a knight  
That so thorough his ungentleness  
Of sloth & of forgetfulness  
Against his truth breaketh his steven  
And though her eye up to the heaven  
She cast & said O thou unkind  
Here shalt thou for thy sloth find  
If that the list to come & see  
A lady deed for love of the  
So as I shall myself spill  
Whom if it had be thy will  
Thou mightest save well Enough  
With that upon a green bough  
A 〈◊〉 of syle which there she ha d  
She knit & so her self she lad  
That she about her white swear  
Hit deed/ & hinge her self there  
Whereof the gods were amoved  
And Demephon was reproved  
That of the god's providence  
Was shape such an evidence  
Ever afterward again the slow  
That ●hillis in the same throw  
Was shape in to a note tree  
That all men it might see  
And afterward ●hyllys ●hyllerd  
This tree was cleped in the yard  
And yet for Demophon to shame  
In to this day it beareth the name  
This woeful chance & how it feared  
Anon as Demephon it heard  
And every man it had in speech  
His sorrow was not tho to seek  
He 'gan his sloth for to ban  
But it was all to late than   

Lo thus my son might thou wite  
Ayene this vyde how it is write  
For no man may the harms guess  
That fallen through forgetfulness  
Whereof that I thy shrift have herd  
But yet of sloth how it hath fir  
In other wise I think oppose  
If thou have guilt as I suppose   
Dum plantare licet cultor qui n●cli git ortum/ Si desint feuctus imputat ipse sibi/ Preterite 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 arts sciency 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  
There is yet one his secretayr  
And he is cleped negligence  
Which will not look his evidence  
Whereof he may beware tofore  
But when he hath his cause lore  
Than is he wise after the hand  
When help may no manner bond  
Than at first would he bind  
Thus evermore he stant behind  
When he the thing may not amend  
Than is he ware/ and saith at the end  
A would god I had know  
Whereof beiaped with a mow  
He goth/ for when the great stead  
Is stole than he taketh heed  
And maketh the stable door fast  
Thus ever he pleyth an after cast  
Of all that he shall say or do  
He hath a manner ●ke also  
Him list not learn to be wise  
For le set of no virtue prise  
But as him liketh for the while  
So faileth he full oft guile  
When that he weeneth sicker to stand  
And thus thou might well understand  
My sone if thou art such in love  
Thou might not come at thine above  
Of that thou wouldest well achieve▪   

Amans  

Mine holy father as I leave  
I may well with safe conscience  
Eycuse me of negligence  
Towards love in all wise  
For though I ●e none of the wise  
So truly I am amorous  
That I am ever curious  
Of 'em that can best inform  
To known & wyten all the form  
What falleth unto loves/ craft  
But yet ne fond I nought the haft  
Which might unto the blade accord  
For never herd I man record  
What thing it is that might avail  
To win love without fail  
Yet so farforth couth I never find  
Man that by reason ne by kind  
Me conthe teach such an art  
That he ne failed of a part  
And as toward mine own wit  
contrive I couth never yet  
To find any se●yrnesse  
That me might other more or less  
Of love make me for to speed  
For leaveth well withouten dread  
That if there were such a weigh  
As certainly as I shall die  
I had it learned long a go  
But I wot well there is none so  
And nevertheless it may well be  
I am so rude in my degree  
And eke my wits been so dull  
That I ne may nought to the full  
attain unto so high a lo●e  
But this I dare say overmore  
All though my wit be not strong  
It is not on my will along  
For that is ●●sy night & day  
To learn all that I learn emay  
How that I might love win  
But yet I am as to begin  
If I would make an end  
And for I not how it shall wend  
That is to me my most sorrow  
But I dare take god to borrow  
As after mine intendment  
None other wise negligent  
Than I you say have I not be  
For thy pure saint charity  
Tell me my father what you seemeth    

Confessor  

In good faith son well me quemeth  
That thou thyself hast thus acquit  
Toward this vice in which no wite  
A bide may for in an hour  
He lost all that he may labour  
The long year so that men say  
What ever he doth it is in vain  
For thorough the sloth of negligence  
There was never such a science  
Ne virtue which was bodily  
That nies destroyed & lost thereby  
Ensample that it hath be so  
In books I find write 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 ut equos ne deviarent equa manu diligenciꝰ 〈◊〉 ipse consy lium pris sua necligencia pret●●ēs equos curru nimis basse errare permisit/ un de non solum incendio orbem inflammavit/ sed & ipsum de curru cadendem in quoddam fluuium demergi ad inte●●tum causavit  

phebus which is the son hot  
That shineth upon earth hot  
And causeth every lives health  
He had a son in all his wealth  
Which Pheton height & he desireth  
And with his mother he conspyreth  
The which was cleped Clemene  
For help & counseyl so that he  
His father cart lead might  
Upon the fair days light  
And for this thing they both prayed  
Unto the father & he said  
He would well but forth with all  
Three points he bade in special  
Unto his son in all wise  
That he him should well advise  
And take it as by weigh of lore  
The first was that he his horse to sore  
Ne prick & after that he told  
That he the reins fast hold  
And also that he be right ware  
In what manner he leadeth his char  
That he mistake not his gate  
But up advisement algate  
He should bear a siker weigh  
That he to low ne to hay  
His cart drive at any throw  
For dread lest he should be overthrow  
And thus by Phoebus' ordinance  
Took Pheton in to governance  
The sons cart which he lad  
B●t he such veyn glory had  
Of that he was set upon high  
That he his own estate ne sigh  
thorough negligence & took none heed  
So might he well not long speed  
For he the horse withouten law  
The cart let about draw  
Where as him liketh wanton  
That at the last suddenly  
For he no reason would know  
This fiery cart he drove to low  
And fireth all the world about  
Whereof they weren all in doubt  
And to the god for help crieden  
Of such unhaps as betiden  
Phoebus which saw the negligence  
How Pheton again his defence  
His char hath drive out of the weigh  
ordaineth that he fell a weigh  
Out of the cart in to the flood  
And drowned lo now how it stood  
With him that was so negligent  
That fro the high firmament  
For that he would go to low  
He was anon down overthrow  
In high estate it is a vice  
To go to low & in service  
It grieveth for to go to high  
Whereof a tale in ●eesye   
Exemplum super eodem de Icharo filio Didali in carcere minotau● existent/ cui Dedalus ut inde eu●faret alas componens firmite● imunxit/ ne nimis alte propter solis ardorem ascen deret▪ quod Icharus sua ngligencia post ponens cum alcius sublimatus f●●sset subito ad terram corruens expira●●t  

I find how whilom Dedalus  
Which had a son/ and Icharus  
He height & though him thought loath  
In such prison they were both  
With mynotaurus that about  
They mighten nowher wenden out  
So they begunnen for to shape  
How they the prison might escape  
This Dedalus which fro his youth  
Was taught & many crafts couth  
Of feathers & of other things  
Hath made to flee divers wings  
For him & for his sone also  
To whom he gave in charge tho  
And bade him think thereupon  
How that his wings be set on  
With wax & if he took his flight  
To high all suddenlike he might  
Make it to melt with the son  
And thus they have her flyʒt legonne  
Out of the prison fair & soft  
And they were both aloft  
This Icharus 'gan to mount  
And of the good counseyl none acompte  
He set which his father taught  
Till that the son his wings caught  
Whereof it melt & ●rom the height  
Withouten help of any flight.  
He fell to hi● destruction  
And lych● to that condition  
There fallen oft-times feel  
For lok of governance in weal  
Als well in love as other weigh   

N●w good father I you prey  
If there be more in the matter  
●f s●uthe that I might it here  
M● seen & for thy diligence  
Which every man's comeyence  
●y reason should rule ● keep  
And if that the list to take keep  
〈◊〉 the trllen aboven all  
〈…〉 me no virtue may befall  
Which giveth unto the vices rest  
And is of sleuth 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  
kind/ Which all labour set behind.  
And hateth all business  
T●●re is yet one which idleness  
Is cleped and is the noryoe  
In man's kind of every vice  
Which secheth cases many fold  
In winter doth he nought for cold  
In summer may he nought for heat  
So whether that he freeze or sweet  
Or be he in or be he out  
He will been idle all about  
But if he play aught at the dies  
For who that ever taketh fees  
And thinketh worship to deserve  
There is no lord whom he will serve  
And for to duelle in his service  
But for it were in such a wise  
Of that he seeth peraventure  
That by lordship & by oeverture  
He may the more shonde stylla  
And use his Idleness at will  
For he ne will no travail take  
To ride for his lady sake  
But liveth upon all his wishes  
And as a Cat would eat fishes  
Without witting of his clees  
So would he do but nevertheless  
He faileth of that he have would    

Confessor  

My sone if thou of such a mould  
Art made tell me pleyne thy shrift    

Amans  

My father god I give a yift  
That toward love as he may wit  
All idle was I never yet  
Ne never shall while I may go   

Now sone tell me than so  
What hast thou done of besyshyp  
To love & to the ladyship  
Of her which thy lady is   

My father ever yet or this  
In every place in every stead  
What so my lady hath me bid  
With all mine heart obedient  
I have thereto be diligent  
And if so be that she bid nought  
What thing in to my thought  
Cometh first of that I may suffice  
I bow & proffer my service  
sometime in chambre sometime in hall  
Right so as I see the times fall  
And when she goth to here mass  
That time shall not me overpass  
That I ne approach her ladyhede  
In aunter if I may her lead  
Unto the chapel and again  
Than is not all my weigh in vain  
Somdele I may the better fare  
When I that may not feel her bare  
May lead her clothed in mine arm  
But afterward it doth me harm  
Of pure imagination  
For than there a collation  
I make unto my seluen oft  
And say O lord how she is soft  
How she is round. how she is small  
Now would god/ I had her all  
Without danger at my will  
And than I sick & sit full still  
Of that I see my busy thought  
Is turned idle in to nought  
But for all that let I ne may  
When I see time another day  
That I ne do my business  
Unto my ladies worthiness  
For I thereto my wit affayte  
To see the time & await  
What is to done & what is to leave  
And so when time is by her leave  
What thing she bid me do I do  
And where she bid me go ● go  
And when her list to clepe I come  
Thus hath she fullyche overcome  
Mine Idleness till that I starve  
So that I moat her needs serve  
For as men say need hath no law  
Thus moat I needily to her dew  
I serve I bow I loft I lout  
Mine eye followeth her about  
What so she will so will I  
When she will sit I kneel her by  
And when she standeth than will I stand  
But when she taketh her work on hand  
Of weaving or of brouderye  
Than can I not but muse & pry  
Upon her fingers long & small  
And now I think & now I tale  
And now I sing & now I sick  
And now my countenance I pike  
And if it fall as for a time  
Her liketh nought abide byme  
But occupieth her on other things  
Than make I other taryenges  
To drive forth the long day  
For me is loath to depart a way  
And than I am so simple of port  
That for to feign some disport  
I play with her little hound  
Now on the bed now on the ground  
Now with the birds in the cage  
For there is none so little page  
Ne yet so simple a Chamberere  
That I ne make 'em all cheer  
And all for they should speak weal  
Thus may ye see my busy wheel  
That goth not ydelyche about  
A 〈…〉 her list to riden out  
〈…〉 or other stead  
I come thus though I be not bid  
And take her in mine arm aloft  
And set her in her saddle soft  
And so forth lead her by the bridal  
For that I would not been idle  
And if her list to ride in char  
And that I may thereof be ware  
A none I shape me for to ride  
Right even by the chares side  
And as I may I speak among  
And otherwhile I sing a song  
Which Ovid in his book made  
And said O what sorrows glade  
O what woeful prosperity  
Belongeth to the property  
Of love who so will him serve  
And yet there fro may no man swerver  
That he ne moat his law obey  
And thus I ride forth my weigh  
And am right busy overall  
With heart & with my body all  
As I have said you here to fore  
My good father tell me therefore  
Of idleness if I have guilt   

My sone but if thou all wilt  
Ought else than I may now here  
Thou shalt have no penance here  
And nevertheless a man may see  
How now a days that there be  
Full many of such hearts slow  
That will not besyen hem to be know  
What thing that love is till at the last  
That he with strength hem overcast  
That maulgre hem they moat obey  
And done all idleship away  
To serve well & besylyche  
But soon than art thou none of such  
For love shall the well excuse  
But otherwise if thou refuse  
To love thou might so percase  
B●n idle as sometime was  
A kings daughter vnauysed  
Till that cupid her hath chastised  
Where of thou shalt a tal● here  
Acordaunt unto this matere   
Hic ponit Confessor Ex●mplum ●●os qui in amoris occupacionem omit 〈◊〉 gravioris infortunij casus expectant/ Et narrat de quadam Armennie Regis filia que huiusmodi condicionis in ●anapio iwentutis ociosa persistens micabili postea visione castigata in amoris obseqiwm pre ceteris diligencior efficitur/  

oF armeny I read thus  
There was a king which herupus/  
Was hot & he a lusty maid.  
To daughter had & as men said  
Her name was Rosiphele  
Which tho was of great renome  
For she was both wise & feyre  
And should be her father heir  
But she had one default of sloth  
Towards love & that was ruth  
For so well couth noman say  
Which might her set in the weigh  
Of loves occupation  
thorough none imagination  
That seole would she not know  
And thus she was one of the slow  
As of such hearts business  
Till when Venus the goddess  
Which loves court hath for to reule  
Hath brought her in to better reule  
Forth with Cupyde & his might  
For they marvel how such a wight  
Which tho was in her lusty age  
Desireth nouther marriage  
Ne yet the love of paramours  
Which ever hath been the common course  
Among 'em that lusty were  
So was it showed after there  
For he that high hearts loweth  
With fiery dart which he throweth  
cupid which of love is god  
In chastising hath made a rod  
To drive away her wantonness  
So that within a while I guess  
She had on such a chance sporned  
That all her moo● was overturned  
Which first she had of slow manner  
For this it fell as thou shalt here  
When come was the month of may  
She would walk upon a day  
And that was or the son aryst  
Of women but a few it wist  
And forth she went privily  
Unto the park was fast by  
All soft walkend upon the grass  
Till she came there the land was  
thorough which there ran a great river  
It thought her fair & said her  
I will abide under the shaw  
And bad her women to withdraw  
And there she stood alone still  
To think what was in her will  
She saw the sweet flowers spring  
She herd glad fowls sing  
She saw beasts in her kind  
The buk the do the heart the hind  
The male go with the femele  
And so began there a quarrel  
between love & her own heart  
For which she couth not astart  
And as she cast her eye about  
She saw clad in one suit a rout  
Of ladies where they come ride  
A long under the wood side  
On fair ambulend horse they seat  
That were all white fat & great  
And they eachone ride on side  
The sadeles were of such a pride  
With pearls & gold so well begun,  
So rich saw she never none  
In kyrtels & in copes rich  
They were clothed all alyche  
Departed even of white & blue  
With all lusts that she knew  
They were embroudred overall  
Here bodies were long & small  
The beauty fair upon her face  
None earthly thing it may deface  
Corownes on their hedes they bear  
As each of 'em a queen were  
That all the gold of Croesus' hall  
The lest coronal of 'em all  
might not have bought after the worth  
Thus come they rydend forth  
The kings daughter that saw that tide  
For pure abasshede drew her aside  
And held her close under abough  
And let hem still ride Enough  
For as her thought in her advice  
To hem that were of such a price  
She was not worthy to ask there  
Fro when they come & what they were  
But liefer than this worlds good  
She would have wist how it stood  
And put her heed a little out  
And as she looked her about  
She saw commend under the lined  
A woman upon an horse behind  
The horse on which she rood was black  
Al e'en & galled upon the back  
And halted as he were enc●oyed  
Whereof the woman was annoyed  
Thus was the horse in sorry plight  
But for all that a star light  
amids in the front she had  
Her saddle este was wonder bad  
In which the woeful woman sat  
And nevertheless there was with that  
A rich bridal for the nonce  
Of gold & precious stones  
Here cote was somedeal to tore  
About her middle tweuty score  
Of horse halters & well more  
There hangen that time though  
Thus when she came the lady nigh  
then she took better heed & sigh  
This woman was fair of village  
Fresh lusty young & tender of age  
And so this lady there she stood  
Bethought her well & understood  
To this which come rydend though  
tidings couth tell of though  
Which as she saw to fore ride  
And put her forth & prayed her abide  
And said O sister let me here  
What been they that riden now here  
And been so richly arrayed   

This woman that so came esmáyed  
Ausuerde with full soft speech  
And said Madame I shall you teach  
These are of though that whilom were  
Servants to love & truth bear  
There as they had their hearts set  
Far well for I may not let  
Madame I go to my seruyor  
So must I hast in all wise  
For thy madame give me leave  
I may not long with you leave  
A good sister yet I prey  
Tell why ye be so beseye  
And with these haltres thus begun   

Madame whilom I was one  
That to my father had a king  
But I was slow & for no thing  
Me list not to love obey  
And that I now full sore obey  
For I why lome no love had  
My horse is now feeble & bad  
And all to tore is mine array  
And every year this fresh may  
These lusty ladies ride about  
And I must needs sew her rout  
In this manner as ye now see  
And truss her haltres forth with me  
And am but her horse knave  
None other office I ne have  
Hempskirk thinketh I am worthy no more  
For I was slow in loves lore  
When I was able for to lere  
And would not the tales here  
Of 'em that couth love teach   

Now trsse me than I you beseech  
Where fore that rich bridal serveth  
With that away her cheer she swerveth  
And 'gan to weep & thus she told  
This rich bridal which ye behold  
So rich upon mine horse heed  
Madame afore or I was deed  
When I was in my lusty life  
There fell in to mine heart a strife  
Of love which me overcome  
So that thereof heed I nome  
And thought I would love a knight  
That last well a fonrtenyght  
For it no longer might last  
So nigh my life was at the last  
But now alas to late ware  
That I ne had him loved are  
For death came so hast vyme  
●r I thereto had any time  
That it ne might been achieved  
But for all that I am relieved  
Of that my will was good thereto  
That love suffereth it be so  
That I shall such a bridal were  
Now have ye herd all mine answer  
To god madame I you betake  
And warneth all for my sake  
Of love that they be nought idle  
And bid 'em think upon my bridal  
And with that word all suddenly  
She passeth as it were a sky  
All clean out of the lady sight  
And though for fore her heart aflyght  
And said to her self Alas  
I am right in the same case  
But and I live after this day  
I shall amend it if that I may  
And thus homeward this lady went  
And changed all her first intent  
Within her heart & 'gan to s●bere  
That she no haltres would bear   

Lo sone here might thou take heed  
How/ idleness is for to dread  
Namelyche of lone as I have write  
For thou might understand & wite  
Among the gentle nation  
Love is an occupation  
Which for to keep his lusts save  
Should every gentle heart have  
For as that lady was chastised  
Right so the knight may be advised  
Which idle is & will not serve  
To long he may per case deserve  
A greater pain than she had  
When she about with her lad  
The horse haltres & for thy  
Good is to be ware there by  
But for to loken above all  
These maidens how so it fall  
They should take ensample of this  
Which I have told forsooth it is   

My lady Venus whom I serve  
What women will her thank deserve  
She may not thylk love eschelbe  
Of paramours but she moat sew  
Cnpydes law and nevertheless  
Men say such love seld in peace  
That it nies ever upon afpye  
Of jange lyuge & of false envy  
Full oft meddled with disease  
But thylk love is well at ease  
Which set is upon marriage  
For that dare shown the visage  
In all places openly  
A great marvel it is for thy  
How that a maid will let  
That she her time ne beset  
To hast unto thilk feste  
Whereof the love is all honest  
Men may recover loss of good  
But so wise a man yet never stood  
Which may recover time lore  
So may a maiden well therefore  
Ensample take of that she straungeth  
Her love & long or that she changeth  
Her heart upon her lusts green  
To marriage as it is seen  
For thus a year two or three  
She left/ or▪ that she wedded be  
While she the charge might bear  
Of children which the wo●ld forbear  
Ne may but if it should fail  
But maiden that in her spousal  
Would tarry when she take may  
She shall per chance an other day  
Be let when that her levest were  
Whereof a tale unto thine ere  
Which is culpable upon this deed  
I think tell of that I read   
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 augmentacionem populi dei nondum genuisset. xl. dierum spacium ut cum suis sodalibus virginibus suam defleret virginitatem priusquam moreretur in exemplum aliorum a patre postulavit  

● 'Mong the jews as men told  
There was whilom by days old▪  
A noble duke which jepte height/  
And fell he should go to fight  
again Amon the cruel king  
And for to speak upon this thing  
within his heart he made a vow  
To god & said O lord if thou  
Wol grant unto my men victory  
I shall in tokne of thy memory  
The first life that I may see  
Or man or woman where it be  
Anon as I come home again  
To the which art god sovereign  
Sleen in thy name & sacryfye  
And thus with his chivalry  
He goth him forth where that he should  
when be had won what he would  
And overcame his foemen all  
May noman know that shall fall  
This duke a lusty daughter had  
And fame which the world sprad  
Hath brought unto this ladies ere  
How that her father hath do there  
She waiteth upon his coming  
with dancing & with carolling  
As she that would be to fere  
All other & so she was therefore  
In masphat at her fathers gate  
The first & when he cometh there eaten  
And saw his daughter he to brayed  
His clothes & wepend he said   

O mighty god among us here  
Now wot I not in what manner  
This worlds joy may be pleyne  
I had all that I couth sayen  
Ayene my foemen by thy grace  
So when I came to ward this place  
There was no gladder man than I  
But now my lord all suddenly  
My joy is turned in to sorrow  
For I my daughter shall to morrow  
To he●e & burn in thy service  
To loving of thy sacrifice  
Though mine avow so as it is   

The maiden when she wist of this  
And saw the sorrow her father made  
So as she may with words glade  
Comforted him & bade him hold  
His covenant as he was behold  
Towards god as he behyght  
But nevertheless her heart aflyght  
Of that she saw her death commend  
And than unto the ground knelend  
To fore her father she is fall  
And saith so as it is fall  
Upon this point that she shall die  
Of one thing first she would him pray  
That forty days of respite  
He would her grant upon this plight  
That she the while may be weep  
Her maidenhead which she keep  
So long hath had & not beset  
Whereof her youth is let  
That she no children hath forth draw  
In marriage after the law  
So that the people is not increased  
But that it might be releced  
That she her time hath lore so  
She would by his leave go  
With other maidens to compl●yne  
And after ward unto the pain  
Of doth she would come again   

The father herd his daughter sayne  
And thereupon of one assent  
The maidens were anon assent  
That sholden with this maiden wend  
So for to speak unto this end  
They gone the downs & the dales  
With weeping & woeful tales  
And every with her maidenhead  
complaineth upon thilk need  
That she no children had boar  
Whereof she hath her youth lore  
Which never she recover may  
For so fell that her last day  
Was come in which she should take  
Her death which she may not forsake  
●● thus she died a woeful maid  
For thylk cause which I said  
As thou hast understand above  
My father as toward the love  
Of maidens for to tell truth  
Ye have thylk vice of sloth  
Me thinketh wonder well declared  
That ye the women have not spared  
Of 'em that tarry so behind  
But yet it falleth in my mind  
Toward the men how that ye speak  
Of 'em that will no travail seek  
In cause of love upon desert  
To speak in words so cowert  
I not what travail that ye meant   

My sone & after mine intent  
I will the tell how that I thought  
How whilom men her loves bought  
thorough great travail in strange lands  
Where that they wrought with her hands  
Of arms many a worthy deed  
In sundry places as men may read   
Quem probat armorum probitas venus approbat & que in/ Torpor habet reprobum reprobat illa virum/ Vecors segnicies insignia nescit amoris Nam piger ad bravium tardius ipse venit  
Hic loquitur quod in amoris causa milicie probitas ad armorum laboris eyercicium nullatenus torpescat  

tHat every love of pure kind  
Is first forth draw well I find/  
But nevertheless yet over this,  
Desert doth so that it is  
The rather had▪ in many place  
For thy who so seek loves grace  
Where that these worthy women ar●  
He may not than himself spare  
Upon his travail for to serve  
Whereof that he may thank deserve  
These men of arms there as they be  
Sometime over the great see  
So that by land & eke by ship  
He moat travail for worship  
And make many hasty roads  
sometime in pruys sometime in Rhodes  
And sometime in to Tartarye  
So that these heralds on him cry  
Vaylant Vaylant/ lo where he goth  
And he giveth 'em gold & cloth  
So that his name might spring  
And to his lady ere bring  
Some tiding of his worthiness  
So that she might of his prowess  
Of that she herd men record  
The better unto his love accord  
And danger put out of her mood  
When all men recorden good  
And that she wot well for her sake  
That 〈◊〉 no travail would forsake  
My sone of this travail I mean  
Now shrive the for it shall be seen  
If thou art idle in this cas  
My father ye and ever was  
For as me thinketh truly  
That every man doth more than I  
And of this point & if so is  
That I have aught done or this  
It is so little of account  
As who saith it may not amonnte  
To win of love his lusty yift●  
For this I tell you in shryft●  
That me were liefer her love win  
Than Prayer & all that is therein  
And for to slay the heathen all  
I not what good there might fall  
So moche blood though there were shed  
This find j so written that christ bad  
That no man other should slay  
What should I win over the see  
If I my lady left at home  
But pass they the salt foam  
To whom christ bad should preach  
To all the world & his faith teach  
But now they rucken in her nest  
And resten as hem liketh best  
In all the sweetness of delyces  
Thus they defenden us the vices  
And sitten hem self all amy●de  
To slay & fight they us bid  
Him whom they should as ● book seith  
Connerten unto Crystes faith  
But here of have I great marvel  
How they would me bid travail  
A Sa●●syn if I slay shall  
I slay the soul forth with all  
And that was never Crystes lote  
But now hoo thereof I say no more   
Hic allegat Amans in sui excusacionem qualiter Achilles apud Troiam propter amorem ●olixene●● arma sua per aliquod tempus dimisit  

But I will speak upon my shri●●●  
And to cupid I make a yefte  
That who as ever price deserve  
Of Arms I will love serve  
As though I should hem both keep  
As well would I take keep  
When it were time to abide  
As for to travail & for to ride  
For how as ever a man labour  
cupid hath ever his hour  
For I have herd tell also  
Achilles left his arms so  
Both of himself & of his men  
At Troy fro Polyxenen  
Upon her love when he fell  
That for no chance that be fell  
Among the greeks up or down  
He would nought ayene the tows  
B● armed for the love of her  
And so me thinketh leave sir  
A man of arms may him rest  
Sometime in hope for the best  
If he may find a weigh near  
What should I than go so far  
In strannge lands many a my●●  
To ride & lose at home the while  
My love it were a short beyete  
To win chaff & lose wheat  
But if my lady bid would  
That I for her love should  
travail me thinketh truly  
I might flee thorough out the sky  
And so thorough out the deep see  
For all ne set I not a s●re  
What th●ng that I might else get  
What helpeth a man to have meet  
When drink lacketh on the board  
What helpeth any man's word  
To say how I travail fast  
Where as me fayllith at the last  
That thing which I travail fore  
O in good time were he ●ore  
That might attain such a need  
But certes if I might speed  
With any manner business  
Of worlds travail than I guess  
There should me none idleship  
Depart from her ladyship  
But this I see on days now  
The blind god I wot not how  
cupid which of love is lord  
He set the things in discord  
That they that love lest attend  
Full oft he would 'em give & send  
most of his grace & thus I find  
That he that should go behind  
Goth many a time far tofore  
So wot● I not right well therefore  
On whether board that I shall sey●e  
Thus can I nought myself counsel  
But all I set on adventure  
And am as who saith out of cure  
For aught that I can say or do  
For evermo I find it so  
The more business that I lay  
The more that I kneel & pray  
With good words & with soft●  
The more I am refused oft  
With business & may not win  
And in good faith that is great sin  
For I may say of deed & thought  
That idle man have I ●e nought  
For how as ever that I be slayde  
Yet evermore I have assayed  
But though my business last  
Al is but idle at the last  
When th'effect is idleness  
I not what thing is business  
Say what availeth all the deed  
Which helpeth no thing at need  
For the fortune of every fame  
Shall of his end lere a name  
And for aught that is yet befall  
And idle man I will me call  
And after mine intendment  
But upon your amendment  
Mine holy father as then seemeth  
My reason & my cause deemeth  
Mine sone I have heard the m●●●●  
Of that thou haste the shryn●n here  
And for to speak of ●ydel far  
Me seemeth that thou tharst not ●●●●  
But only that thou might not speed  
And thereof son I will the rede  
Abide & haste not to fast  
Thy dies been every day to cast  
Thou nost what chance shall bety●●  
Better is to wait upon the tide  
Than row against the streams strong  
For though so be ye think long  
●er case the revolution  
Of heaven and thy condition  
Ne be not yet of one accord  
But I dare make this record  
To venus whose priest that I am  
That sithen that I thither came  
To here as she me bad thy life  
Whereof thou else be gyltyf  
Thou might hereof thy conscience  
Excuse & of greet diligence  
Which thou to lone haste so dyspended●  
Thou oughtest well to be commended  
But if so be that there ought fay●●  
Of that thou slouthest to travail  
In arms for to be absent  
And for thou makest an argument  
Of that thou saidest here above  
How achilles through strength of love  
His arms left for a throw  
Thou shalt an other tale know  
Which is contrary as thou shalt wi●●  
For this a man may find wried  
When that knighthood shall be werred●  
●ust may nought thenne be preferred  
The bed mote than be forsake  
And shield & spear on hand take  
Which thing shall make 'em after glad  
When they worthy kynght●● 〈◊〉 ●●●●  
Whereof so as it cometh to hand  
A tale thou shalt understand  
How that a knight shall arms sew  
And for the while hi●●ase eschew   
Hic dicit ●●moris delectamento posi●●si●● miles arn●● sua prefer defet/ Et ponit e●emplum de v●yxe cum ipse a bello Troiano proper amorem ●●●e●o●● remanere domi voluisset/ Name plus pater Palamides cum tantis sermonibus allocutus est/ ● ulixes thoro sue coningis relicto labores Armorum una cum alijs troy magnanimus su●●●●t  

●on knighthood I need thus  
How whilom the king Nam plus/  
The father of ●alamydes  
Cam for to preyen ●lyxes  
With other Gregoys eke also  
That he with hem to Troy go  
Where that the●syege▪ should be  
Anon upon penelope  
His wis whom that he loveth hot  
Thynkind would not hem behote  
But he shope than a wonder wile  
How that he should 'em beguile  
So that he might du●lle still  
At home & wield his love at will  
Whereof early at the morrow day  
Out o●●his bed where that he lay  
When he was up/ he 'gan to far  
In to the field & look & stare  
As he which feigneth to be wood  
He took a plough where that it stood  
Wheryn anon in stead of Ox's  
He let do yoken great Foxes  
And with great salt the land he sew  
But Namplus which the cause knew  
Ayene the sleight which he feigneth  
Another sleight anon ordaineth  
And fell that time ulyxes had  
A child to soon & namplus ●ad  
How men that child take should  
And set him upon the mould  
Where that his father held the plough  
In thilk forugh which ●e though drough  
For in such wise he thought ossaye  
How it ulyxes should pay  
If that he were wood or none  
The knights for the child forth gone  
The lamacus anon was fett  
To fore the ylough & even set  
Where that his father should drive  
But when he saw his child belive  
He droof the plough out of the weigh  
And Namplus though began to say  
And hath half in a jape cried  
O ulyxes thou art espied  
What is all this thou wouldest mean  
For openlyche it is now seen  
That thou hast feigned all this thing  
Which is great shame to a king  
When that for lust of any sloth  
Thou wilt a quarrel of truth  
Of arms thylk honour forsake  
And duelle at home for loves sake  
For better it were honour to win  
Than love which liking is inn  
For thy take worship upon hand,  
And else thou shalt understand  
These other worthy knights all  
Of Grece which unto the call  
Towards the will be right wrath  
And grieve the perchance' both  
Which shall be to the double shame  
most for the hyundring of thy name  
That thou for sloth of any love  
Shalt so thy lusts set above  
And leave of Arms the knighthood  
Which is the price of thy manhood  
And ought first to be desired  
But he which had his heart fired  
Upon his wife when he this herd  
Nought one word there ayeve answered  
But turneth him haluing ashamed  
And within himself so tamed  
His heart that all the soty●  
Of love for chivalry  
He left & be him leef or loath  
To Troy with 'em forth be goth  
That he might not excuse  
Thus stant it if a knight refuse  
The lust of arms to travail  
There may no worlds ease avail  
But if worship be with all  
And that showed hath overall  
For it sit well in all wise  
A knight to be of high emprise  
And put all dread away  
For in this wise I have herd say   
hIc narrat super eodem qualiter La adomia Regis Prothesalai uxor volens ipsum a bello Troiano secum re ●inere fatam sibi mortem in portu troy prenunciavit▪ sed ipse miliciam poa●e quam ocia affectans Troiam adijt. ubi sue mortis pr●c●o perpetue laudis Troni●m ademit  

The worthy king Prothesalay  
On his passage where he lay  
Toward Troy thylk siege  
She which was his own lyege  
●●●domye his lusty wife  
Which for his love was pensive  
As she which all her heart he had  
Upon a thing which she●drad  
A letter for to make him duelle  
from Troy send him thus to tell  
How she hath axed of the wise  
Touchend of him in such a wise  
That they have done to understand  
Toward other how so it stand  
The destiny it hath so shape  
That he shall not the death escape  
●n c●●● that he at●yue at Troy  
For thy as to their worlds joy  
With all her heart she him prayed  
And many another cause alleyde  
That he with her at home abide  
But he hath cast her letter a side  
As ●e which tho no manner heed  
Took of her wommen dread  
And forth he goth as nought ne were  
To Troy & was the first there  
Which ●ondeth & took ar●yuayle  
For him was liefer in the battle  
He saith to deyen as Turrian knight  
Than for to live in all his might  
And be reproved of his name  
Lo thus upon the worlds fame  
knighthood hath ever yet beset  
Which 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 king Saul also I find  
When samuel out of his kind  
thorough that the phi●●nes hath lered/  
In samary was a●●●ed Long time after that he was deed  
The king Saul him asketh deed  
If he shall go fight or none  
And Samuel him said anon  
The first day of the battle  
Thou shalt be slain without fail  
And jonathas thy sone also  
But how as ever it fell so  
This worthy knight of his courage  
Hath undertake the viage  
And would nought his knighthood let  
For no peril he couth set  
Whereof that both his son & ●e  
Upon the Mount of Gel●oe  
Assemblen with here enemies  
For they knighthood of such a pries  
By old days thenne helden  
That they none other thing beholden  
And thus the father for worship  
Forth with his son of fellowship  
thorough lust of arms weren deed  
As men may in the bible read  
There whose knighthood is yet in mind  
And shall be to the worlds ●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 educavit ut auda● efficeretur primitus edocui●/ quam cum ipse venacionibus insisteret ●eoues & Tigrides huiusmodique animalia resistencia & nulla alia fugitiva agitaret▪ et sic Achilles in iuuentute animatus famosis sime milicie probitate in post●odum ad optavit  

aNd for to looken overmore  
It hath & shall evermore  
That of knighthood that prowess  
Is grounded upon hardiness  
Of him & that he will undertake  
And who that would ensample take  
Upon the form of knights ●awe  
How that Achilles was forth dew  
With Chyro which Centaurus hyght●  
Of many a wonder lere he myght●  
For it stood thylk time thus  
That this Chyro this Centaurus  
Within a large wilderness  
Where was lion & Leoness:  
The leopard and the Tiger also  
With heart/ hind/ buk/ and do  
Hath his duelling as though befell  
Of Pyleon upon the hell  
Whereof was than much speech  
There hath Chyro this child to teach  
What time he was of●● twelve year age  
Wherefore to maken his courage  
The more hardy by other weigh  
In the forest though to hunt & play  
What time Achilles' walk would  
Cent●nrus bade that he ne should  
After no be'st make his chaas  
Which would fleen out of his place  
As ba●● do heart & Hind  
With which he may no we●●e find  
But though that would him withstand  
There should he with his dart on hand  
Upon the Tiger and the Lion  
Purchase & take his venyson  
As to a knight is acordaunt  
And thereupon a covenant  
This Chyro with Achilles set  
That every day without let  
He should seche a cruel best  
Or i'll or wounden at the lest  
So that he might a tokne bring  
Of blood upon his home coming  
Thus that of Chyro him taught  
Achilles such an heart caught  
That he no more a lion dread  
When be his dart on hand ●ad  
Than if a lion were an ass  
And that hath made him for to pass  
All other knights of his deed  
When it came to the great need  
As it was afterward well know    

Confessor  

●o thus my son thou might know  
That the courage of hardyesse  
Is of knighthood the prowess  
Which is to love suffisant  
above all the remnant  
That unto loves court pursue  
But who that would no sloth eschew  
Upon knighthood & not travail  
I not what love him should avail  
But every labour aseth why  
Of some reward whereof that I  
Ensamples couth tell enough  
Of 'em that toward love drough  
By old days as they should  
My father thereof here I would  
My sone it would be reasonable  
In place which is honourable  
If that a man his heart set  
That than he for no sloth le●t  
To do what longeth to manhood  
For if thou wilt the books read  
Of launcelet & other more  
There might thou seen how it wa● t●●  
Of arms for they would attain  
To love which is withouten pe●n●  
May not be get of Pelnesse  
And that I take to witness  
An old Crony●●e in special  
The which in to memorial  
Is write for his loves sake  
How that a knight shall undertake   
Hic dicit qd Miles priusquam amoris amplexu dignitatis efficiatur eventus bellicos victoriosus amplecteve debet/ et narrat qualiter Hercules et achillous propter De●anitam Calidonie Regis Filiam singulare duellum ad invicem ●merunt▪ a●us victor Hercules existen ti● armorum me●tis amorem virginie ●audabiliter conquestavit  

hHer was a king which O●ne●  
Was hot & he under peace  
Held Calydonye in his empire  
And had a d●ughter Deyanyre  
M●n wist in thylk time none  
●● f●yre a wight as she was one  
〈…〉 she was a lusty wight  
〈…〉 ●o was than a noble knight  
〈…〉 mercury father was  
This knight the ●●o pilers of bras  
T●● which yet a man may find  
Set v● in the desert of Ind  
That was the worthy Hercules  
Wh●s name shall be endless  
For the marvels which wrought  
This Hercules the love sought  
Of Deyanyre & of this thing  
Unto ●●r father which was king  
He s●a● touchend of marriage  
The king knowend his high lineage  
And dread also his mights stern  
To him ne durst his daughter werne  
And nevertheless this ●e him saide  
How Achylous or he first prayed  
To wedden her and in accord  
They stood as it was of record  
But for all that this he him granteth  
That which of 'em that other daunteth  
In arms him she should take  
And that the king hath undertake  
This Achy●bus was a giant  
A subtle man a deceivant  
Which thorough magic & sorcerye  
couth all the world of Treachery  
And when he this tale heard  
How that upon that the king answered  
With Hercules he must fight  
He trusteth nought upon his sleight  
All only when it cometh to need  
But that which voideth all dread  
And every noble heart stirreth  
The love that no life forbeareth  
For his lady whom he desireth  
With hardyesse his heart fireth  
And send him word without fail  
That he will take the battle  
They setten a day they chosen fesd●  
The knights covered under shield  
To guider come at time set  
And each one is with other met  
It fell they fought both on foot  
There was no stone there was no rote  
Which might let hem the weigh  
But all was void & take a weigh  
They smitten strokes but a few  
For Hercules which would show  
His great strength as for the nonce  
He start upon him all at ones  
And caught him in his arms strong  
This giant wot he may not long  
Endure under so hard bonds  
And thought he would out of his hands  
By sleight in some manner escape  
And ans he couth himself for shape  
In likeness of an adder he slypt●  
Out of his hand & forth he skypte  
And eft as he that fight will  
He borneth him in to a bull  
And 'gan to belwe in such a son  
As though the world should all go down  
The ground he sporneth & he traunceth  
His large horns he auaun●●th  
And cast him here & there about  
But he which stant of him no doubt  
A waiteth well when that he came  
And him by both horns name  
And all at ones he him cast  
Upon the ground & held him fast  
That he ne might with no sleight  
Out of his hand getes on height  
Till he was overcome & ●olde  
And Hercules hath what he would  
The king hy●● granted to fulfil  
His asking at his own will  
And she for whom he had served  
Her thought he had well deserved  
And thus with great desert of arms  
He won her to lig in arms  
As he which hath her dear about  
For otherwise should ●e nought   
Not● de pantasilia Ama●onie Regina que Hectoris amore colligata contra Pireum Achillis filium apud Tro ●am arma ferre eciam specialiter non recusavit  

And over this if thou wilt here  
Upon knighthood of this matter  
How love & arms been acquainted  
A man may see both write & painted  
So farforth that pantasile  
Which was the queen of Femyne  
The love of Hector afore to seek  
And for thonou● of arms eke  
To Troy came with spear & shield  
And road her self in to the field  
With maidens armed all about  
In rescous of the Town all about  
Which with the greeks was byleyn   
Nota qualiter Pholiphemeus propter mi●●cie famam a finibuo terre in defensionem troy veniens tres puellas a Regno Amaz●nie quoli●et anno perci piendas sibi et heredibus suis imperpetuum ea de causa habere promeruit  

from paphagonye & as men say  
Which stant upon the worlds end  
That time it liked eke to wend  
Polyphemus which was king  
To Troy & come upon this thing  
In help of thylk noble Town  
And all was that for the renown  
Of worship & of worlds fame  
Of which he would bear a. name  
And so he deed & forth with all  
He won of love in special  
A fair Tribute for evermo  
For it fell thylk time so  
Pirrus the son of Achilles  
The worthy queen among the pres  
With deadly sword sought out & fond  
And slough her with his own hand  
Whereof this king of Paphagonye  
Pantasile and to Amazo●ie  
Where she was queen with him lad  
With such maidens as she had  
Of 'em that were left alive  
For in this ship till they aryue  
Where that the body was begrave  
With worship & the women save  
And for the goodness of this deed  
They graunten him a lusty meed  
That every year as for truage  
To him & to his heritage  
Of maidens fair he shall have three  
And in this wise sped ●e  
Which the fortune of arms sought  
With his travail his ease he bought  
For other wise he should have failed  
If that he had nought travailed   
Nota pro ●o qd Aeneas Regem Tur num in bello devicit non folum amor●●auine/ sed et Regnum Italie sibi sub ●ugatum obtinuit  

Aeneas eke within italy  
Ne had wonnen the battle  
And done his might so busily  
Ayene king Turn his enemy  
He had nought soveyne won  
But for he hath him over run  
He got his p●ys & won her love   

By this ensample here above  
●o now my son as I have told  
Thou might well see who that is bold  
And dare travail & undertake  
The cause of love he shall be take  
The cather unto loves grace  
For comonly●he in worthy place  
The women loven worthiness  
Of manhood & of gentleness  
For the gentles be most desired   

My father but I were Inspired  
thorough low of you I wot no weigh  
What gentleness is for to say  
Whereof to tell I you beseech   
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 son for to seche  
●●●n this definition  
The ●●●ldes constitution  
●ath sei the name of gentleness  
●●●n the fortune of richesse  
Which of long time is fall in age  
●hat is a man of high lineage  
Af●●r the fortune as thou might here  
But no thing of the mat●re  
For who that reason understand  
V●on riches it may not stand  
For that is thing which faileth oft  
For he that stant to day aloft  
And all the world hath in his wones  
To morrow he falleth all at ones  
Out of riches in to poverty  
So that thereof is no desert  
Which gentleness maketh abide  
And for to look on other side  
How that a gentleman is boar  
Adam which was all tofore  
With Eve his wife as of 'em two  
Al was alike gentle though  
So that of generation  
To make declaration  
There may no gentleness be  
For to the reason if we see  
Of man's birth the measure  
It is so common of nature  
That it y●ueth every man alike  
As well to the pour as to the rich  
For naked they been bore both  
The lord hath no more to cloth  
As of himself that ilk throw  
Than hath the pourest of the row  
And when they shall both pass  
I not of 'em which hath the lass  
Of worlds good but of charge  
The lord is more for to charge  
When he shall his count here  
For he hath had his lusts here  
But of the body which shall die  
All though there be divers weigh  
To death yet is there but one end  
To which that every man wend  
As well the beggar as the lord  
Of one nature of one accord  
She which our elder mother is  
The earth both that and this  
receiveth & all alyche denoureth  
That she to neither part favoureth  
So wot I no thing after kind  
Where I may gentleness find  
For lak of virtue lak of grace  
Whereof richesse in many place  
When men ween best to stand  
Al suddenly goth out of hand  
But virtue set in the courage  
There may no world be so salvage  
Which might it take & done away  
Till when that the body die  
Than he shall be ryched so  
So that may fail nevermo  
That it may well be gentleness  
Which giveth so great a sickerness  
For after the condition  
Of reasonable intention  
The which out of the soul groweth  
And the virtue from vice knoweth  
Whereof a man the vice escheweth  
Without sloth & virtue seweth  
That is very gentleman  
And no thing else which he can  
Ne which he hath ne which he may  
But for all that yet now a day  
In loves court to taken heed  
The pour virtue shall not speed  
That where the rich vice wooeth  
For seld it is that love alloweth  
The gentleman without good  
Though his condition be good  
But if a man of both two  
Be rich & virtuous also  
Than is he well the more worth  
But yet to put himself forth  
He muse done his business  
For neither good ne gentleness  
May helpen 'em which idle be  
But who that wo● in his degree  
Travail so as it belongeth  
It happeth oft that he fongeth  
Worship & ease both two  
For ever yet it hath be so  
That love honest in sundry weigh  
profiteth for it doth away  
The vice & as the books say  
It maketh courteous of the vyleyn  
And to the Coward hardyesse  
It giveth so that very prowess  
Is caused upon loves reule  
To him that can manhood reule  
And eke toward the womanhead  
Who that thereof would taken heed  
For they the better affayted be  
In every thing as men may see  
For love both ever his lusts green  
In gentle folk as it is seen  
Which thing there may no kind arrest  
I trow that there is no best  
That he with love should acqueynte  
That he ne would make it quaint  
As for the while that it last  
And thus conclude at the last  
That they been idle as me seemeth  
Which unto thing that love deemeth  
For slouthen that they should do  
And over this my sone also  
To speak of love if I shall seek  
After the virtue moral eke  
Among the holy books wise  
I find write in such a wise  
Who loveth not is here as deed  
For love above all other is heed  
Which bath the virtues for to lead  
Of all that unto man's deed  
Belongeth for of idleship  
He hateth all the fellowship  
For sloth is ever to despise  
Which in disdain hath all apprise  
And that acordeth not to man  
For he that wit & reason can  
It sit him well that he travail  
Upon some thing which might avail  
For idleship is not commended  
But every law it hath defended  
And in ensamples thereupon  
The noble wise Solomon  
Which had of every thing insight  
saith as the birds to the flight  
Be made so the man is boar  
To labour which is nought forlese  
To hem that thinken for to thrive  
For we which are now alive  
Of 'em that busy whilom were  
As well in scoles as elles where  
Now every day ensample take  
That if it were now to make  
Thing which first they founden out  
It should not be brought about  
Her lives then were longg  
Here wits great her mights strong  
Here virtues full of business  
Whereof the worlds readiness.  
In body both & in courage  
Stant ever upon his advantage  
And for to draw in to memory  
Her names both & her story  
Upon the virtue of her deed  
In sundry books thou might read   
Expedit in manibus labor ut de cotidiams▪ Actibus et vita viue●● poseit homo/ Sed qui doctrine causa fert mente labores/ Prevalet et merita perpetu ata parat  
Hic loquitur centra ●ciosos quoscumque/ et mayime contra istos qui excellentis prudency 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 mediant divina arts & sci enc●as primitus invenerunt  

oF every wisdom the perfect  
The high god of his spirit  
gave to the men in earth here  
Upon the form & the matter  
Of that he would make h●m wise  
And thus came in the first apprise  
Of goods and of all good  
thorough hem that whilom understood  
The lore which to hem was give  
Whereof these other that now live  
But every day to learn new  
But all the time that men sew  
And that the labour forth it brought  
There was no corn though men it sought  
In none of all the fields out  
And or the wisdom came about  
Of 'em that first the books write  
This may every wise man wite  
There was great labour ●●e also  
Thus was none idle of the two  
That on the plough hath undertake  
The labour which the land hath take  
That other took to study & muse  
As he which would not refuse  
The labour of his wits all  
And in this wise it is befall  
Of labour what that they bygonne  
We be now ●ought of that we con  
Here business is yet seen  
That it stant ever alike green  
Al be it so the body die  
The name of hem shall never away  
In the chronic as I find  
Chamwhose labour is yet in mind  
Was he which first the letters fond  
And wrote in bebrewe with his hand  
Of natural philosophy  
He fond first also the clergy  
Cadmus the letters of gregoys  
first made upon his own choice   

Theges of thing that shall befall  
He was the first angnrre of all   

And Philemenon by the visage  
Fond to describe the courage   

Cladius Eldras & Sulpyces  
Telmegis Panulf & Frigidylles  
Menander Epyloquorus  
Solius Pandarus and josephus  
The first were of endytours  
Of old chronic & eke auctors   

And Heredot in his science  
Of metre/ of Rhyme and of Cadence  
The first was which men note   

And of music also the note  
In man's voys/ or soft or sharp  
That fiend jubal/ & of the harp  
The merry son which is to like  
That fond polius forth with physic   

Zevers fond first the portraiture  
And Promotheus the seulpture  
After what form that hem thought  
The resemblance anon they wrought   

Tubal in iron and in steel  
Fond the forge & wrought it weal   

And jadael as saith the book  
first made net & fishes took  
Of hunting eke he fond the chase  
Which now is know in many place  
A tent for cold with cord & stake  
He set up first & dyd'it make   

Verconius the Coke●ye  
first made the delicacy   

The craft Myn●rae of wool fond  
And made cloth her own hand   

And Dellora made it of line  
though women were of great engine  
But thing which giveth meet & drink  
And doth the labour for to swynk  
To till the lands & set wines  
Whereof the corns & the wines  
Been sustenance to mankind  
In old books as I find   

Saturnus of his own wit  
Hath found first & more yet  
Of chapmenhode he fond the weigh  
And eke to coygne the money  
Of sundry metal as it is  
He was the first man of this  
But how that metal came a place  
thorough man's wit & god's grace  
The Rout of Philosophres wise  
Contreveden by sundry wise  
first for to get it out of mine  
And after for to try & fine   

And also with great diligence  
They fond thylk experience  
Which cleped is Alconomye  
Whereof the silver multiply  
They made & eke the gold also  
And for to tell how it is so  
Of bodies seven in special  
With four spirits joint with all  
Stant the substance of this matter  
The bodies which I speak of here  
Of the planets been begun  
The gold is titled to the son  
The moan of silver hath his part  
And Iren that stand upon Mart  
The lead after Saturn groweth  
And Inbiter the ●ras bestoweth  
The Coper set is to Venus  
And to his part Mercurius  
Hath the quick silver as it falleth  
The which after the book it calleth  
Is first of ●hylk four named  
Of spirits which been proclaimed  
And spirit which is the second  
In Sal Armonyak is found  
The third spirit Sulphur is  
The fourth sewend after this  
Antimonium by name is hot  
With blowing & with fires hot  
In these things which I say  
They worthen by divers way  
For as the philosopher told  
Of gold & silver they been hold  
Two pryncypal extremities  
To which all other by degrees  
Of the metals been according  
And so thorough kind resembling  
That what man couth away take  
The rust of which they woxen black  
And the savour of the hardness  
They sholden take the likeness  
Of gold & silver perfectly  
But for to work it sekerly  
between the corpse & the spirit  
Ex that the metal be perfit  
In seven forms it is set  
Of all & if that one be let  
The remenannt may not fail  
But otherwise it may not avail  
For they by whom this art was found  
To every point a certain bound  
Ordeynen that a man may find  
This craft is wrought by weigh of kind  
So that there is no fable ●nne  
But what man that this work legynne  
He moat await at every tide  
So that no thing be left a side  
first of the distillation  
Forth with the congellation  
solution dissension  
And keep in his intention  
The point of sublimation  
And forth with calcination  
Of very approbation  
Do that there be fixation  
With temporat letre of the fire  
Till be the perfit Elyxer  
Of thylk Philosophres stone  
May get of which that many one  
Of philosophers that whilom write  
And if thou wilt the names wite  
Of thylk stene with either two  
Which as the clerks maden the  
So as the books it recorden  
The kind of 'em I shall recorden   
Nota de tribus lapidibus quos phi lcsophi compesuerunt. quorum primus ●apis vegetabilis qiu sanitatem conser vat/ 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 wise  
By weigh of kind in sundry  
Wise The stones made through clergy  
The first I shall specify  
Was Lapis Vegetabilis  
Of which the proper virtue is  
To man's bele for to serve  
As for to keep & to preserve  
The body fro sickness all  
Till death of kind upon him fall   

The second stone I the behote  
Is ●apis Animalis hot  
Wh●s virtue is proper & couth  
For erc and eye nose & mouth  
Whereof a man may here & see  
And smell & taste in his degree  
And for to feel & for to go  
It helpeth a man of both two  
The wits frue he under fongeth  
To keep as it to him belongeth   

The third stone in fpecial  
By name is cleped myneral  
Which the metals of every mine  
Attempreth till that they be fine  
And putteth 'em by such a weigh  
That all the vice goth away  
Of rust of stink & of hardness  
And when they been of such cleanness  
This mynetal so as I find  
Transformeth all the first kind  
And maketh 'em able to conceive  
thorough his virtue & to receive  
Both in substance & in figure  
Of gold & silver the nature  
For they two been thextremytees  
The which after the propyrtees  
Hath every metal his desire  
With help & comfort of the fire  
And with this stone/ as it is said  
Which to the son & moan is laid  
For to the red & to the white  
This stone hath power for to profit  
It maketh multiplication  
Of gold and the fixation  
It causeth and of his habit  
He doth the work to be●parfyte  
Of thylk Elyxer which men call  
Alconomye as it is byfalle  
To hem that whilom were wise  
But now it stant all other wise  
They speaken fast of thylk stone  
But how to make it know none  
After the sooth experience  
And nevertheless great diligence  
They setten upon thylk deed  
And spyllen more than they speed  
For alway they find a let  
Which bringeth in poverty & debt  
To hem that rich were to fore  
The loss is had the lucre is lore  
To get a pound they spend fyu●  
I not how such a craft shall thrive  
In the manner as it is used  
It were better be refused  
Than for to worchen upon ween  
In thing Which stant not as they went  
But not for thy who that knew  
The science of himself is true  
Upon the form as it was founded  
Whereof the names yet be grounded  
Of 'em that first it founded out  
And thus the fame goth at about  
To such as soughten business  
To virtue and of worthiness  
Of whom if I the names call  
Hermes was one of the first of all  
To whom this art is most applied  
Geber thereof was magnified  
And Ortolan and Maryen  
Among the which is avicen  
Which fond & wrote a great party  
The practic of Alconomye  
whose books plainly as they stand  
Upon this craft few understand  
But yet to putten in assay  
There been full many now a day  
That known little what they mean  
It is not one to wite & ween  
In form of words they it treat  
But yet they failen of beyete  
For of to moche or of to light  
There is algate found a wite  
So that they follow not the line  
Of the perfit medicine  
Which grounded is upon nature  
But they that written the scripture  
Of Greek Arabe & Chaldee  
They were of such authority  
That they first founden out the weigh  
Of all that thou hast herd me say  
Whereof the chronic of her lore  
Shall stand in price for evermore  
But toward our marches here  
Of the latyns if thou wilt here  
Of 'em that whilom virtuous  
Were and thereto laborious  
Carment made of here engine  
The first letters of latin  
Of which the tongue Roman came  
Whereof that Arystarchus nam  
Forth with Donat and Dyndymus  
The first rule of school & thus  
How that latin shall be compowued  
And what wise it shall be souned  
That every word in his degree  
Shall stand upon congruity  
And thylk time of Rome also  
Was Tullyus with Cythero  
That written upon rhetoric  
How that men shall the words pike  
After the form of eloquence  
Which is men say a great prudence  
And after that out of he bre●●e  
Jerome Which the language knew  
The bible in which the law is closed  
In to latin he hath transposed  
And many another writer eke  
Out of Chaldee Arabe & Greek  
With great labour the books wise  
Ttanslateden & another wise  
The latyns of 'em self also  
Here study at thylk time so  
With great travail of school took  
In sundry form for to look  
That we may take here evidence  
Upon the lore of the science  
Of crafts both & of clergy  
Among the which in poesy  
To the lovers Ovid wrote  
And taught of love to be hot  
In what manner it should akele    

Confessor  

For thy my son if that thou feel  
That love bring the tofore  
Behold Ovid & take his lore   

My father if they might speed  
My love I would his books read  
And if they techen to restrain  
My love it were an idle pain  
To learn a thing which may not be  
For lyche unto a green tree  
If that men took his rote away  
Right so my heart should die  
If that my love be withdraw  
Whereof touchend unto this saw  
There is but only to pursue  
My love & idleship to eschew   

My good son soothe to say  
If there be syker any weigh  
To love thou hast said the best  
For who that will have all his rest  
And do no trevayle at need  
It is no reason that he speed  
In loves cause for to win  
For he Which dare no thing begin  
I not what thing he should ●cheue  
But over this thou shalt believe  
So as it sit the well to know  
That there been other vices slow  
Which unto love done great let  
Is thou thine heart upon 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/ unde quatenus amorem concernit Confessor Amanti diligencius opponit  

tOward the slow progeny  
There is yet one of Company  
And he is cleped Sōpnole●ice  
Which death to sloth his reverence  
●● he which is his chamberlain  
That many an hundred time hath lain  
To sleep when he shield wake  
He hath with love tre●●es take  
That wake who so wake will  
If he may couch a deune his bill  
He hath all what him list  
That oft he goth to bed unkyst  
And saith that for no druerye  
●● will not leave his sluggardye  
For though that noman it would allow  
To sleep liefer than to woo  
Is his manner/ & thus on nights  
When he seeth the lusty knights  
Re●●len where these women are  
Away he seulketh as an hare  
And goth to ●●dde & layeth him soft  
And of his sleuth ●e dreameth oft  
How that he siyketh in the mire  
And how he sitteth by the fire  
And claweth on his bare shanks  
And how he climbeth up the banks  
And falleth in the slades deep  
But than who so taketh keep  
When he is fall in such a dream  
Right as a ship against the stream  
He routeth with a sleepy noise  
And brustleth as a monks froyse  
When it is throw in to the pan  
And other while seld when  
That he may dream a lusty sweven  
Him thinketh as though he were in  
heaven/ And as the world were holy his  
And than he speaketh of that & this  
And maketh his exposition  
After his disposition  
Of that he would & in such a wise  
He doth to love all his service  
I not what thank he shall deserve  
But soon but if thou wilt love serve  
I read that thou do not so  
A good father certes no  
I had liefer by my truth  
Ere I were set on such a sloth  
And bear such a sleepy snout  
Both eyen of my heed were out  
For me were better fully dey●  
Than I of such sluggardye  
Had any name god me shield  
For when my mother was with child  
As I lay in her womb close  
I would rather Antropos  
Which is goddess of death  
Anon as I had any breath  
Me had fro my mother cast  
But now I am no thing aghast  
I thank god for lachesies  
●e cleto which here fellow is  
Me shopen no such destiny  
When they at my nativity  
My werdes setten as they would  
But they shopen that they should  
Eschew of sleep the truandyse  
So that I hope in such a wise  
To love for to been excused  
That I no somnolence have used  
For certes father Genius  
Yet unto now it hath be thus  
At all time if it befall  
So that I might come & duelle  
In place there my lady were  
I was not slo●●e ne sleepy there  
For than I dare well undertake  
That when her list on nights wake  
In chambre as to carole & dance  
Me thinketh it may me more advance  
If I may gone upon her hand  
Than if I win a kings land  
For when I may h●r hand beclyppe  
With such gladness I dance & skip  
Me thinketh I touch not the floor  
The Roose which runneth on the moor  
Is than nought so light as I  
So mow ye wyten all for thy  
That for the time sleep I hate  
And than it falleth other gate  
So that her liketh not to dance  
But on the dies to cast the chance  
Or ask of love some demand  
Or else that her list command  
To read & here of Troilus  
Right as she will or so or thus  
I am already to consent  
And if so is that I may hent  
Sometime among a good leisure  
So as I dare of my desire  
I tell a part but when I prey  
Anon she biddeth me go my weigh  
And saith it is far in the night  
And I swear it is even light  
But as it falleth at the last  
There may no worlds joy last  
So moat I needs fro her wend  
And of my watch make an end  
And if she than heed took  
How piteously on her I look  
When that I shall my leave take  
Her aught of mercy for to slake  
Her danger which saith ever nay  
But he saith often have good day  
That loath is for to take his leave  
Therefore while I may believe  
I tarry forth the night a long  
For it is nought on me along  
To sleep that I so soon go  
Till I moat need algate so  
And that I bid god her see  
And so down knelend on my knee  
I take leave/ and if I shall  
I kiss her & go forth with all  
And otherwhile if that I door  
Ere I come fully to the door  
I torn again and feign a thing  
As though I had lost a ring  
Or somewhat else for I would  
Kiss her eftsoons if I should  
But selden is that I so speed  
And when I see that I moat need  
Depart I depart & than  
With all my heart I curse & ban  
That ever sleep was made for eye  
For as me thinketh I moat dry  
Without sleep to Waken ever  
So that I should not dissever  
from her in whom is all my light  
And than I curse also the night  
With all the will of my courage  
And say away thou black image  
Which of thy derck cloudy face  
Maketh all the worlds light deface  
And causeth unto sleep away  
By which I moat now gone away  
Out of my lady company  
O sleepy night I the defy  
And would that thou lay in press  
With proserpine the goddess  
And with Pluto the hell king  
For till I see the day spring  
I set by sleep not a rysshe  
And with that word I sigh & wish  
And say why ne were it day  
For yet my lady than I may  
Behold though I do no more  
And eft I think furthermore  
To some man how the night doth ease  
When he hath thing that may him please  
The long nights by his side  
Where as I fail & go beside  
But sleep whereof I not it serveth  
Of which noman his thank deserveth  
To get 'em love in any place  
But it is an hynderer of his grace  
And maketh 'em deed as for a throw  
Right as a stock were overthrow  
And so my father in this wise  
The sleepy nights I despise  
And ever a mids of my tale  
I think upon the nightinggale  
Which sleepeth not by weigh of kind  
For love in books as I find  
Thus at the last I go to bed  
And yet mine heart lieth to wed  
With s●r abere as I came fro  
Though I depart I w●l not so  
There is no bock may shut him out  
Him needeth nought to gone about  
That pierce may the hard wall  
Thus is ●e with her overall  
That be her ●ef or be it both  
In to her bed mine heart goth  
And softly taketh her in his arm  
And feeleth how that she is warm  
And wisheth also his body were  
Thomas to feel that he feeleth there  
And thus myself I torment  
Till that the deed sleep me hent  
But than by a thousand score  
Well more than I was tofore  
I am tormented in my sleep  
But what I dream is not on sheep  
For I ne think on no wulle  
But I am dretched to the full  
Of love that I have take to keep  
That now I laugh & now I weep  
And now I lose & now I win  
And now I end & now begin  
And otherwhile I dream & m●te  
That I alone with her meet  
And that danger is left behind  
And than I sleep such joy I find  
That I ne bede never awake  
But after when I heed take  
And shall arise upon the morrow  
Than is all turned in to sorrow  
Nought for the cause I shall arise  
But for I met in such a wise  
And at the last I am bethought  
That all is wine & helpeth nought  
But yet me thinketh by my will  
I would have lay & sleep still▪  
To meeten ever of such a sweuen●  
For than I had a sleepy heaven    

Confessor  

My sone & for thou tellyst so  
A man may find of time ago  
That many a sweven hath be certain  
Al be it so that some men say  
That swevens be of no credence  
But for to show in evidence  
That they full oft soothe things  
By tokne I think in my writings  
To tell a tale thereupon  
Which fell by old days 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● longive a patria dimersus fucrat/ ●uno mittens ●ridem nunciam suam in parts Chimerie ad domum sompni jussit ꝙ ipse Alceone dicti Regis uxori huius rei eventum per sompnia certificaret/ Quo facto Al●●ona rem perscrutans/ corpus mariti suij ubi super fluctus mortuus iactabatur invenit/ que pro do lore augustiata cupiens corpus amplec tere in altum mare super Ipsum prosi●●it, unde dij miserti amborum corpora in aves que ad huc Alceones dicte sunt/ subito converterunt  

tHis find I written in poesy  
Ceyx the king of Trocenye  
Had Alceon to his wife  
Which as her own hearts life  
Him loveth and he hath also  
A brother which was cleped though  
Dedalyon and he percase  
Fro kind of man forshape was  
In to a goshauk of likeness.  
Whereof the king great heaviness  
Hath take & ●thought in his courage  
To gone upon a pilgrimage  
In a strange region  
Where he hath his devotion  
To done his sacrifice & prey  
If that he might in any weigh  
To wards the gods find grace  
His brothers he'll to purchase  
So that he might be reform  
Of that he hath been transformed  
To this purpose & to this end  
This king is ready for to wend  
As he which would go to ship  
And for to done him fellowship  
His wife unto the see him brought  
With all her heart & him besought  
That he the time her would say  
When that he thought come again  
Within he saith two months day  
And thus in all the hast he may  
He took his leave & forth he saileth  
Wepend/ & she her self bewaileth  
And turneth there she came fro  
For when the months were ago  
The which he set of his coming  
And that she herd no tiding  
There was no care for to seche  
Whereof the gods to beseech  
though she began in many wise  
And to juno her sacrifice  
Above all other most she deed  
And for her lord she hath so bid  
To wite & know how that he fir  
That juno the gods heard  
Anon & upon this matter  
She Iris' bad h●r messagyer  
To sleeps house that she should wend  
And bid him that he make an end  
By sweven & shown all the case  
To this lady thou it was  
This Iris' fro the high stage  
Which undertake hath the message  
His reyny cope deed upon  
The which was wonderly begun  
With colours of dinners hew  
An hundred more than men knew  
The heaven lyche unto a bow  
She bend/ & she came done low  
The god of sleep where that she fond  
And that was in a strange land  
Which marcheth upon Chymery●  
For there as saith the poesy  
The god of sleep hath made his house  
Which of entaylle is marvelous  
Under an hill there is a cave  
Which of the son may not have  
So that no man may not know ary●t  
The point between day & night  
There is no fire there is no spark  
There is no door which may chark  
Whereof an eye should unshut  
So that inward there is no let  
And for to speak of that without  
There stant no great tree nyhe about  
Whereon there might crow or pie  
A light for to clepe or cry  
There is no cost to crow day  
Ne best none which noise may  
The hill/ but all about round  
There is growend upon the ground  
Popy. which beareth the seed of sleep  
With other herbs such an heap  
A still water for the nonce  
Rennend upon the small stones  
Which height of lethes the river  
Under the hill in such manner  
There is which giveth great appetite  
To sleep & thus full of delight  
sleep hath his house & of his couch  
Within his chambre if I shall touch  
Of Hebenus that sleepy tree  
The boards all about be  
And for he should sleep soft  
Upon a feather bed aloft  
He lieth with many a pylwe of down  
The chambre is strewed up & down  
With swevens many a thousand fold  
Thus come Iris' in to this hold  
And to the bed which is black  
She goth & therewith sleep she spoke  
And in this wise as she was bid  
The message of juno she deed  
Full o●● her words she rehearseth  
Ere she his sleepy ears pierceth  
With moche woe. but at the last  
His slomerend eyen he upcasted  
And said her that it shall bedoo  
Whereof among a thousand though  
Within his house that sleepy were  
In special he cheese out there  
Three which should do this deed  
The first of 'em so as I read  
Was Morpheus the whose nature  
Is for to take the figure  
Of what person that him liketh  
Whereof that he thereof entryketh  
The life which sleep shall by night  
And Ithecus that other height  
Which hath the voys of every son  
Their cheer & their condycyoun  
Of every life what so is  
The third/ sewend after this  
Is Pantafas which may transform  
Of every thing the right form  
And change it in another kind  
●●on hem three as I find  
Of swevens stant all thapparence  
Which otherwhile is evidence  
And other while but a jape  
But nevertheless it is so shape  
That Morpheus by night alone  
A weareth unto Alceone  
In likeness of her husband  
All naked deed upon the strand  
And how he dreynt in special  
These other two it she wen shall  
The tempest of the black cloud  
The wode see the winds loud  
All this met she & saw him dyen  
Whereof that she began to cryen  
Slepend a bed there she lay  
And with that noise of her affray  
Her women start up about  
Which of her were in doubt  
And axen her how that she feared  
And she right as she saw & heard  
Her sweven hath told 'em every deal  
And they it halsen all we'll  
And say it is a tokne of good  
But till she wist thou it stood  
She hath no comfort in her heart  
Upon the morrow & up she start  
And to the see where as she met  
The body lay without let  
She drough & when that she came nigh  
Stark deed his arms spread she sigh  
Her lord fletend upon the wawe  
Whereof her wits be withdraw  
And she which took of death no keep  
Anon forth leapt in to the deep  
And would have caught him in her arm  
This infortune of double harm  
The gods from the heaven above  
Beheld/ & for the truth of love  
Which in this worthy lady stood  
They have upon the salt flood  
Her dreynt lord & her also  
Fro death to life turned so  
That they be shapen in to birds  
Swymmend upon the wawe amids  
And when she saw her lord lyvend  
In likeness of a bird swymmend  
And she was of the same sort  
So as she might do disport  
Upon the joy which she had  
Her wings both anon she spread  
And him both so as she may suffice  
Be●lypte & kyst in such a wise  
As she was whilom wont to do  
Her wings for by'r arms though  
She took & for her lips soft  
Her hard bill & so full oft  
She fondeth in her birds form  
If that she might her self conform  
To do the pleasance of a wife  
As she died in that other life  
For though she had her power lore  
Her will stood as it was tofore  
And serveth so as she may  
Whereof in to this ilk day  
together upon the see they won  
Where many a daughter & a sone  
They bringen forth of birds kind  
And for men should take in mind  
This Alceon the true queen  
Her birds as it is seen  
Of Alceon the name bear   

Lo thus it may the steer  
Of swevens for to take keep  
For offtime a man a sleep  
May see what after shall betide  
For thy it helpeth at some tide  
A man to sleep as it belongeth  
But sloth no life underfongeth  
Which is to love appertenant   

My father upon covenant  
I dare well make this avo we  
That all my life in to now  
As farforth as I can understand  
Yet took I never sleep on hand  
When it was time for to wake  
For though mine eye it would take  
Mine herd is ever there again  
But nevertheless to speak it pleyne  
All this that I have said you here  
Of my waking as ye may here  
It toucheth to my lady sweet  
For otherwise I you byhete  
In strange place when I go  
Me list no thing to wake so  
For when the women list to play  
And I her see not in the way  
Of whom I should mirth take  
Me list not long for to wake  
But if it be for pure shame  
Of that I would eschew a name  
That they ne should have cause none  
To say/ A loo where such one  
That hath forlese his countenance  
And thus among I sing & dance  
And feign lust there none is  
Fulofte sith I feet this  
Of thought which in mine heart falleth  
When it is night mine heart appallyth  
And that is for I see her nought  
Which is the waker of my thought  
And thus as tymelyche as I may  
Full oft when it is brood day  
I take of all these other have  
And go my weigh & they believe  
That seen pe● case her loves there  
And I go forth as nought ne were  
Unto my bed so that alone  
I may there lig sigh & groan  
And wysshen all the long night  
Till that I see the days light  
I not if that be somnolence  
But upon your conscience  
Mine holy father deemeth ye   

My sone I am well paid with the  
Of sheep that thou the sluggardye  
By night in loves company  
Esche west haste and thy pain  
So that thy love dare not plain  
For love upon his lust wakened  
Is ever & would that none end  
Thereof the long night is set  
Whereof that thou be ware the bet  
To tell a tale I am bethought  
How love & sleep accordene 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 ut Ipsum Cephalum amplexibus amore volutum priusquam illa dies illucesceret suis deliciis adquiescere diucius permittere dignarentur  

fOr love who that list to wake  
By night he may ensanyle take  
Of Shafalus when that he lay  
With Aurora the sweet may  
In arms all the long night  
But when toward the light  
That he with in his▪ heart sye  
The day which was the morrow nyhe  
Anon unto the son he prayed  
For lust of love & thus he saide   

Phoebus which the days light  
Governeth till it be night  
And gladest every creature  
After the law of thy nature  
But nevertheless there is a thing  
Which onlyche to thy knoulechyngr  
Belongeth/ as in privity  
To love and to his duty  
Which oxeth not to been a part  
But in silence & in covert  
Desireth for to be shaded  
And thus when that the light is faded  
And vesper showeth him aloft  
And that the night is long & soft  
Under the clouds derste & still  
Than hath thing most of his will  
Fo● thy unto thy myghtoes high  
As thou which art the days eye  
Of love & might no counseyl hide  
Upon this derk nights tide  
With all mine heart I the beseech  
That I pleasance might seche  
With her which sith in mine arms  
Withdraw the banner of thine arms  
And seat thy lyghtas been unborn  
And in the sign of Caprycorne  
The house appropered to Saturn  
I prey the that thou wilt sojourn  
Where been the nights derk & long  
For I my love have underfang  
Which lieth here by my side naked  
As she which would been a waked  
And me list no thing for to sleep  
So were it good to take keep  
Now at this time of my prayer  
And that the like for to steer  
This fiery cart & so ordain  
That thou thy swift horse restrain  
Low under earth in occident  
That they toward thorrent  
By scroll go the long were  
And eke to the diane I prey  
Which cleped art of thy noblesse  
The nights moan & the Goddess  
That thou to me be gracious  
And in Can●eo thine own house  
Ayene Phoebus in opposite  
stand all this time & in delight  
behold Venus with a glad eye  
For than upon astronomy  
Of due constellation  
Thou makest profyfycacyon  
And dost that children be beget  
Which if that I might get  
With all mine heart I wolserue  
By night & thy vygylle observe  
Loo thus this lusty Sephalus  
Prayed unto Phebe & to Phoebus'  
The night in length for to draw  
So that he might do the law  
In thylk point of loves hest  
Which cleped is the nights feste  
Withouten sleep of sluggardye  
Which Venus out of company  
Hath put away as thylk same  
Which lustles far from game  
In chambre doth full oft woe  
A bed when it falleth so  
That love should be awaited  
But sloth which is evil affayted  
With sleep hath made his retinue  
That what thing is to love due  
Of all his debt he payeth none  
He wot not how the night is gone  
Ne how the day is come about  
But only for to sleep & rout  
Till high midday that he arise  
But Sephalus did otherwise  
As thou my son host herd above    

Amans  

My father who that hath his love  
A bed naked by his side  
And would than his eyen hide  
With sleep/ I not what man is he  
But certes as touchend of me  
That fell me never yet or this  
But other while when so is  
That I may catch sleep on hand  
Lyggend alone than I fond  
To dream a merry sweven or day  
And if▪ so fall that I may  
My thought with such a sweven please  
Me thynst I am somdele in ease  
For I none other comfort have  
So needeth nought that I shall crave  
The sons cart for to tarry  
Ne yet the moan that she carry  
Here course a long upon the heaven  
For I am nought the more in huene  
To worlds good in no degree  
But in my sleep yet than I see  
somewhat in sweven of that me liketh  
Which afterward mine heart enteyketh  
When that I find it otherwise  
So wot I not of what service  
What somnolence to man doth   

My sone certes thou sayest soothe  
But only that it helpeth kind  
Sometime in Physyk as I find  
When it is take by measure  
But he which can no sleep measure  
Upon the rule as it belongeth  
Full oft of sudden chance he fongeth  
Such infortune that him grieveth  
But who these old books leaveth  
Of somnolence how it is write  
There may a man the sooth wite  
If that he would ensample take  
That other while is good to wake  
Whereof a tale in Poesy  
I think for to specify   
Hic loquitur in amoris causa contra istos qiu sompnolencie dediti ca que servare tenentur amittunt/ Et narrat ● cum Yo puella pulcherrima a junone in vaccam transformata & in argi custodiam sic deposita fuisset/ superuemens' mercurius Argum dormientem occidit ut ipsam vaccam a pastura rapiens quo voluit secum perduxit  

oVyde thus telleth in his saws  
How jupiter by old days  
Lay by a maid which is  
Was cleped whereof that juno  
His wife was wroth & the goddess  
Of you turned the likeness  
In to a Cow to go there out  
The large fields all about  
And get her meet upon the green  
And thereupon this high queen  
Betook her Argus for to keep  
For he was seldom wont to sleep  
And yet he had an ninety eyen  
And all alyche well they sym  
Now herkne how he was beguiled  
Mercury which was all affyled  
This Cow to steel he came disguised  
And had a pipe well devised  
Upon the notes of music  
Whereof he might his ears like  
And over that he had affayted  
His lusty tales & awaited  
His time & thus in to the field  
He came where Argus he beheld  
With you which beside him went  
With that his pipe anon he hent  
And 'gan to pipe in his manner  
Thing which was sleepy for to here  
And in his piping ever among  
He told him such a lusty song  
That he the fool hath brought a sleep  
There was none eye that might keep  
His heed which mercury of smote  
And forth with all anon foot hot  
He stole the Cow which Argus kept  
And all this fell for that he slept  
Ensample it was to many more  
That much sleep doth oft woe  
When it is time for to wake  
For if a man this vice take  
In sompnolonce & him delight  
Men should upon his door write  
His epitaph as upon his grave  
For he to spill & nought to save  
Is shaped/ & though he were deed   

For thymy sone hold up thine heads  
And let no sleep thine eye englue  
But when it is to reason due   

My father as touchend of this  
Right so as I you told it is  
That oft a bed when I should  
I may not sleep though I would  
For love is ever fast byme  
Which taketh none heed of due▪ time  
For when I shall mine eye close  
A none my heart he will oppose  
And hold his school in such a wise  
Till it be day that I arise  
That seld it is when that I sleep  
And thus fro somnolence I keep  
Mine eye/ and for thy if there be  
Ought else more in this degree   

Now ask forth my sone yis  
For sloth which as mother is  
The forth drawer▪ & the nurse  
To man to many a dreadful vice  
Hath yet another last of all  
Which many a man hath made to fall  
Where that he might never arise  
Whereof thou the shalt advise  
Ere thou so with thyself misfare  
What vice it is I will declare   
Nil fortuna juuat ubi desperacid ●●dit/ Quo desiccat humor non viridesat humus/ magnanimus sed amor s●em ponit & inde salutem▪ Consequitur ● 〈◊〉 prospera fata favent  
Hic loquitur super ultima specie acadie/ que Tristicia sive desperacio dicitur/ auus olstinata condicio tocius con solacionis spem deponens alicuius remed● quo kberari poterit fortunam sib● evenire impossible credit  

when sloth doth all that he may  
To drive forth the long day  
Till he become to the need  
Then at last upon the deed  
He laketh how his time is lore  
And is so woebegone therefore  
That he within his thought conceiveth  
tristesse & so himself deceiveth  
That he wanhope bringeth Inn  
Where is no comfort to begin  
But every joy him is dylayed  
So that within his heart affrayeth  
A thousand time with one breath  
Wepend he wisheth after death  
When he fortune fynt adverse  
For than he will his hap reheree  
As though the world were all forlore  
And saith Alas that I was lore  
How I shall live how shall I do  
For now fortune is my foo  
I wot well god me will not help  
What should I than of joy yelp  
When there no boat is of my care  
So over cast is all my welfare  
That I am shapen all to strife  
Alas that I never of this life  
Or I be fullyche overtake  
And thus he will his sorrow make  
As god him might not avail  
But yet ne will he not travail  
To help him at such a need  
But slouteth under such a dread  
Which is affirmed in his heart  
Right as he might nought asterte  
The worlds woe which he is Inn   

Also when he is fall in sin  
Him thinketh he is so far culpable  
That god will not be merciable  
So great a sin to foryeve  
And thus he leaveth to be shrive  
And if a man in thylk throw  
Would him counsel, he will not know  
The sooth though a●man it find  
For tristesse is of such a kind  
That for to maintain his fely  
He hath with him obstinacy  
Which is within of such a sloth  
That he forslaketh all truth  
And will not to no reason bow  
And yet he can not allow  
His own skill/ but of heed  
Thus dwyneth he till he be deed  
In hindering of his own estate  
For where a man is obstinate  
When hope followeth at the last  
Which may not long after last  
Till sloth make of him an end  
But god wot whether he shall wend  
My sone & right in such manner  
There be lovers of heavy cheer  
That sorowen more than it is need  
When they be turned of their speed  
And can not themself read  
But losen hope for to speed  
And stinten love to pursue  
And thus they faden hide & hew  
And lustles in her hearts wax  
Hereof it is that I would ask  
If thou my son art one of though   

A good father it is so  
Out take a point I am be know  
For else I am overthrow  
In all that ever ye have said  
My sorrow is evermore untied  
And secheth overall my veins  
But for to counsell of my pains  
I can no boat do thereto  
And thus withouten hope I go  
So that ●y wits been impaired  
And I am as who said despeyred  
To win love of thilk sweet  
Without whom I you behete  
Mine heart that is so bestead  
Right only may never be glad  
For by my truth I shall not lie  
Of pure sorrow which I dry  
For that she saith/ she will me nought  
With dretching of mine own though  
In such a wanhope I am fall  
That I ne can unneaths call  
As for to speak of any grace  
My lady grace to purchase  
But yet I say nought for this  
That all in mine default it is  
For I am never yet in stead  
When time was that I me bid  
Ne said & as I dorst told  
But never fond I that she would  
For ought she knew mine intent  
To speak a goodly word assent  
And nevertheless this dare I seys  
That if a sinful would preys  
To god for his forgiveness  
With half so great a business  
As I have do to my lady  
In lak of asking of mercy  
He should never come in hell  
And thus I may you soothly tell  
Sauf only that I ceye & bid  
I am in tristesse all amid  
And fulfilled of dysperaunce  
And therefore give me my penance  
Mine holy father as you liketh  
My sone of that thy heart seeketh  
With sorrow might thou not amend  
Till love his grace will the send  
For thou thine own cause empeyrese  
What time that thou thyself dyspeyrest  
I not what other thing availeth  
Of hope when the heart faileth  
For such a sore is Ina●rable  
And eke the gods been vengeable  
And that a man may right well feed  
These old books who so read  
Of thing which hath byfalle or this  
Now here of what ensample it is   
Hic narrat qualiter Iphis Regis Theucri filius ob amore in cwisdan puelle nomine Araxarathen quam ne que donis aut precibus vincere potuit/ des perans ante patris ipsius ianuas noctanter se suspendit/ unde dij comoti dic tam puellam in lapidem durisswam transmutarunt/ quam Rex Theucer una cum filio suo apud civitatem Sala minam in Templo veneris pro perpetua memoria sepeliri & locari fecit  

whilom by old days far  
Of mese was the king theucer  
Which had a knight to son iphis  
Of love & ●e so mastered is  
That he hath set all his courage  
As to regard of his lineage  
Upon a maid of low estate  
But though he were a potestate  
Of worlds good he was subject  
To love & put in such a plight  
That exceedeth the measure  
Of reason that himself assure  
He can nought/ for the more he prayed  
The lass love on him she laid  
He was with love unwise constrained  
And she with reason was with strained  
The lusts of his heart he seweth  
And she for dread shame esche weth  
And as she should took heed  
To save & keep her womanhead  
And the thing stood in debate  
between his lust & here estate  
He gave/ he send/ he spoke by mouth  
But yet for aught that ever he couth  
Unto his speed he fond no weigh  
So that he cast his hope away  
Within his heart he 'gan despair  
Fro day to day & so● impair  
That he hath lost all his delight  
Of lust of sleep of appetite  
That he through strength of sone lasseth  
His wit & reason over passeth  
As he which of his life ne taught  
His death upon himself he sought  
So that by night his weigh he name  
That wist none where he became  
The night was derk the moan shone  
To fore the gates he came soon  
Where that this young maid was  
And with this woeful word alas  
His deadly pleyntes he began  
So still that there was noman  
It heard & than he said thus  
O thou cupid/ O thou Venus  
Fortuned by whose ordinance  
Of love is every man's chance  
Ye known all mine hole heart  
That I ne may your hands asterte  
On you is ever that I cry  
And yet you deigneth not to ply  
Ne toward me your ere incline  
Thus for I see no medicine  
To make an end of my quarrel  
My death shall be in stead of hele   

Ha thou my woeful lady dear  
Which duellest with thy father here  
And sleepest in thy bed at ease  
Thou wottest no thing of my disease  
How thou & I be now unmeet  
A lord what sweven shalt thou meet  
What dreams hast thou now on hand  
Thou sleepest there & here I stand  
Though I no death to the deserve  
Here shall I for thy love starve  
Here shall I a kings son▪ die  
For love & for no felony  
Whether thou thereof have joy or sorrow  
Here shalt thou me see deed to morrow  
O hard heart above all  
This death which shall to me fall  
For that thou wilt not do me grace  
It shall be told in many place  
That I am deed for love & truth  
In thy default & in thy sloth  
Thy danger shall to many more  
Ensample be for evermo  
When they the woeful death record  
And with that word he took a cord  
With which upon the gate tree  
He hinge himself that was pity   

The morrow came the night is gone  
Men come out & sigh anon  
Where that this young lord was deed  
There was an house without deed  
For noman knew the cause why  
There was weeping there was cry  
This maiden when she it heard  
And saw this thing how it mysferd  
Auone she wist what it mente  
And all the cause how it went  
To all the world she told it out  
And preyth 'em that were about  
To take of her the wngeaunce  
For she was cause of thylk chance  
Why that this kings son is spylt  
She taketh upon her self the guilt  
And is all ready to the pain  
Which any man her will ordain  
But if any other would  
She saith that her self she should  
Do wretch with her own hand  
thorough out the world in▪ every land  
That every life thereof shall speak  
How she her self it should wreak  
She weepeth she crieth she swouneth oft  
She cast her eyen up aloft  
And said among full piteously  
A god thou wost well it am I  
For Iphis is thus byseyn  
Ordain so that many may say  
A thousand winter after this  
How such a maiden did amiss  
And so as I died do to me  
For I ne died no pity  
To him which for my love is lore  
Do no pity to me therefore  
And with this word she fell to grosid  
A swoon & there she lay astounded  
The gods which her pleyntes heard  
And saw how woefully she feared  
Here life away they took anon  
And shopen here in to a stone  
After the form of her image  
Of body both & of visage  
And for the marvel of this thing  
Unto the place came the king  
And eke the queen & many more  
And when they wisten it was foo  
As I have told it here above  
How that Iphys was deed for love  
Of that he had be refused  
They helden all men excused  
And wondren upon the vengeance  
And for to keep remembrance  
This fair image maiden lyche  
With company noble & rich  
With torches & with great solemnity  
To salamine the city  
They lead & carry forth with all  
This deed corpse & say it shall  
Beside thylk Image have  
His sepulture & be begrave  
This corpse & this Image thus  
In to the city to Venus  
Where that goddess her Temple had  
together both forth they lad  
Thilk Image as for miracle  
Was set upon an high pinnacle  
That all it might know  
And under that they maden low  
A tomb rich for the nonce  
Of marble & eke of jaspre stones  
Wheryn this Iphys was byloken  
That evermore it shall be spoken  
And for men shall the sooth wite  
They have here epitaph write  
As thing which should abide stable  
The letters granen in a Table  
Of marble were & said this  
Here lieth which slough himself Iphis  
For love of Araxarathen  
And in eusample of the women  
That suffren men to dyen so  
His form a man may seen also  
How it is turned flesh & bone  
In the figure of a stone  
He was to nesshe & she hard  
Beware for thy here afterward  
Ye men & women both two  
Ensampleth you of that was though   

Loo thus my son as I the say  
It grieveth by divers weigh  
In despeyr a man to fall  
Which is the last branch of all  
Of sloth as thou hast herd devise  
Whereof that thou thyself advise  
Good is or that thou be deceived  
Whereof the hope of grace is waived   

My father hou so that it stand  
now have I plainly understand  
Of slouthes court the property  
Whereof touchend in my degree  
For ever I think to be ware  
But over this so as I dare  
With all mine heart I you beseech  
That ye me would inform & teach  
What there is more of your apprise  
In love als well as other wise  
So that I may me clean shrive    

Confessor  

My son while thou art alive  
And hast also thy full mind  
Among the vices which I find  
There is yet one such of the seven  
Which all this world hath set unevene  
And causeth many times wrong  
Where he the cause hath underfong  
Whereof here after thou shalt here  
The form both & the matter    
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 oves servat avarus opes/ Non decet ut soli ser●abitur os sed amori/ Debet homo so lamb solus habere suam/  

fIrst when the high god begun/  
This world and that the kind of man/  
Was fall in to no great increase/  
For worlds good was though no press/  
But all was set to the common/  
They speaken than of no fortune  
Or for to lose or for to win  
Till Avarice brought Inn  
And that was when the world was woye  
Of man of hore of sheep of Ox  
And that men known the money  
though went peace out of the weigh  
And were came on every side  
Which all love layed aside  
And of common his proper made  
So that in stead of shovel & spade  
The sharp was take on hand  
And in this wise it came to land  
Whereof that men made dyches deep  
And high walls for to keep  
The gold which avarice encloseth  
But all to little him supposeth  
Though he might all the world purchase  
For that thing that may embrace  
Of gold of cattle or of land  
let it never out of his hand  
But get him more & halt it fast  
As though the world should ever last  
So is he lyche unto the hell  
For as these books tell  
What cometh there in lass or more  
It shall depart nevermore  
Thus when he hath his coffer looken  
It shall not after been unstoken  
But when him list to have a sight  
Of gold how it shineth bright  
That he thereon may look & muse  
For other wise he dare not use  
To take his part or less or more  
So is the power for evermore  
Him lacketh that he hath Enough  
An ox draweth in the plough  
Of that himself hath no profit  
A sheep right in the same plight  
His wulle beareth upon a day  
Another taketh the flees away  
Thus hath he that he nought ne hath  
For he thereof his part ne hath  
To say how such a man hath good  
Who so that reason understood  
It is inproperlyche said  
That good hath him & halt him taid  
That he ne gladeth nought with all  
But is unto his good a thrall  
And as a subject thus serveth he  
Where that he should Master be  
Such is the king of Thavarous   

My sone as thou art amorous  
Tell if thou farest of love so   

My father as it seemeth no  
That avarous yet never I was  
So as ye setten me the case  
For as ye tolden here above  
In full possession of love  
Yet was I never here tofore  
So that me thinketh well therefore  
I may excuse well my deed  
But of my will without dread  
If I that treasure might get  
It should never be foryete  
That I ne would fast hold  
Till god of love himself would  
That death us should depart a two  
For leaveth well I love her so  
That even with mine own life  
If I that sweet lusty wife  
Might ones welden at my will  
For I would hold her still  
And in this wise taketh keep  
If I her had I would her keep  
And yet no friday would I fast  
Though I her kept & hold fast  
Fie on the bags in the kyst  
I had enough if I her kyst  
For certes if she were mine  
I had her liefer than a mine  
Of gold for all this world rich  
Ne me might make so rich  
As she that is so Inly good  
I set nought of other good  
For might I get such a thing  
I had treasure for a king  
And though I would it fast hold  
I were thereto much behold  
But I might pipe now with lass  
And suffer that it overpass  
Not with my will/ for thus I would  
Ben avarous if that I should  
But father I you herd say  
How the avarous hath yet some weigh  
Whereof he may be glad for be  
May when him list his treasure see  
And grope & feel it all about  
But I full oft am shut there out  
There as my worthy treasure is  
So is my life lyche unto this  
That me tolden here to fore  
How that an Ox his yok hath boar  
For thing that should him not avail  
And in this wise I me travail  
For who that ever hath the welfare  
I wot well that I have the care  
And I am as who saith loves knave  
For I am had & nought ne have  
Now dame in your own thought  
If this be avarice or nought   

My sone I have of the no wonder  
though thou to serve be put under  
With love which to kind acordeth  
But so as every book recordeth  
At is to kind no pleasance  
That man above his sustenance  
Unto the gold shall serve & bow  
For that may no reason avow  
But Avarice nevertheless  
If he may getten his increases  
Of gold that would he serve & keep  
For he taketh of nought else keep  
But for to fill of his bags large  
And all is to him but a charge  
For he ne parteth nought with all  
But keepeth as a servant shall  
And thus though that he multiply  
His gold without treasury  
He 〈◊〉/ for man is nought amended  
With gold but if it be dispended  
To man's use whereof I read  
A tale & take thereof good heed  
Of that befell by old tide  
As telleth us the clerk Ovid  
● Achus which is god of win  
Acordannt to his dyvyn  
A priest which Cillenus hiȝt  
He had & fell so that he by night  
Th●● priest was drunk & goth a strayed  
heirof the men were evil apaid  
●● Fryg●●ond where as he went  
●●● at the last a churl him hent  
〈…〉 strength of other fellowship  
●● that upon his drunkeshyp  
〈…〉 bounden him with chains fast  
And forth they lad him also fast  
●●to the king which height Myde  
But he that would his vice hide  
〈…〉 courteous king took of him heed  
And bad that men should him lead  
●● to a chambre for to keep  
●●●●e of leisure had a sleep  
And though this priest was soon unbound  
And upon a couch fro the ground  
To sleep 〈◊〉 was le●d soft Enough  
And when he work that king him drough  
To his presence & did him cheer  
So that this priest in such manner  
Wh●se that him liketh there he dueleth  
And all this he to Bacchus telleth  
When that he came to him again  
And when that Bacchus herd said  
How myde hath done this courtesy  
Him thinketh it were ● vylony●  
But he reward him for his deed  
So as he might of his godhead  
Unto this king this god appeareth  
And clepeth & that other heareth  
This god to Myde thanketh fair  
Of that he was so debonair  
Toward his priest & bade him sey●  
What thing it were he would prey  
He should it have of worldly good  
This king was glad & still stood  
And was of his asking in doubt  
And all the world he casteth about  
What thing was best for his ●state  
And with himself stood at debate  
Upon three points which I find  
Ben liefest unto man's kind  
The first of hem it is delight  
The two been worship & profit  
And than he thought if that I crave  
delight though I delight may have  
delight shall passen in my age  
That is no syker advantage  
For every joy bodily  
Shall end in woe/ delight for thy  
Wol I not cheese/ & if I worship  
ask & of the world lordship  
That is an occupation  
Of proud imagination  
Which maketh an heart vain within  
There is no certain for to win  
For lord & knave is all one weigh  
When they be boar & when they die  
And if I profit ask would  
I not in what manner I should  
Of worlds good have sickerness  
For every thief upon richesse  
A waiteth for to rob & steel  
Such ●●ood is cause of harms feel  
And also though a man at ones  
Of all the world within his wones  
The treasure might have every deal  
Yet had he but one man's deal  
Toward himself so as I think  
Of clothing of meet of drink  
For more out take vanity  
There hath no lord in his degree  
And thus upon the points diverse  
diversly he 'gan rehearse  
What point him thought for the best  
But plainly for to get him rest  
He can no siker weigh cast  
And nevertheless yet at the last  
He fell upon the covetise  
Of gold/ & than in sundry wise  
He thought as I have said to fore  
How treasure may be soon forlore  
And had an Inly great desire  
Touchend of such recover  
How that he might his cause avail  
To get him gold without fail  
Within his heart & thus he praiseth  
The gold & saith how that he poiseth  
Above all other metal most  
The gold he saith may lead an host  
To make were again a king  
The gold put under all thing  
And set whom him list above  
The gold can make of hate love  
And were of peace. & right of wrong  
And long to short & short to long  
Without gold may be no fest  
Gold is the lord of man & best  
And may hem both buy & sell  
So that a man may soothly tell  
That all the world to gold obeyeth  
For thy this king to bachus preyth  
To grant him gold/ but he exceedeth  
Measure more than him needeth  
Men tell that the malady  
Which called is Ioropesy●  
Resembled is to this vice  
By weigh of kind & Avarice  
The more Idropesye drinketh  
The more thirsteth for him thinketh  
That he may not drink his fill  
So that there may no thing fulfil  
The lusts of his appetite  
And right in such manner plight  
Stant ever Avarice & ever stood  
The more he hath of worsdes good  
The more he would keep strait  
And ever more and more covet  
And right in such condition  
without good discretion  
This king with avarice is smete  
That all the world it might wete  
For he to Bacchus then prayed  
That whereupon his hand he leid  
It should thorough his touch anon  
Become gold/ & thereupon  
This god him granteth as he bade  
though was this king of Fryge glad  
And for to put it in assay  
With/ all the haste that he may  
He toucheth that he toucheth this  
And in his hand all gold it is  
The stone/ the tree/ the leef/ the grass  
The Flower the fruit all gold it was  
Thus toucheth he while he may last  
But hunger at the last  
Him took so that he moat need  
By weigh of kind his hunger feed  
The cloth was laid/ the board was set  
And all was forth before him set  
His dissh/ his drink/ his cup his meet  
But when he would drink or eat  
As to his mouth anon came nigh  
It was all gold & then he sigh  
Of Auayrce the folly  
And he with that bygnne to cry  
And prayed Bacchus to foryeve  
His guilt & suffer him for to live  
And be such as he was tofore  
So that he were nought forlese  
This god which of this grievance  
Herd/ took ruth upon his repentance  
And bade him go forth readily  
Unto a flood was fast by  
Which paceole than height  
In which as soon as ever he might  
He should him wash overall  
And said him than he shall  
recover his first estate again  
This king right as he herd sayne  
In to the flood goth fro the land  
And wash him both foot & hand  
And so forth all the remnant  
As him was set in ●●uendunt  
And than he saw marvels strange  
The flood his colour 'gan to change  
The gravel with the small stones  
To gold they torn all atones  
And he was quite of that he had  
And thus fortune his change lad  
And when he saw his touch gone  
He goth him home right forth soon  
And liveth forth as he died ere  
And put all Avarice a far  
And the riches of gold despiseth  
And saith that meet & cloth sufficeth  
Thus hath this king experience  
How fools done the reverence  
To gold which of his own kind  
Is lass worth than is the rind  
To sustenance of man's food  
Then he made laws good  
And all his thing set upon skill  
He lead his people for to till  
Her l●nd & live under the law  
And they also should forth draw  
Bestayl & seek none increase  
●f gold which is the breach of peace  
For this a man may find write  
To fere the time that gold was smite  
In coin that men the florin knew  
There was well nigh noman untrue  
There was neither shield ne spear  
Ne deadly weepen for to be bear  
T●o was the town without wall  
The which now is closed over all  
though was there no bro●●ge in land  
Which now taketh every cause on hand  
So may that man know how the floreyn  
Was mother first of malengyn  
And bringer in of all were  
Whereof this world stant out of herre  
thorough the counseyl of auary●●  
Which of his own proper vice  
Which as the hell wonderful  
For it may nevermore be full  
That what as ever cometh therein  
Away it ne may never win  
But soon mine do thou not so  
Late all such avarice go  
And take thy part of that thou hast  
I bid not that thou do waste  
But hold largesse in measure  
And if thou see a creature  
Which thorough poverty is fall in need  
Yeve him some good for this I read  
To him that will not yeven here  
What pain he shall have else where  
There is a pain among all  
beneath in hell which men call  
The woeful pain of Tantaly  
Of which I shall the readily  
devise how therein men stand  
In hell thou shalt understand  
There is a flood of thylk office  
Which serveth all for avarice  
What man that stand shall therein  
He stant up even to the chin  
Above his heed also there hougeth  
A fruit which to that pain longeth  
And that fruit toucheth ever in one  
His overlip/ and thereupon  
Such thirst & hunger him assaileth  
That never his appetite ne faileth  
But when he wend his hongar feed  
The fruit withdraweth him at need  
And though he have his heed on high  
The fruit is ever alike nigh  
So is the hunger well the more  
And also though him thirst sore  
And to the water bow adoune  
The flood in such condition  
Aualeth that his drink areche  
He may not/ loo now which a wretch  
That meet & drink is him so couth  
And yet there cometh none in his mouth  
Lyche to the pains of this flood  
Stant Avarice in worlds good  
He hath Enough & yet him needeth  
For his scarceness it him forbiddeth  
And ever his hunger after/ more  
travaileth him alike sore  
So is he pained overall  
For thy thy goods overall  
My sone look that thou dispend  
Whereof thou might thyself amend  
Both here & eke in other place  
And also if thou wilt purchase  
To be loved thou must use  
Largesse for if thou refuse  
To give for thy loves sake  
It is no reason that thou take  
Of love that thou wouldest crave  
For thy if thou wilt, grace have  
Be gracious and do largesse  
Of Avarice & the sickness  
Esche we above all other thing  
And take ensample of Myde the king  
And of the flood of hell also  
Where is Enough of all woe  
And though there were no matter  
But only that we finden here  
Men ought Avarice esche we  
For what man thylk vice sew  
He get himself but little rest  
For though so that the body rest  
The heart upon the gold travaileth  
Whom many a nyght●s dread assaileth  
For though he lig a bed naked  
His heart is evermore awaked  
And dreameth as he lieth to sleep  
Hon busy that he is to keep  
His treasure that no thief it steel  
Thus hath he but a woeful weal   

And right so in the same wise  
If thou thyself wilt well advise  
There be lovers of such Enough  
That will unto reason bough  
If so ●e they come above  
When they be masters of her love  
And that they sholden be most glad  
With love they been most bestead  
So fain they wolden it holden all  
That her heart/ her eye is overall  
And weenen every man be a thief  
To steel away that hem is leef  
Thus thorough her own fantasy  
They fallen in to jealousy  
Than hath the ship to broke his cable  
With every wind & is movable   

Amans  

My father for that ye now tell  
I have herd offtime tell  
Of jealousy but what it is  
Yet understand I never or this  
Wherefore I would you beseech  
That ye me would inform & teach  
What manner thing it might be   

My sone that is hard to me  
But nevertheless as I have herd  
Now herkne & thou shalt be answered   
Nota de Ielousia cuius fantastica suspicio amorem quentuis fidelissimun mul t●ciens sine causa corruptum Imagina tur/  

aMong the men lak of manhood  
In marriage upon wyshode  
Maketh that a man himself deceiveth  
Whereof it is that he conceiveth  
That ilk uneasy malady  
The which is cleped jealousy  
Of which if I the property  
Shall tell after the nyorte  
So as it worcheth on a man  
A fever it is quotidian  
Which every day will come about  
Where so a a man be in or out  
At home if that a man will won  
This fever is than of common won  
most grievous in a man's eye  
For than he maketh him tote & pry  
Where so his love ever go  
She shall not with her little too  
Mysteppe but he seeth all  
His eye is walkend overall  
Where that she sing or that she dance  
He seeth the least countenance  
If she look on a man a side  
Or with him rowne at any tide  
Or that she laugh or that she ●oure  
His eye is there at every hour  
And when it draweth to the night  
If she so than be without light  
Anon is all the game shent  
For than he set his parliament  
To speak it when he cometh to bed  
And saith if I were now to wed  
I would nevermore have wife  
And so he turneth in to strife  
The lust of loves duty  
And all upon diversity  
If she be fresh & well arrayed  
He saith her banner is displayed  
To cle●e in gests fro the weigh  
And if she be not well beseye  
And that her list not to be glad  
He beareth on hand that she is mad  
And loveth not her husband  
And saith he may well understand  
That if she would his company  
She should than afore his eye  
She we all the pleasance that she might  
So that by day ne by night  
She not what thing is best  
But liveth well out of all rest  
For what as ever him list sayn  
She dare not speak one word again  
But weepeth & hold her lips close  
She may well write Sans ●●poos  
The wife which is to such one married  
Of all women be he waryed  
For with his fever of jelousye  
His each days fantasy  
Of sorrow we is ever alike green  
So that there is no love seen  
While that him list at home abide  
And when so as he will out ride  
T●●● hath he ready his espy  
Abiding in her company  
A jangler an evil mouthed one  
That she ne may no●●he there gone  
Ne speak one word ne once look  
But he ne will it wend & croak  
And torn after his own intent  
Though she no thing but honour meant  
When that the lord cometh home again  
The jangler must somewhat sayne  
So what without & what withynne  
This fever is ever to begin  
For where he cometh he can not end  
Till death of him hath made an end  
For though so be that he ne here  
Ne see nor wite in no manner  
But all honour & womanhead  
Thereof the jealous taketh none ●ede  
But as a man to love unkind  
He cast his staff as doth the blind  
And fynt default where is none  
As who so dreameth on a stone  
How he is laid & groaneth oft  
When he lieth on his pillow soft  
So is there nought but strife & chest  
Where love should make his rest  
It is great thing if he her kiss  
Thuo hath she lost the nights bliss  
For at such time he grudgeth ever  
And beareth on hand there is a lever  
That she would another were  
In stead of him abed there  
And with though words & with more  
Of jelousye he turneth her fro  
And lieth upon his other side  
And she with that draweth her aside  
And there she weepeth all the night  
A to what pain she is dight▪  
That in her thought hath so beset  
The bond which may not be unknet  
I wot the time is oft cursed  
That ever was the gold unpursed  
The which was laid upon the book  
When that all other she forsook  
For love of him but all to late  
She plaineth for as than algate  
She mo●e forbear & to him/ ●owe  
Though he ne would it allow  
For man is lord of thylk feyre  
So may the woman but impair  
If she speak aught again thy will  
And thus she beareth her pain still   

But if this Fever a woman t●ke  
She shall be well the more hard sha●●  
But if she both see & here  
And find that there is matter  
She dare but to herself plain  
And thus she suffereth double pain   

Loo thus my son as I have ●ryt●  
Thou might of jelousye wite  
His fever & his condition  
Which is fall of suspection  
But whereof that this fever groweth  
Who so these old books too weth  
There may he find how it is  
For they us teach & tell this  
How that this Fever of jelousye  
Somdele it groweth of sotie  
Of love and somedeal of untrust  
For as sekeman left his lust  
And when he may no savour get  
He hateth than his own meet  
Right so this feverous malady  
Which caused is of fantasy  
Maketh the jealous in feeble plight  
To leave of love his appetite  
thorough feigned information  
Of his imagination  
But finally to taken heed  
Men may well make a lykelyhede  
between him which is avarous  
Of gold & him that is Ir●●us  
Of love for in one degree  
They stand both as seemeth me  
That one would have his bags still  
And nought departen with his will  
And dare not for the thieves sleep  
So fain he would his treasure keep  
That other may not well be glad  
For evermore he is adread  
Of these lovers that gone about  
In aunter if they put him out  
So have they both little joy  
As well of love as of money   

Now hast thou soon at my teaching  
Of jealousy a knowledging  
That thou might understand this  
Fro when he cometh & what he is  
And eke to whom that he is like  
Beware for thy thou be not sick  
Of thylk fever as I have spoke  
For it will in himself be wroke  
For love hateth no thing more  
As men may find by the lore  
Of 'em that whilom were wy●●  
How they speak in many wise   

My father sooth is that ye say  
But for to look there again  
Before this time how it is fall  
Whereof there might ensample fall  
To such men as been jealous  
In what manner it is grievous  
Right fain I would ensample here   

My good son at thy prayer  
Of such ensamples I find  
So as they comen now to mind  
Upon this point of time gone  
I think for to tell one   
hIc ponit Confessor Exemplum contra istos maritos quos Ielousia ma●●la●●t/ Et narrat qualiter vul canus cuins uxor venus extitit suspicionem inter ipsam & martem concipiens eorum gestus diligencius explorabat/ unde contigit ꝙ cum ipse quadam vice ambos inter se pariter amplexantes in lecto nudo invenit/ et exclamans omnem cetum deorum et deatum ad tantum spectaculum convocavit/ super quo tamen derisum pocius quam remedium a tota cohorte consecutus est  

oVyde wrote of many things  
Among the which in his writings  
He told a tale in poesy  
Which toucheth in to jealousy  
Upon a certain caas of love  
Among the gods all above  
It fell that ilk time thus  
The god of fire which Vulcanus  
Is hot & hath a craft forth with  
Assigned for to be the Smyth  
Of jupiter and his figure  
Both of visage & of stature  
Is ●othly and malgracyous  
But yet he hath within his house  
As for the liking of his life  
The fair Venus to his wife  
But mars which of battles is  
The god an eye had unto this  
As he which was chivalrous  
It fell him to been amorous  
And thought it was great pity  
To see so lusty one as she  
Be coupled with so hard a wight  
So that his pain day & night  
He did if he her win might  
And she that had a good insight  
Toward so noble a knightly lord  
In love fell of his accord  
There lacketh nought but time & place  
That he ny● siker of her grace  
But when two hearts fallen in one  
So wise a wait was never none  
That at sometime they ne meet  
And thus this fair lusty sweet  
With Mars hath oft company  
But thylk unkind jealousy  
Which evermore the heart opposeth  
Maketh Vulcanus that he supposeth  
That it is not well overall  
And to himself he said he shall  
A s●y● better if that he may  
And so it fell upon a day  
That he this thing so slyghly led  
He fond hem both a ●edde  
All warm/ eachone with other naked  
And he with craft all ready maked  
Of strong chains hath hem bound  
As he together hem had found  
And left 'em both lygge so  
And 'gan than to cry though  
Unto the gods all about  
And they assembled in a rout  
Come all at ones for to see  
But none amends had he  
Bat was rebuked here & there  
Of 'em that loves friends were  
And said that he was to blame  
For if their fell him any shame  
It was thorough his misgovernance  
And thus he lost countenance  
This god & let his cause fall  
And they to scorne●●owen ●●●e  
And lo●en mars out of his hands  
Whereof these earthly husbands  
For ever might ensample take  
In such a chance 'em overtake  
For Vulcanus his wife bewrayed  
The blame upon himself ho laid  
Whereof his shame was the more  
Which ought for to be a lore  
For every man that leaveth here  
To reulen him in this matter  
Though such an hap of love asterte  
Yet should he not appoint his heart  
Of jealousy of that is wrought  
But feign as though he wist it nought  
For if he ●ete it overpass  
The slander shall be well the lass  
And he the more in ease stand  
For this thou might well understand  
That where a man shall needs le●●  
The lass harm is for to cheese  
But jealousy of his untryst  
Maketh that full many an harm aryst  
Which else should not arise  
And if a man would him advise  
Of that befell▪ to Vulcanus  
Him aught of reason think thus  
That sith a god was thereof shamed  
Well should an earthly man be blamed  
To take upon him such● a vice  
For thy my son in thine office  
Beware that thou be nought jealous  
Which offtime hath shent the house   

My father this ensample is bard  
How such thing to the heaven ward  
Among the gods might fall  
For there is one god of all  
Which is the lord of heuene●● hell  
But if it like you to tell  
How such gods come a place  
Ye might mochel thank purchase  
For I shall be well taught with all    

Confessor  

My son it is so overalls  
With 'em that stonden mysbyleu●d  
That such gods ●en believed  
In sundry place in sondey wise  
Among 'em which be unwist  
There is betaken of credence  
Whereof that I the difference  
In the manner as it is write  
Shall do the plainly for to wite   
Genti●us illusis signantur templade oru●●/ unde 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 ut 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 beliefs that tho were  
In four forms thus it was  
They of chaldee as in this cas  
Had a believe of 'emself  
Which stood upon the signs twelve  
And eke with the planets seven  
Which as they saw upon the henen●  
Of sundry constellation  
In her imagination  
With sundry ●rerf & portraiture  
They made of gods the figure   

In Elements & eke also  
They hadden a believe tho  
And all was that unreasonable  
For the elements been serviceable  
To man for oft of accydence  
As men may see the experience  
They been corrupt by sundry weigh  
So may no man's reason say  
That they been god in any wise  
And eke if men hem well advise  
The son & moan eclypsen both  
Or be 'em leef or be 'em to the  
They suffer & what thing is passable  
To been a god is inpossible   
Et qd Nembroth quartus a Noah ignem tanquam deum in Caldea primus adorari decrevit  

These elements been creatures  
So been these heavenly figures  
Whereof may well be justified  
That they may not be deified  
And what taketh away the honour  
Which due is to the creator  
And giveth it to the creature  
He doth to great a forteture  
But of Chaldee nevertheless  
Upon this faith though it be les  
They hold affirmed the creance  
So that of hell the penance  
As folk which stant out of believe  
They shall ●ceyue as we believe   

Of the Caldees loo in this wise  
Stant the believe out of assize  
But in Egypt worst of all  
The faith is falls hou so it fall  
For they divers beasts there  
Honour as though they gods were  
And nevertheless yet forth with all  
The gods most in special  
They have forth with a goddess  
In whom is all her sickerness  
The gods yet be cleped thus  
Orus Cyphon and Isyrus  
They were brethren all three  
And the gods in here degree  
Her sister was & isis height  
Whom Isyrus forlay by night  
And held her after as his wife  
So it byfelle that upon strife  
Typhon hath Isire his brother slain  
Which had a child to soon Orayn  
And he his father death to heart  
So took that he may not asterte  
That he Typhon after ne slough  
Than he was ●ype of age Enough  
But yet the Egypcyens trowen  
For all this error that they known  
That these brethren been of might  
To set & keep Egypt up right  
And over through if that hem like  
But isis as saith the chronic  
from Grece in to Egypte came  
And she then upon hand name  
To teach 'em for to sow & ●re  
Which noman knew tofore there  
And when the Egyptians sigh  
The field full afore here eye  
And that the land began to greyne  
Which whysome had be barren  
For the earth bare● after the kind  
His due charge this I find  
That▪ she of birth the goddess  
Is cleped/ so that in distress  
The women there upon childing  
To her clepe and here offering  
They ●ere when; that they be light  
Loo how Egypt all out of sight  
Fro reason stant in misbelieve  
For lak of bore as I believe    

De secta Grecorum  

Among the greeks out of the weigh  
As they that reason put away  
There was as the chronic saith  
Of misbelieve an other faith  
That ●ere gods & here goddess  
As who saith taken all to guess  
Of such as weren full of vice  
To whom they made sacrifice  
●he high god so as they said  
To whom they worship laid   
Nota qualiter Saturnus deorum summns appellatur  

Saturnus height & king of Crete  
He had be put out of his seat  
He was put down as he which stood  
In frenzy & was so wood  
That fro his wife which Reá height  
His own children he to plight  
And eat 'em of his common won  
But jupiter which w●s his sone  
And of full age his father bond  
And kit of with his own hand  
His genytalles which also fast  
In to the deep see he cast  
Whereof the greeks affirm & say  
Thus when they were cast away  
Cam Venus forth by weigh of kind  
And of Saturnus also I find  
How afterward in to an isle  
This jupiter him did exile  
Where that he stood in great mischief  
Loo what a god they maden chief  
Which stood most in his degree  
And sithen that such one was he  
Among the gods thou might know  
These other that been more low  
Been little worth as it is found    

jupiter ●eus deliciarum  

For jupiter was the seconds  
Which juno had unto his wife  
And yet a lecher all his life  
He was & in avowtry  
He wrought many a treachery  
And for he was so full of vices  
They cleped him god of delyces  
Of whom if thou wilt wite  
Ovid the poet hath write  
But yet here stars both two  
Saturn and jupiter also  
They have although they be to blame  
Attytled to her own name    

Mars deus belli  

Mars was another man in that last  
The which in trace was forth draw  
Of whom the clerk Vegecius  
Wrote in his book & told thus  
How he in to italy came  
And fortune there he nam  
That he a maiden there oppressed  
Which in her order was professed  
As the which was the P●yo●esse  
In beasts Temple the goddess  
So was she well the more to blame  
Dame Ilya this lady name  
Men clepe & she was also  
The kings daughter that was though  
Which mynyter by name height  
So that again the laws right  
Mars thilk time upon her that  
Remus & Romulus he vygat  
Which after when they come in age  
Of knighthood & of bessellage  
italy all hole they overcome  
And foundeden the great Rome  
In arms and of such emprise  
They weren that in thylk wise  
Her father mars for the marvel  
The god was cleped of the battle  
They were his children both two  
Though hem he took his name so  
There was none other cause why  
And yet a star upon the sky  
He hath unto his name applied  
In which that he is ●●guyfyed   

Another god they hadden eke  
To whom for counseyl they byseke  
The which was brother to Venus  
Apollo men him clepe thus  
He was an hunt upon the hells  
There was with him no virtue else  
Whereof that any books carp  
But onlyche that he couth harp  
Which when he walked over land  
Full of time he work on hand  
To get him with his sustenance  
For lak of other purveyance  
And other while of his falsehood  
He feigneth him to con a reed▪  
Of thing which afterward should fall  
Whereof among his sleights all  
He hath the lewd folk received  
So that the better he was received  
Loo now thorough what▪ creation  
He hath deification  
To such as be the fools yet  
And cleped is the god of wit   

Another god to whom they sought  
Mercury height/ & him ne wrought  
What thing he stolen ne whom▪ he slough  
Of s●r●●rye he couth enough  
That when he would himself transfor  
me/ Full offtime he took the form  
Of woman & his own left  
So died he well the more theft  
Agrete speaker in all things  
He was also & of losings  
An Author that men wist none  
An other such as he was one  
And yet they maden of. this thief  
A god which was vuto him leef  
And cleped him in though vyleves  
The god of merchants & of thieves  
But asterre upon the heaven  
He hath one of the planets senene   

But Vulcanus of whom I spa  
Honorio had a courbe upon the back  
And thereto he was hip halt  
Of whom thou understand shalt  
He was a shrew in all his youth  
And he none other virtue couth  
Of virtue to help himself with  
But only that he was a smith  
Which with jupiter in his forge  
diverse things made him forge  
So wot I not for what desire  
To clepe him the god of fire   

King of Cecyle Ipolytus  
A sone had/ and Aeolus  
He height of his father grant  
He held the weigh of covenant  
The governance of every Isle  
Which was longed unto Cecyle  
Of 'em that fro the land foreign  
Lie upon to the wind all plain  
And fro thylk Isles to the land  
Full oft came the wind to hon  
And after the name of him for thy  
The wind is cleped Eoly  
And is cleped the god of wind  
Loo no whou this believe is blind   

The king of Crete jupiter  
The same which I spast of oer  
Unto his brother which Neptune  
Which was hot him list common  
Part of his god so that by ship  
He made him strong of the lordship  
Of anl the see in though parties  
Where that he wrought his tyrannies  
And the strange Isles all about  
He won that every man hath doubt  
Upon his march for to sail  
For he anon hem would assail  
And rob that thing that they ladden  
His safe conduit but if they hadden  
Whereof the common voys aroos  
●n every land that such a loos  
He caught all near it worth a stre  
That he was cleped of the see  
The god by name & yet he is  
With 'em that so believe amiss  
This Neptunus which was thylk also  
Which was the first founder though  
Of noble Troy & he for thy  
Was well the more let by   

The boresman of the shepherds  
And eke of 'em that Netherdes  
Was of Archade & height pan  
Of whom hath spoke many a man  
For in the wood of Novertyne  
Enclosed with the trees of pygne  
And out of the mount of parysye  
He bade of beasts the bailiff  
And eke beneath in the valley  
Where thylk river as men may say  
Which Ladon height made his course  
He was the chief of governors  
Of 'em that keepen tame beasts  
Whereof they make yet the festes  
In the city of Stursalydes  
And forth with all yet nevertheless  
He taught men the forth drawing  
Of bestaylle & eke the making  
Of Oxen & of horse the same  
How men hem should ride & tame  
Of fowls eke so as we find  
Full many a subtile craft of kind  
He fond which noman knew to fore  
Men did him worship eke therefore  
That he the first in thylk land  
Was/ which the melody fond  
Of reeds when they were ripe  
With double pipes for to pipe  
Thereof he gave the first lore  
Till afterward men couth more  
To every cranft of man's help  
He had a ready wit to help  
thorough natural experience  
Thus the nice reverence  
Of fools when he was deed  
The foot was turned to the heed  
And clepe him god of nature  
For so they maden his figure   

Another god so as they feel  
With jupiter upon Semele  
Bygate in his avowtry  
Whom for to hide his lechery  
That none thereof shall take keep  
In a mountain for to keep  
Which Dyon height & was in Ind  
He sent in books as I find  
And he by name Bacchus height  
Which afterward when that he might  
A wastor was & all his rent  
In win & bordel he dyspente  
But alweye he wonder bad  
Among the greeks a name he had  
They cleped him the god of wine  
And thus a glutton was divine   

There was yet Esculapius  
A god in thylk time as thus  
His craft stood upon surgery  
But for the lust of lechery  
That he to Dayres' daughter drough  
It fell that jupiter him slough  
And yet they made him nought for thy  
A god & wist no cause why  
In Rome he was long time so  
A god among the romans tho  
For as he said in his presence  
There was destroyed a pestilence  
When they to the isle of Delphos went  
And Apollo with hem sent  
This Esenlapius his sone  
Among the romans for to won  
And there he duelte for a while  
Till afterward in that isle  
Fro when he came again he turneth  
Where all his life that he sojourneth  
Among the greeks till he died  
And they upon him than laid  
His name & god of medicine  
He ●at●e after that ilk line   

Another god of Hercules  
They made which was nevertheless  
A man but that he was so strong  
In all this world that brood & long  
So mighty was no man as he  
Merucyles twelve in his degree  
As it was couth in sundry lands  
He did with his own hands  
again giants & monsters both  
The which were horeyble & loath  
But he with strength hem overcame  
Whereof so great a pries he nam  
That they him clepe amongs all  
The god of strength & to him call  
And yet there is no reason Inn  
For he a man was fulfilled of sin  
Which proved was upon his end  
For in a rage himself he brende  
And such a cruel man's deed accord  
Acordeth nought to the good lord   

They made of gods yet another  
Which Pluto height/ & was the brother  
Of jupiter/ & he fro youth  
With every word which came to mouth  
Of any thing when he was wroth  
He would swear his common oath  
By Lethen and Flageton  
By Cocheton and Acheron  
The which after the books tell  
Ben the chief floods of hell  
By Segne & Styge he swore also  
That by the deep pits two  
Of hell the most pryncypal  
Pluto these oaths overall  
Swore of his common custumounce  
Till it fell upon a chance  
That he for jupyters sake  
Unto the gods late do make  
A sacrifice/ & for that deed  
One of the pits for his meed  
In hell which I spoke of ere  
Was granted him/ & thus he there  
Upon the fortune of this thing  
The name took of hell king   

Loo these gods & well more  
Among the greeks they had tho  
And of gods many one  
whose names thou shalt here anon  
And in what wise they deceyven  
The fools which her faith receiven   

Oo as Saturn is sovereign  
Of all gods as they say  
So is Cybylle of goddesses  
The mother whom without guesses  
The folk preyn honour & serve  
As they the which her law observe  
But for to known upon this  
Fro when she came & what she is  
Bethnicia the country height  
Where she came first to man's sight  
And after was Saturnus wife  
By whom three children in her life  
She bare & were cleped though  
juno Neptunus & Pluto  
The which of nice fantasy  
The people would deyfye  
And for her children were so  
Cybelle than was also  
Made a goddess & they her call  
The mother of the gods all  
So was that name bore forth  
And yet the cause is little worth   

A voys unto Saturn told  
How that his own son him should  
Out of his reign put away  
And he by cause of thylk weigh  
That him was shape such an hate  
Cybelle his wife began to hate  
And eke her progeny both  
And while that they were wroth  
By Phyberem upon a day  
In this avowtry he lay  
On whom he jupiter vygat  
And this child was after that  
Which wrought all that was prophesied  
As it tofore was specified  
So when that jupiter of/ Crete  
Was king/ a wife unto him meet  
The daughter of Sibyl he took  
And that was juno saith the book  
Of his deification  
After the f●ls opinion  
That have I told so as I mean  
And for this juno was the queen  
Of jupiter and sister ●ke  
The fools unto her seek  
And said that she is the goddess  
Of Regnes both & of Ry●hesse  
And ●ke she as they understand  
The water Nymphs hath in hand  
To leaden at her own hest  
And when here list the sky tempest  
The Reynbowe is her messenger  
Loo which a misbelieve is here  
That she goddess is of the sky  
I wot none other cause why   

Another goddess is Myn●rue  
To whom the Greeks o●●ye & serve  
And she was nyhe the great lay  
Of Tyton fond where lay  
A child for cast/ but what she was  
There knew noman the sooth cas  
But ●n africa she was laid  
In the manner as I have saide  
And carried from that ilk place  
In to an isle for in Trace  
T●● which Palene than height  
Where a nurse her kepe & dight  
And after for she was so wise  
That she fond first in her advice  
To cloth making of wool & line  
Men saiden that she was divine  
And the goddess of sapience  
They clepe her in that credence   

Of the goddess which pallas  
Is cleped sundry speech was  
One saith her father was pallaunt  
Which in his time was a giant  
A cruel man a batayllous  
Another saith how in his house  
She was the cause why he died  
And of this pallas eke some saide  
That she Mart's wife was & so  
Among the men that were tho  
Of misbelieve m riot  
The goddess of battles she hot●  
Was/ and yet she beareth the name  
Now look how they be not for to bl●me   

Saturnus after his exile  
Fro Crete came m great peril  
In to the lands of italy  
And there he did great marvel  
Whereof his name dueleth yet  
For he fond of his own wit  
The first craft of plough tilling  
Of ering & of corn sowing  
And how men should sette● wines  
Of the grapes for to make wines  
And this he taught/ and it fell so  
His wife which came with him though  
Was cleped Ceres by name  
And for she taught also the same  
And was his wife that ilk throw  
As it was to the people know  
They made of Ceres a goddess  
In whom in their filth yet they bless  
And saith that Try●olynus  
Here sone goth among us  
And maketh that corn good cheap or dear  
Right as her list from year to year  
So that this wife because of this  
Goddess of corn cleped is   

King jupiter which his liking  
Whilom fulfilled in all thing  
So privily about he lad  
His lust that he his will had  
Of Lat●na & of her that  
diane his daughter he bygat  
Unknown of his wife juno  
And afterward she knew it so  
That Latona for dread fled  
In to an isle where she hid  
Her womb which of child aroos  
Thylk I'll was cleped De●●os  
In which Dyana was forth brount  
And kept so that her lacketh nought  
And after when she was of age  
She took none heed of marriage  
But out of man's company  
She took her all to lechery  
In forest and in wilderness  
For there was all here business  
By day & eke by nights tide  
With arrows broad under the side  
And be we in hand of which she slough  
And took all that she liked Enough  
Of beasts which been chaceable  
Whereof the chronic of this fable  
Saith that the gentleness most of all  
Worship her & to her call  
And the goddess of high hells  
Of green trees & of fresh wells  
They clepe her in that believe  
Which that no reason may achieve   

Proserpyna which daughter was  
Of Cereres byfel the cas  
While she was duelling m Cecyle  
He mother in that ilk while  
Upon her blessing & her hest  
Bad that she should be honest  
And lere for to weave & spin  
And duelle at home & keep her Inn  
But she cast all that lore away  
And as she went her out to play  
To gader flowers in a plain  
And that was under the mountain  
Of Ethna fell the same tide  
That pluto came that way ride  
And suddenly or she was ware  
He took her up in to his chaar  
And as they riden in the field  
Her great beauty he beheld  
Which was so pleasant in his eye  
That for to hold in company  
He wedded her & held her so  
To been his wife for evermo  
And as thou hast to fore herd tell  
How he was cleped god of hell  
So is she cleped the goddess  
By cause of him ne more ne less   

Lo thus my son as I the told  
The greeks whilom by days old  
Her gods had in sundry wise  
And thorough the lore of her apry●●  
The Roman held ●ke the same  
And in worship of her name  
To every god in special  
They made a Temple forth with all  
And eke of 'em her years day  
Attytled had & of array  
The temples were then ordained  
And eke the people was constrained  
To come & done her sacrifice  
The priests ●ke in her office  
Solemn made thylk festes  
And the greeks thus like the beasts  
The men in stead of god honour  
Which might hem nought so coure  
While that they were alive here  
And over this as thou shalt here  
The greeks fulfilled of fantasy  
Seyne eke that of the hells high  
And the gods been in special  
But of her name in general  
They hoten all Satyry  
There been of Nymphs propyrly  
In the believe of 'em also  
Oreades they saiden though  
Attytled been to the mountains  
And for the woods in demeynes  
To keep though been Dryads  
Of fresh wells Naiads  
And of the Nymphs of the see  
I find a tale m property  
How Dorus whilom the king of grece  
Which had of Infortune a p●ce  
His wife forth with his daughter all  
So as the haps sholden fall  
With many a gentle woman there  
Dreynt in the salt see they were  
Where of the greeks that time saiden  
And such a name upon leyden  
Nereydes that they been ho●e  
The Nymphs which that they note  
To reign upon the streams salt  
Lo now if this believe halt  
But of the Nymphs as they tells  
In every place where they duelle  
They been all ready obeysaunt  
As Damoyselles attendant  
To the gods whose ser●yse  
They mot● obey in all wise  
Whereof the greeks to 'em beseek  
With though that been gods eke  
And have in 'em a great credence  
And yet without experience  
save only of illusion  
Which was to hem damnation  
For men also that were deed  
They hadden gods as I read  
And though by name Manes hyghten  
To whom full great honour they diȝten  
So a● the greeks law saith  
Which was again the right faith   

Thus have I told a great party  
●u● all the hole progeny  
O● goddess m that ilk time  
To long it were for to rhyme  
But yet of that which thou has● h●rd  
Of misbelieve how it hath fir  
There is a great diversity   

My father right so thinketh me  
But yet one thing I you beseech  
Which stant in all men's speech  
The god & the goddess of love  
Of whom ye no thing here above  
●aue told ne spoken of her fare  
That ye me would now declare  
H●u they first come to that name   

My son I have left it for shame  
By cause I am her own priest  
But for they standen nyhe thy breast  
V●on the shrift of thy matter  
Thou shalt of 'em the sooth here  
And understand now well the caa●  
Venus Saturnus daughter was  
Which all danger put away  
Of love & fond to lust a weigh  
So that of her in sundry place  
diverse men f●lle in to grace  
And such a lusty life she lad  
That she divers children had  
Now one by this now one by that  
Of her it was that ma●s bygat  
A child which cleped was Armen●  
Of her also came Andragene  
To whom mercury father was  
Anchyses bygate Aeneas  
Of her also and Herycon  
Byten bygat and thereupon  
When that she saw there was none other  
By jupiter her own brother  
She lay & he bygat cupid  
And thilk sone upon a tide  
When he was come unto his age  
He had a wonder fair visage  
And fond his mother amorous  
And was also lecherous  
So when they wer● both alone  
As he which eyen had none  
To reason his mother kissed  
And she also that nothing wist  
But that which unto his lust belongeth  
To been her love him under fongeth  
Thus was he blind & she unwys  
But nevertheless this cause it is  
Which cupid is the god of love  
For he his mother durst love  
And she which thought her lusts fond  
divers loves took on hand  
well more than I the told here  
And for she would her self skere  
She made common that disport  
And set ● law of such a port  
That every woman might take  
What man her list & nought forsake  
To been as common as she would  
She was the first also which told  
That women should her body sell  
Semyramys so as men tell  
Of Venus kept thylk apprise  
And so died in the same wise  
Of Rome fair Neabolye  
Which sold her body to Regolye  
She was to every man fellow  
And held the lust of thylk law  
Which Venus of herself began  
Whereof that she the name won  
Why men her clepe the goddess  
Of love & eke of gentleness  
Of worlds lust & of pleasance   

See now the foul myscreaunc●  
Of greeks in thylk time though  
When Venus took her name so  
There was no ca●se under the moan  
Of the which they hadden tho to done  
Of well or woe where so it was  
That they no token in that ca●  
A god to help or a goddess  
Whereof to take my witness   
Nota de epistola Dindimi Regis Bragmannorum Alexandro magno directa ubi dicit ꝙ Greci tunc ad corporis conseruacionem pro singulis membris singulos deds specialiter appropri ari credunt  

The king of Bragmans Dyndymus  
Wrote unto Alysander thus  
In blaming of the greeks faith  
And of the misbelief he saith  
How they for every member hadden  
A sundry god to whom they spradden  
Hear arms & of help besoughten   

minerve for the heed they sosughten  
For she was wise & of a man  
The wit & reason that he can  
As in the celles of the brain  
Whereof they made her sovereign   

Mercury which was in his dawe●  
A great speaker of false laws  
On him the keeping of the tongue  
They laid when they speak or song   

For Bacchus was a glutton eke  
Him for the throat they byseke  
That he it would washen oft  
With soot drinks & with soft   

The god of shoulders & of arms  
Was hercules for he in arms  
The myghiyest was to fight  
To him the ●ymmes they behyght   

The god whom they cle●●n mars  
The br●●t to keep hath for his part  
For with the heart in his image  
That he address to his courage   

And of the gall the goddess  
For she was full of hastiness  
Of wrath & light to grieve also  
They made & said it was juno   

cupid which the brand of fire  
Bare in his hand he was the sire  
Of the stomach which boileth ever  
Whereof the lusts been the liefer   

To the Goddess Cere●es  
which of the corn gave her increases  
Upon the faith that though was take  
The wombs cure was betake   

And Venus thorough the lechery  
For which they her deyfye  
She kept all down the remnant  
The which be to thilk office appertenanunt   
Nota de prima Idolorum cultura que ex tribus praecipue statuis exorta est quarum prima fuit illa quam in filii sui memoriam quidam Panceps 'noint Cirophanes a Sculptore Promotheo fabricari constituit  

Thus was dyspers in sundry wise  
The misbelieve as I devise  
with many an Image of entaylle  
Of such as might not hem avail  
For they without lives cheer  
Vnmyghty be to see or here  
Or speak or do or else feel  
And yet the fools to hem kneel  
which is her own hand work  
A lord how this believe is dark  
And far fr● reasonable wit  
And nevertheless they done it yet  
That was this day a ragged tr●  
To morrow upon his majesty  
Stant in the Temple well beseyne  
How might a man's reason say  
That such a stock may help or grieve  
But they be of such believe  
And unto such gods call  
It shall to 'em right so byfalle  
And fayl● hem at most need  
But if the list to taken heed  
And of the first Image wite  
Petorynu● thereof hath write  
And eke Nygagorus also  
And they affirm & write so  
That promotheus was tofore  
And fond the first craft therefore  
And Cry phanes as they t●lle  
through counscil which was take in hell  
In remembrance of his lineage  
let setten up the first Image  
Of Cyrophanes saith the book  
That he for sorrow which he took  
Of that he saw his sone deed  
Of comfort knee we none other rede  
But let do make in remembrance  
A fair Image of his semblance  
And set it in the market place  
Which openly to fore his face  
Stood every d●y to do him case  
And they that than would please  
The father should it obey  
When that they comen thylk wey●   
Sta●nda siatua fuit ill●●uā ad sui patris ●eli culture in Rex Ninus ●●eri et adorari decrevit/ Etsic de nomine ●●li posica Bel & Belzebub Idolum ●●●●●uit  

And of Ninus king of Assyur  
Arede how that in his Empire  
●e was noet after the second  
Of 'em that first Images found  
For he right in semblable caas  
Of Belus which her father was  
From Nembroth in the right line  
let make of gold & stones fine  
A precious Image rich  
After his father evenlyche  
And thereupon a law he set  
That every man of pure debt  
With sacrifice & with truage  
Honour should thylk Image  
So that within time it fell  
Of Belus came the name of Belle  
Of Bel can Beelzebub & so  
The misbelieve 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 third Image next to this  
When the king of Grece Apys  
Was deed they made a figure  
In resemblance of his stature  
Of this king Apys saith the book  
That Serapys his name took  
In whom thorough long continuance  
Of misbelieve a great creance  
They hadden and the reverence  
Of sacrifice and of incense  
To him they made & they tell  
Among the wonders that befell  
When Alexander fro Candace  
Cam rydend in a wild place  
Under an hill a cave he fond  
And Candalus which in that land  
was bore/ & was Candaces sone  
Him told how that of common won  
The gods were in thylk cave  
And he that would assay & have  
A knowledging if it be sooth  
Light of his horse & in he goth  
And fond therein that he sought  
For thorough the fiends sleight him thought  
Among other gods more  
That Scrapys spoke to him though  
whom he saw there in great array  
And thus the fiend from day to day  
The worship of idolatry  
Trough forth upon the fantasy  
Of 'em that were than blind  
And couthen nought the truth find   

Thus haste thou herd in what degree  
Of Grece Egypte & Chaldee  
The mysbylene whilom stood  
And how so they be not good  
Ne true yet they sprungen out  
Whereof the wide world about  
His part of misbelieve took  
Till so byfelle as saith the book  
That god a people for himself  
Hath chose of the lineages twelve  
Whereof the sooth readily  
As it is written in Genesy  
I think tell in such a wise  
That it shall be to him a prise   
De Hebreorum seu judeorum secta quorum Sinagoga coclesia Cristi superueniente defecit  

aFter the flood fro which Noah  
Was safe the world in his degree  
Was made as who saith new again  
Of flower of fruit of grass of grein  
Of be'st of bird & of mankind  
Which ever hath be to god unkind  
For not with standing all the fare  
Of that this world was made so bare  
And afterward it was restored  
Among the men was nothing mored  
Toward god of good living  
But all was turned to liking  
After the flesh so that foryete  
Was he which gave hem life & meet  
Of heaven & earth creator  
And thus came forth the great error  
That they the high god ne knew  
But maden other god's new  
As thou hast herd me said tofore  
There was no man that time bore  
That be ne bad after his choice  
A god/ to whom he gave his voys  
whereof the misbelieve came  
In to the time of Abraham  
But he fond out the right weigh  
How only men should obey  
The high god which weldeth all  
And ever hath done & ever shall  
In heaven/ in earth/ & eke in hell  
There is no thing his might may tell  
This Patryarche to his lineage  
Forbade that they to none Image  
incline should in no wise  
But her offrend & sacrifice  
With all the hole hearts love  
Unto the mighty god above  
And they should him & no more  
And thus in thylk time though  
began the faith upon the earth  
Which of beliefs was the ferthe  
Of rightwiseness it was conceived  
So must it needs be received  
Of him that all right is Inn  
The high god which would win  
A people unto his own faith  
On Abraham the ground he layeth  
And made him for to multiply  
In to so great a progeny  
That they Egypte all over sprad  
But Pharaoh with wrong hem lad  
In servitude again the peace  
Till god let send Moses  
To make the deliverance  
And for his people great vengeannce  
He took/ which to here a wonder  
The king was slain the land put under  
God bade the reed see divide  
Which stood upright on every side  
And gave unto his people a weigh  
That they on foot it passed dry  
And gone so forth in to desert  
Where for to keep 'em in covert  
The days when the son brent  
A large cloud 'em over went  
And for to wyssen 'em by night  
A fiery pillar hem alight  
And when that they for hunger plain  
The mighty god began to rain  
Manna fro heaven down to ground  
Whereof that each of hem hath found  
His food such right as him list  
And for they should upon him tryst  
Right as who set a ton abroach  
And pierced the hard roche  
And sprung out water all at will  
That man & best hath bronke at will  
And afterward he gave the law  
To moyses that hem withdraw  
They should not fro that he bade  
And in this wise they be lad  
Till they took in possession  
The land of promission  
Where that Caleph and joshua  
The marches upon such degree  
Departen after the lineage  
That each of 'em as heritage  
His pourpartye hath underfang  
And thus stood this believe long  
Which of prophets was governed  
And they had eke the people learned  
Of great honour that should hem fall  
But at most need of all  
They fayleden when christ was boar  
But how that they her faith have lore  
It needeth nought to tell all  
The matter is so general  
When Luafer was best in heaven  
And aught most have stand in even  
Towards god he took debate  
And for that he was obstinate  
And would nought to truth incline  
He fell for ever in to ruin  
And Adam eke in paradies  
When he stood most in all his pries  
After the state of Innocence  
Ayene the god broke his defence  
And fell out from his high place a weigh  
And right by such manner weigh  
The jews in her best plight  
When they should most parfyght  
Have stand upon the prophecy  
though fellen they to most folly  
And him which was from heaven come  
And of a maid his flesh hath nome  
And was among 'em born & fed  
As men that would nought be sped  
Of gods son with one voys  
They hinge & slough upon the croys  
Whereof the perfit of her law  
from than forth was forth draw  
So that they stand of no merit  
But in truage as folk subgect  
Without property of place  
They lyven out of god's grace  
Dyspers in all lands out  
And thus the faith is come about●  
That whilom in the jews stood  
Which is nought perfectly good  
To speak as it is now be fall  
There is a faith above all  
In which the truth is comprehended  
Whereof that we been all amended   
De fide Cristiana in qua perfect legis complementum summi ●isterij sacramentum nostreque saluacionis fundamentum infallibiliter consistere credimus  

tHe high almighty majesty  
Of right wiseness & of pity  
The sin/ which that Adam wrought  
When he saw time than he sought  
And send his son fro the heaven  
To set man's soul in even  
Which than was so forfalle  
Upon the point which was so byfalle  
That he ne might himself arise  
Gregory saith in his apprise  
It helpeth nought a man be boar  
If gods son were unborn  
For than through the first sin  
Which whilom Adam brought us Inn  
There sholden all men be lost  
But christ restoreth thylk lost  
And bought it with his flesh & blood  
And if we thinken how it stood  
Of thylk ransom which he paid  
As saint gregory it wrote & said  
All was behovely to the man  
For that whereof his woe began  
Was after cause of all his wealth  
When he which is the well of health  
The high creator of life  
Upon the need of such a strife  
So would for his creature  
Take on himself the forfeiture  
And suffer for the man's sake  
Thus may no reason well forsake  
That Ilke sin original  
Ne was the cause in special  
Of man's worship at the last  
Which shall withouten end last  
For by that cause the godhead  
Assembled was to the manhood  
In the virgin where he nome  
Our flesh & very man become  
Of bodily fraternity  
Whereof the man in his degree  
standeth more worthy as I have told  
Then he did erst a thousand fold  
thorough baptism of the new law  
Of the which Crist is lord & fellow  
And thus the high gods might  
Which was in the virgin alight  
The man's soul hath reconciled  
Which had long been exiled  
So stant the faith upon the believe  
Without which may no man achieve  
To get him paradies again  
But this believe is so certain  
So full of grace & of virtue  
That what man that clepeth to Ihesu  
In clean life forth with good deed  
He may not failen of heaven meed  
So that it stand upon believe  
That every man may well achieve  
The which taken hath the right faith  
For else as the gospel saith  
salvation there may be none  
And for to preach therupon  
Thus Cryst bad to his Apostles all  
whose power as now is fall  
On us that be of holy church  
If we the good deeds do wirche  
For faith only sufficeth nought  
But good deed also be wrought  
Now were it good that thou for thy  
Which thorough baptism propyrly  
Art unto Crystes faith professed  
Be wa●e that thou be not oppressed  
With Antecrystes lollardye  
For as the jews prophecy  
Was set of god for advantage  
Right so this new tapynage  
Of lollardye goth about  
To set Crystes faith in doubt  
The saints that were us tofore  
By whom the faith was first up bore  
That holy church stood relieved  
They oughten better be believed  
Than these which men know  
Not holy though they feign & blow  
Here lollardye in man's ere  
But if thou wilt live out of fere  
Such new lore I read eschew  
And hold forth the right weigh & sew  
As thine ancestors' died or this  
So that thou believe nought amiss  
Cryst wrought first/ & after taught  
So that the deed his word araught  
He gave ensample in his person  
And we the words have alone  
Like to the tree with leaves green  
Upon the which no fruit is seen   
Nota ꝙ cum Anthenor palladium Troy a Templo Minerue abstulit Tho as ibidem summus sacerdos auro corruptus oculos avertit/ et sic malum quasi non videns scienter fieri permisit  

The priest Thoas which of minerve  
The Temple had for to serve  
And the palladyon of Troy  
Kept under key for money  
Of Antenor which he hath nome  
Hath suffered Antherior to come  
And the palladyon to steel  
Whereof the worship & the weal  
Of the Troyans' been overthrow  
But Thoas at the same throw  
When Antenor the jewel took  
Wynkend cast away his look  
For a deceit and for a wile  
As he that should himself beguile  
He hid his eyen fro the sight  
And wend well that he so might  
Excuse his false conscience  
I wot not if thylk evidence  
Now at this time in here estates  
Excuse might the prelate's  
●nowend how the faith dyscresyth  
And all moral virtue ●●cyth  
Whereof that they the keys bear  
But yet hem liketh not to steer  
Here goos●ly eye for to see  
The world in his adversity  
They will no labour● undertake  
To keep that hem is bytake  
christ died himself for thee▪ faith  
But now our fearful prelate saith  
The life is sweet & that he keepeth  
So that the faith unholpe slepyth  
And they under her ease intend  
And in her lust her syf dispend  
And every man do what him list  
Thus stant this world fulfilled of mis●  
That noman seeth the right weigh  
The wards of the church key  
thorough myshandeling be miss wreynt  
The worlds wawe hath nigh dreynt  
The ship which Peter hath to steer  
The form is kept but the matter  
Transformed is in other wise  
But if they were ghostly wise  
And that the prelate's weren good  
As they by old days stood  
It were than little need  
Among the men to taken heed  
Of that they here pseudo tell  
Which now is come for to duelle  
To sow Cokkyll with the corn  
So that the tilth is near hand lo●n  
Which christ sew first his own hand  
Now stant the Cokkylle in the land  
Where stood whilom the good greyne  
For the prelate's now as men say  
For slouthen that they should till  
And that I trow we be the skill  
When there is lak in 'em above  
The people is straunged fro the love  
Of truth in cause of Ignorance  
For where there is no pnrueaunce  
Of light men arn in the derk  
But if the prelate's would work  
Upon the faith which they ve t●c●●  
Men should nought her weigh seche  
Without light as now is used  
Men see the charge all day refused  
Which holy church hath undertake   
Gregorius Quando Petrus cum judea/ Andreas cum Achaia/ Thomas cum judea/ et Paulus cum gente venient/ quid dicemus nos Moderni quorum fossum talentum pro nichi●● computabitur  

But who that would ensample take  
Gregory upon his Omelye  
again the sloth of prelacy  
complaineth him & thus he saith  
When Peter father of the faith  
At doomsday shall with him bring  
judeam which thorough his preaching  
He won & Andrew with Achay  
Shall come his debt for to pay  
And thomas este with his beyete  
Of ynde & paul the routs great  
Of sundry lands shall present  
And we fulfilled of land & rent  
Which of this world we holden here  
With void hands shall appear  
Touchend our cure spiritual  
Which is our charge in special  
I not what thing it may amount  
Upon thylk end of our account  
Where christ himself is audytour  
Which taketh none heed of win honour  
The office of the Chauncellery  
Or of the kings treasury  
Ne for the wryt ne for the will  
To warrant may not then avail  
The world which now so well we ●row  
Shall make us than but a mow  
So pass we without meed  
That we none otherwise speed  
But as we read that he sped  
The which his ●o●des besauntes he dde  
And thereupon got none en●rees  
But at this time nevertheless  
What other man his thank deserve  
The world so lusty is to serve  
That we with him been all acorded  
And that is wist & well recorded  
thorough out this earth m all lands  
Late knygh●es win with her hands  
For our tongues shall be still  
And stand upon the fleshes will  
It were a travail for to preach  
The faith of christ as for to teach  
The folk paynim it will not be  
But every prelate hold his see  
With all such as he may get  
Of lusty drink & lusty meet  
Whereof the body fat & full  
Is unto ghostly labour dull  
And slough to handle thylk plough  
But else we be swift Enough  
Toward the worlds avarice  
And that is as a sacrifice  
Which after the apostle saith  
Is openly again the faith  
Unto the Idols you & granted  
But nevertheless it is now haunted  
And virtue changed in to vice  
So that largesse is Avarice  
In whose chapter mow we treat   

My father this matter is beat  
So far that ever while I live  
I shall the bet heed give  
Unto myself by many weigh  
But over this now would I preys  
To wite what the branches are  
Of Avarice & how they far  
Als well in love as other wise   

My sone & I the shall devise  
In such a manner as they stand  
So that thou shalt hem understand   
aGros iungit agris 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 Avarice is nought sullen  
Which is of gold the capiteyn  
But of her court in sundry wise  
After the school of her apprise  
She hath of servants many one  
Whereof that covetise is one  
Which with the large world about  
To seche vantages out  
Where that he may profit win  
To Avarice and bringeth inn  
That one halt & that other draweth  
There is no day which hem bedaweth  
no more the son than the moan  
When there is any thing to done  
And namely with covetise  
For he stant out of all assize  
Of reasonable man's fare  
Where h● purposeth him to far  
Upon his lucre & his beyete  
The small path the large street  
The furlong & the long mile  
Al is but one for thylk while  
And for that he is such one hold  
Dame avarice him hath withhold  
As he which is the pryncypal  
Outward for he is overall  
A purueon● and a spy  
For right as an hungry pie  
The storve beasts been awaited  
Right so is c●uetyse affayted  
To look where he may purchase  
For by his will he would embrace  
All that this wide world beelyppeth  
But ever somewhat he over hyppeth  
That he may nought all fulfil  
The lusts of his greedy will  
But where it falleth in a land  
That covetise in mighty hand  
I● s●t/ it is full hard to feed  
For than he taketh none other heed  
But that he may purchase ● gete  
●●● conscience hath he all foryete  
And not what thing it may amount  
That he shall afterward c●●mpte  
But as the Luce in his degree  
Of though that less been thanhe  
The fishes greatly devoureth  
So that no water hem succoureth  
Right so no law may rescue  
from him that will not right allow  
For where that such one is of might  
His will shall stand of right  
Thus be the men destroyed full oft  
Till that the great god aloft  
Ayene so great a covetise  
Redress it in his own wise  
And in example of although  
I find a tale write so  
The which 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 evertit/ unde non solum sui ●●s●●s ●erdicionem sed tocius civitatis intollerabilem dampnum contingere causauit  

wHen Rome stood ● noble plight  
Virgile which was though perfect  
A mirror made of his cler●●/  
And set it in the To wnes eye  
Of marble upon payler without  
That they by thirty mile about  
By day & eke also by night  
In that myrour behold might  
●yr enemies if any▪ were  
With all here ordinance there  
Which they again the city cast  
So that while thylk mirror last  
Theridamas was no land which might achieve  
With were Rome for to grieve▪  
Whereof was great envy tho  
And fell thylk time so  
That Rome had wars strong  
again Cartage & stand long  
The two cities upon debate  
Cartage saw the strong estate  
Of Rome in thylk mirror stand  
And thought all privily to fond  
To overthrow it by some wile  
And hanybal was thylk while  
The prince & leader of Cartage  
Which had set all his courage  
Upon knighthood in such a wise  
That he be worthy & be wise  
And by none other was counseled  
Whereof the world is yet marveled  
Of the masteries that he wrought  
Upon the marches which he sought  
And fell in thilk time also  
The king of puyle which was though  
Thought again Rome to rebel  
And thus was take the quarelle  
How to destroy this Emperor  
Of Rome that though was governor  
Crassus which was so covetous  
That he was ever desirous  
Of gold to get the pillage  
Whereof that puyle & eke Cartage  
With philosophers wise & great  
Begin▪ of this matter treat  
And at last in this degree  
There were Philosophres three  
To do this thing which undertake  
And thereupon they▪ with hem took  
A great treasure of gold in cofres  
To Rome & thus these philosophers  
To gether in company went  
But noman wise what they meant  
When they to Rome come were  
So privily they duelt there  
As they that thoughten to deceyne  
Was none that might of 'em perceive  
Till they in sundry steeds have  
Her gold under the earth begrave  
In treasures that to be hold  
They shield seem as they were gold  
And so forth then upon a day  
Al openly in good array▪  
To th'emperor they then present  
And tolden it was her intent  
To duelle under his service  
And he hem asketh in what wise  
And they him told in such a plight  
That each of 'em had a spirit  
The which sle●end a night appeareth  
And hem by sundry dreams lereth  
After the world that hath betid  
Under the ground if ought be hid  
Of old treasure at any throw  
They shall it in sweven know  
And upon this condition  
They▪ said what gold under the town  
Is hid of Rome they will it find  
There shall nought be left behind  
Be so that he haluen deal  
Him granteth & he assenteth weal  
And thus came sleight for to duelle  
With covetise as I the tell  
This emperor bade readily  
That they be lodged fast by  
Where he his own body lay  
And when it was at morrow day  
That one of 'em saith that he met  
Wheel he a gold hoard should fet  
Whereof this Emperor was glad  
And thereupon anon he had  
His ●●nours for to go & mine  
And he himself of that covin  
Goth forth with all & at his hand  
The treasure ready there he fond  
Where as they said it should be  
And who was than glad but he   

Upon this other day second  
They have another gold hoard found  
Which the second master took  
Upon his sweven & undertook  
And thus the sooth experience  
To th'emperor gave such credence  
That all his trust & all his faith  
So sekyrlyc●e on 'em he layeth  
Of that he fond him so relieved  
That they be perfectly believed  
As though they were gods three  
Now herkne the subtlety   

The third master should meet  
Which as they saiden should meet  
Above 'em all & couth most  
And he without noise or boast  
All pryvelycho so as he would  
Upon the morrow his sweven told  
To th'emperor right in his ere  
And said him that he witted where  
A treasure was so plenteous  
Of gold & eke so precious  
Of jewels & rich stones  
That unto all his horse at ones  
It were a charge suffissant  
This lord upon this covenant  
Was glade & asketh where it was  
The master said under the glass  
He told him eke as for the mine  
He would ordain such engine  
That they the work should undersett  
With timber & without let  
Men may the treasure safely delve  
So that the mirror by himself  
Without empeirement shall stand  
And thus the master upon hand  
Hath undertake in all weigh  
This lord which had his wit alweye  
And with covetise blended  
Anon thereto gave his assent  
And thus to mine forth with a●  
The timber set up overall  
whereof the pillar stood up right  
Till it befell upon a night  
These clerks when they were ware  
How that the timber only bore  
The piler where the mirror stood  
Here sleight no man understood  
They go by night unto the mine  
with pitch with sulphir & with ●●syne  
And when the city was a sleep  
A wild fire in to the deep  
They cast among the tymbre work  
And so forth while the night is derk  
disguised in a poor array  
They passeden the Town or day  
And when they comen upon an hell  
They sawen how the mirror fell  
Whereof they made joy enough  
And each of 'em with other lough  
And said/ Loo what covetise  
May do with 'em that be not wise  
And that was proved afterward  
For every land to Rome ward  
Which had be subject tofore  
When that mirror was forlese  
And they the wonder herd say  
Anon begun disobey  
With wars upon every side  
And thus hath Rome lost his pride  
And was defouled overall  
For this I find of Hanybal  
That he of romans in a day  
When he hem out of away  
So great a multitude slough  
That of gold rings which he drough  
Of gentle hands that been deed  
Busshellys full three I read  
He field/ and made a bridge also  
That he might over Tiber go  
Upon the corpse thant deed were  
Of the romans which he slough there   

But now to speak of the juice  
The which after the covetise  
Was take upon this Emperor  
For he destroyed the mirror  
It is a wonder for to here  
The romans made a chayere  
And set her Emperor therein  
And saiden for he would win  
Of gold the superfluity  
Of gold he should plente  
receive till he said ho  
And with gold which they had though  
Boylend hot within a pan  
In to his mouth they pour than  
And thus the thirst of/ gold was quaint  
With gold which had been attaint   

Whereof my son thou might here  
When covetise hath lost the steer  
Of reasonable governance  
There falleth oft great grievance  
For there may be no worse thing  
Then covetise about a king  
If it in his person be  
It doth the more adversity  
And if it in▪ his counseyl stand  
It bringeth all day mischief to hon  
Of common harm & if▪ it grow  
Within his court it will be know  
For than shall the king be▪ pyled  
The man which hath his land tiled  
awaiteth nought more readily  
The harvest than they greedily  
Ne maken then ward & watch  
Where they the profit myghten catch  
And yet full oft it falleth so  
As men may seen among 'em though  
That he which most coveteth fast  
Hath lest advantage at last  
For when fortune is there again  
Though he covet it is in vain  
The haps been nought all alike  
One is made poor another rich  
The court to some it doth profit  
And some been ever in one plight  
And yet they both alike sore  
covet but fortune is more  
Unto that one part favourable  
And though it be nought reasonable  
This thing may a man seen all day  
Whereof that I the tell may  
After ensample in remembrance  
How every man may take his chance  
Or of richesse or of poverty  
How so it stand of the desert  
Here is nought▪ every thing aguyte  
For oft a man may see this yet  
That who best doth lest shall have  
It helpeth nought the world to crave  
Which out of/ reule & of measure  
Hath ever stand in adventure  
As well in court as else where  
And how in all days there  
It stood so as the things fell  
I think a tale for to tell   
Ic ponit ●xhemplum contra illos qui in domibns Regum seruientes pro eo quam ipsi secundum eorum cupidita tem promoti non existunt de Regio ser vicio Puis in e●●nm defectu indiserete murmurant  

IN a chronic this I read  
About a king as must need  
Thereof was knights & squires  
great rout & eke officers  
Some of long time him had served  
And thoughten that they have deserved  
advancement & gone without  
And some also been of the rout  
That comen but a while agone  
And they advanced were anon  
These old men upon this thing  
So as they durst again the king  
Among hem self compleynen oft  
But there is no thing said so soft  
That it ne cometh out at last  
The king it wist & als fast  
As he which was of high prudence  
He shope therefore an evidence  
Of 'em that pleynen in that cas  
To know in whose default it was  
And all within his own intent  
That noman wist what it meant  
Anon he beat two cofres make  
Of one semblance of one make  
So lyche that no life thylk throw  
That one may fro that other know  
They were in to his Chambre brought  
But noman wot why they be brought  
And nevertheless the king hath bid  
That they be set in prive stead  
As he that was of wisdom sly  
When he thereto his time sigh  
All pryvelyche that none it wist  
His own hands that one kiss  
Of fyn gold & fine perry  
The which out of his treasury  
Was take anon he field full  
That other cofre of straw & mull  
With stones moved he field also  
Thus be they full both two  
So that erlyche upon a day  
He bade within there he lay  
There should to fore his bed  
A board up set & fair spread  
And than he let the cofres fet  
Upon the board & died 'em set  
He knew the names well of though  
The which again him grudged so  
Both of his chambre & of his hall  
Anon & sent for 'em all  
And said to 'em in this wise  
There shall no man him despise  
I wot well ye have long served  
And god wot what ye have deserved  
But if it is on long on me  
Of that ye bnavaunced be  
Or else if it be long on you  
The sooth shall be proved now  
To stop with your evil word  
Loo here two Cofres on the board  
These which you list of both two  
And wyteth well that one of tho  
As with Trosour so full by-gone  
That if ye hap therupon  
Ye shall be rich men for ever  
Now cheese & take which you is liefer  
But be well aware or that ye take  
For of that one I undertake  
There is no manner good therein  
Whereof ye mighten profit win  
Now goth to guider of one assent  
And maketh your advisement  
For but I you this day advance  
It stant upon your own chance  
All only in default of grace  
So shall be showed in this place  
Upon you all well ofyne  
That no default shall be mine  
They knelen all & & with one voys  
The king they thanken of this choice  
And after that they up arise  
And gone aside & hem advice  
And at last they accord  
Whereof her tale to record  
That to what yssu they befall  
A knight shall speak for 'em all  
He kneeleth down to the king  
And saith that they upon this thing  
Or for to win or for to lose  
Been all advised for to cheese  
though took this knyhht a yard on hand  
And goth there as the cofres stand  
And with th'assent of everyehone  
He laid his yard upon one  
And saith the king how thylk same  
They cheese in reguerden by name  
And preyth him that they might it have  
The king which would his honour save/  
When he hath herd the common voys  
Hath granteth hem her own choice  
And took 'em thereupon the key  
But for he would it were say  
What good they have as they suppose  
He bade anon the cofre unclose  
Which was fulfilled of straw & stones  
Thus be they served all at ones  
This thing than in the same stead  
Anon that other Cofre undid  
Where as they sawen great richesse  
Well more than they couthen guess  
Loo serth the king now may ye see  
That there is no default in me  
For thy myself I will acquit  
And beareth ye your own wite  
Of that fortune hath refused  
Thus was this wise king excused  
And they left of here cuyl speech  
And mercy of here king beseech   
Nota hic de diviciarum accidencia ubi narrat qualiter Fredericus Imperator Romanorum duos pauperrs auditut litigantes, quorum unus dixit/ been potest ditari quem Rex vult ditare Et alius dixit quem deus vult ditare dives erit/ que Rex cum ad experimentum postea probata fuisset ille qui deum invocabat pastellum auro plenum sortitus est, alius vero caponis pastellum sort preelegit  

sOmdele to this matter like  
I find a tale how frederik  
Of Rome that time emperor  
Heard as he went a great clamour  
Of two beggars upon the weigh  
That one of 'em began to say  
A lord well may the man be Rich  
Whom that a king list to rich  
That other said no thing so  
But he is rich & well begoo  
To whom that god will send weal  
And thus they maden words feel  
Whereof this lord hath heed nome  
And died hem both for to come  
To the palace where he shall eat  
And bad ordain for her meet  
Two pasteyes which he let do make  
And a capon in that one was bake  
And in that other for to win  
Of florins all that▪ may within  
He let do put a great richesse  
And even as lyche as might guess  
Outward they were both two  
This beggar was commanded though  
He that which held him to the king  
That he first cheese/ upon this thing  
He saw 'em but he felt 'em nought  
So that upon his own thought  
He cheese the capon & forsook  
That other/ which his fellow took  
But when he wist thou that it feared  
He saith aloud that men it heard  
Now am I certainly conceived  
That he may lightly be deceived  
That trysteth unto man's help  
But well is him that god will help  
For he stant on the syker side  
Which else should go beside  
I see my fellow well recover  
And I moat duelle still poor  
Thus spoke the beggar his intent  
And poor he came & poor he went  
Of that he hath richesse sought  
His infortwe it would nought  
So may it show in sundry wise  
Between fortune and covetise  
The chance is cast upon a dee  
But yet a man may full oft see  
Enough of such nevertheless  
Which put 'em self ever in pres  
To get 'em good/ & yet they fail   

And for to speak of this entail  
Touchend of love in thy matter  
My good son as thou might here  
That right as with though men stood  
Of infortune of worlds good  
As thou hast me herd tell above  
Right so full oft it stant by love  
Though thou covet it evermore  
Thou shalt have no deal the more  
But only that which the is shape  
The remnant is but a jape  
And nevertheless I now of though  
There been that now covet so  
That where as they a woman see  
Ye ten or twelve though there be  
The love is now so unadvised  
That where the beauty stant assysed  
The man's heart anon is there  
And rouneth tales in her ere  
And saith how that he loveth strait  
And thus he set him to covet  
An hundred though he saw a day  
So should he more than he may  
But for the great covetise  
Of sotie & fool emprise  
In each of 'em he fynt somewhat  
That pleaseth him or this or that  
Some one for she is white of kin  
Some one for she is noble of kin  
Some one for she hath a rody cheek  
Some one for that she seemeth meek  
Some one for she hath eyen grey  
Some one for she can laugh & play  
Some one for she is long & small  
Some one for she is light & tall  
Some one for she is pale & bleche  
Some one for she is soft of speech  
Some one for that she is camused  
Some one for that she hath not be used  
Some one for she can dawce/ & sing  
So that some thing to his lykyuge  
He fynt & though no more he feel  
But that she hath a little hele  
It is Enough that he therefore  
Her love & thus an hundred score  
While they be new he would he had  
Whom he forsaketh she shall be bad  
The blind man no colour deemeth  
But all is one right as him seemeth  
So hath his lust no judgement  
Whom covetise of love blended  
Him thinketh that to his covetise  
How all the world ne may suffice  
For by his will he would have all  
If that it might so befall  
So is he common as the street  
I set nought of his beyete   

My sone haste thou such covetise  
Nay father such love I despise  
And while I live shall done ever  
For in good faith yet had I liefer  
Than to covet in such a weigh  
To been for ever till I die  
As pour as job & loveless  
Out taken one for hauls  
His thanks is noman a live  
For than a man should all unthryve  
There ought no wiseman covet  
The law was not set so strait  
For thy myself with all to save  
Such one there is I would have  
And nove of all these other more   

My sone of that thou wouldest so  
I am nought wroth but over this  
I will the tell how it is  
For there be men which otherwise  
Right only for the covetise  
Of that they see a woman rich  
There will they all her love affyche  
nought for the beauty of her face  
Ne yet for vertu ne for grace  
Which she hath else right Enough  
But for the park & for the plough  
And other things which thereto longeth/  
For in none otherwise there longeth/  
To love but if they profit find  
And if the profit be behind  
Her love is ever less & less  
For after that she hath richesse  
Here love is of proportion  
If thou hast such condition   

My sone tell right as it is  
Mine holy father nay iwis  
condition such have I none  
For truly father I love one  
So well with all mine hearts thought  
That certes though she had nought  
And were as pour as Medea  
Which was exiled for Creusa  
I would her nought the less love  
Ne though she were at her above  
As was the Rich queen Canda●e  
Which to deserve love & grace  
To Alysander that was king  
Yofe many a worthy rich thing  
Or else as Pantasylee  
Which was the queen of Femyne  
And great richesse with her name  
When she for love of Hector came  
To Troy in rescous of the town  
I am of such condition  
That though my lady of herself  
Where also rich as such twelve  
I couth not though it were so  
No better love her than I do  
For I love in so pleyne a wise  
That for to speak of covetise  
As for poverty or for richesse  
My love is neither more ne less  
For in good faith I trow we this  
So covetous no man is  
For why & he my lady sigh  
That he thorough looking of his eye  
Ne should have such a stroke within  
That for no gold he might win  
He should nought her love asterte  
But if he left there his heart  
Be so it were such a man  
That couthe-skylle of a woman  
For there be men so rude some  
When they among the women come  
They gone under protection  
That love & his affection  
Ne shall not take 'em by the sleeve  
For they been out of that believe  
Him lusteth of no lady cheer  
But ever thynkend here & there  
Where as the gold is in the Cofte  
And will none other love proffer  
But who so wot what love amounteth  
And by reason trulyche acompteth  
Then may he know & taken heed  
That all the lust of womanhead  
Which may been in a lady face  
My lady hath & eke of grace  
If men should yeven here apprise  
They may well say how she is wise  
And sober & simple of countenance  
And all that to good governance  
Belongeth of a worthy wight  
She hath plainly for thylk night  
That she was bore as for the nonce  
Nature set in her all at ones  
beauty with bounty so byseyn  
That I may well affirm & say  
I saw yet never creature  
Of comlyheede & of feature  
In any kings region  
Be lyche her in comparison  
And thereto as I have you told  
Yet hath she more a thousand fold  
Of bounty and shortly to tell  
She is pure heed & well  
And mirror & ensample of good  
Who so her virtues understood  
Me thinketh it ought enough suffice  
Withouten other covetise  
To love such one & to serve  
Which with her cheer can deserve  
To be beloved better iwies  
Than she percase that richest is  
And hath of gold a mylyon  
such hath be mine opinion  
And ever shall/ & nevertheless  
I say nought she is haveless  
That she nies rich & well at ease  
And hath Enough where with to please  
Of worlds good whom that her list  
But one thing I would well ye wist  
That never for no worlds good  
Mine heart unto her ward stood  
But only right for purr love  
That wot the high god above  
Now father what ye say thereto    

Confessor  

My sone I say it is well do  
For take of this right good believe  
What man that will himself relieve  
To love in any other wise  
He shall well find his covetise  
Shall sore grieve him at last  
For such a love may not last  
But now men say our days  
Men taken but a few assays  
But if the cause be richesse  
For thy the love is well the less  
And who that would ensamples tell  
By old days as they fell  
Than might a man well understand  
Such love may not long stand  
Now herkne son & thou shalt here  
A great ensample of this matere   
Hic ponit Exemplum contra istos qui non propter amorem sed propter divicias sponsalia sumunt! Et narrat de quodam Regis Apubic Senescalla qui non solum propter pecuniam uxorem duxit/ sed eciam pecunie come●cis uxorem sibi desponsatam vendidit  

tO treat upon the cas of love  
So as we tolden here above  
I find write a wonder thing  
Of puyle whysome was a king  
A man of high complexion  
And young but his affection  
After the nature of his age  
Was yet not fall in his courage  
The lust of women for to know  
So it betid upon a throw  
This lord fell in to great sickness  
Phisyk hath done the hesynes  
Of sundry cures many one  
To make him whole & thereupon  
A worthy master which there was  
give him counseyl upon this cas  
That if he would have perfit heel  
He should with a woman deal  
A fresh a young a lusty wight  
To done him compavye a night  
For than he said him readily  
That he shall be all hole there by  
And otherwise he knew no cure   

This king which stood in adventure  
Of life & death for medicine  
Assented was & of covin  
His steward whom he trusteth well  
He took & told him every del  
How that this master hath said  
And thereupon he hath him prayed  
And charged upon his legiance  
That he do make purveyance  
Of such one as be covenable  
For his pleasance & delightable  
And bad him how that ever it stood  
That he shall spare for no good  
For his will is right well to pay  
The steward said he would assay  
But now here after thou shalt wite  
As I find in the books write  
What covetise in love doth  
This steward for to tell sooth  
amongs all the men on live  
A lusty lady hath to wife  
Which nevertheless for gold he took  
And nought for love as saith the book  
A rich merchant of the land  
Her father was & her fond  
So worthily/ & such richesse  
Of worlds good & such largesse  
With her he gave in marriage  
That only for thylk advantage  
Of gold the steward hath her take  
For lucre & nought for loves sake  
And that was in the steward well seen  
Now herkne what it will mean   

The steward in his own heart  
Sow that his lord may not asterte  
His malady but he have  
A lusty woman him to save  
And though he would give Enough  
Of his treasure whereof he drough  
great covetise in to his mind  
And set his honour far behind  
Thus he whom gold hath overset  
Was trapped in his own net  
The gold hath made his wits lame  
So that sechend his own shame  
He rouneth in the kings ere  
And said that he wist where  
A gentle & a lusty one  
though was & thither would he gone  
But he moat yive yefts great  
For but if it be through great beyete  
Of gold he said he should not speed  
The king him bad upon the need  
That take an ninety pound he should  
And give it where that he would  
Be so it were in worthy place  
And thus to stand in loves grace  
This king his gold hath habandouned  
And when this tale was full rouned  
The steward took the gold & went  
Within his heart & many a went  
Of covetise than he cast  
Whereof a purposes at the last  
Ayene love & ayene his right  
He took & said how thylk night  
His wife shall lig by the king  
And goth thynkend upon this thing  
Toward his Inn till he came home  
In to the chambre & there he nome  
His wife & told her all the cas  
And she which read for shame was  
With both her hands hath him prayed  
●enelend/ and in; this wise said  
That she to reason & to skill  
In what thing that he bid will  
Is ready for to done his hest  
But this thing were not honest  
That he for gold her should sell  
And he though with his words fell  
Forth with his ghastly countenance  
saith that she shall done obeisance  
And follow his will in every place  
And thus through strength of his ma  
nace/ Her Innocence is overlad  
Whereof she was so sore adread  
That she his will mote need obey  
And thereupon was shape a weigh  
That he his own wife by night  
Hath out of all men's sight  
So privily that none it witted  
Brought to the king which as him list  
May do with her what he would  
For when she was there as she should  
With him a bed under the cloth  
The steward took his leave & goth  
In to the chambre fast by  
But how he slept that wot not I  
For he saw cause of jealousy   

But he which hath the company  
Of such a lusty one as she  
Him thought that of his degree  
There was noman so well at ease  
She doth all that she may to please  
So that all/ his heart she had  
And thus this king his joy lad  
Till it was nyhe upon the day  
The steward than where she lay  
Cam to the bed & in his wise  
Hath bede she should arise  
The king said nay she should not go  
His steward said again nought so  
For she moat gone ere it be know  
And so I swore that ilk throw  
When I her fet to you here  
The king his tale would not here  
And saith how that he hath her bought  
For thy she shall depart nought  
Till the bright day be hold  
And in his arms he 'gan her fold  
As he which list for to play  
And bad his steward gone away  
And so he did again his will  
And thus his wife a bed still  
Lay with the king the long night  
Till that it was high son light  
But who she was he knew no thing   

though came the steward to the king  
And prayed him that without shame  
In saving of her own name  
He might leaden home again  
This lady & told him pleyne  
How that it was his own wife  
The king his ere unto his strife  
Hath laid & when that he it heard  
Well nyhe out of his wit he feared  
And said A caitiff most of all  
Where was it ever or this befall  
That any Coward in this wise  
Betook his wife for conetyse  
Thou hast her & me beguiled  
And eke thine own estate reviled  
Whereof that buxom unto the  
Here after shall she never be  
For this avow to god I make  
After this day if I the take  
Thou shalt be hanged & to draw  
Now look anon thou be withdraw  
So that I see the never more  
This steward that dread him sore  
With all the haste that he may  
And fled away the same day  
And was exiled out of land   

Loo there a nice hysbond  
Which thus his wife hath lost for ever  
But nevertheless she had a lever  
The king her weddeth & honoureth  
Whereof her name she secoureth  
Which erst was lost through covetise  
Of him that lad her other wise  
And hath himself also forlore   

My sone be thou ware therefore  
Where thou shalt love in any place  
That thou no covetise embrace  
The which is not of loves kind  
But for all that a man may find  
Now in this time of thylk rage  
Full great disease in marriage  
When venom meddleth with the sucrens  
And marriage is made for lucre  
Or for the lust or for the heel  
What man that shall with other deal  
He may not fail to repent   

My father such is mine intent  
But nevertheless good is to have  
For good may offtime save  
The love which should else spill  
But god which wot my hearts will  
I dare well take to witness  
Yet was I never for richesse  
Be set with marriage none  
For all mine heart is upon one  
So freely that in the person  
Stant all my worlds joy alone  
I ask neither park ne plough  
If I her had it were Enough  
Her love should me suffice  
Withouten other covetise  
Loo now my father as of this  
Touchend of me right as it is  
My shrift I am be know plain  
And if yr will aught else sayne  
Of covetise if there be more  
In love agropeth out the sore   
Fallere cum nequeat propria vir fraud 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 eyes/ Visu qui cordis intima cuncta videt/ Fallere per iuro non est laudanda puella in/ Glori a set falso condicionis opus  
hIc tractat super illis avaricie 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 understand  
How covetise hath yet on hand  
In special two counselors  
That been also his procurers  
The first of hem is false witness  
Which ever is ready to witness  
What thing his master will him hot  
Perjure is the second hot  
Which spareth nought to swear an oath  
Though it be falls & god be wroth  
That one shall false witness bear  
That other shall the thing for swear  
When he his charged on the book  
So what with heap & what with croak  
They make here master oft win  
And will not know what is the sin  
Of covetise & thus men say  
They make many a falls bargeyn  
There may no true quarrel arise  
In thylk quest & thylk assize  
Where as they two the people inform  
For they keep ever one manner form  
That upon gold here conscience  
They found & take here evidence  
And thus with false witness & oaths  
They win 'em meet drink & clothe●  
Right so there be who that hem knew  
Of these lovers full many untrue  
Now may a woman find enough  
That each of 'em when he shall woo  
Anon he would his hand down lain  
Upon a book & swear & say  
That he will faith & truth bear  
And thus he proffereth him to swe●e  
T● se●uen ever till he die  
And all is very treachery  
For when the sooth himself trieth  
The more he sw●reth the more he lieth  
When he his faith maketh all their m●st  
Then may a woman trust him lest  
For till he may his will achieve  
He is no l●nger for to leave  
Thus is the truth of love exiled  
An● ma●y a good woman beguiled   

And eke to speak of false witness  
There be now such many I g●sse  
That lyche unto the provisors  
They make 'em her privy procura  
tours To tell how there is such a man  
Which is worthy to love & can  
All that a good man should con  
So that with losing he hath begined  
The cause in which he will proceed  
And also siker as the creed  
They make of that they known false  
And thus full oft about the hals  
Love is of false men embraced  
But love which is so purchased  
Come afterward to little prise  
For thy my son/ if thou be wise  
Now thou hast herd this evidence  
Thou might thine own conscience  
Oppose if thou hast be such one   

Nay god wot father I am none  
Ne never was/ for as men saith  
When that a man shall make his faith  
His heart & tongue must accord  
For if so be that they discord  
Then is he falls & else nought  
And I dare say as of my thought  
In love it is not dyscordable  
Unto my word but a●ordablo  
And m this wise father I  
May right well swear & saufly  
That I my lady love well  
For that acordeth every del  
It needeth nought to my sooth saw  
That I witness should draw  
In to this day for never yet  
Ne might it sink in to my wit  
That I my counseyl should say  
To any wight or me bewreye  
To sechen help in such manner  
But only of my lady dear  
And though a thousand men it wys●  
That I her love & than ●em list  
With me to swer● & to witness  
Yet were that no false witness  
For I dare unto this truth dwell  
I love her more than I can tell  
Thus am I father guiltless  
As ye have herd/ and nethele●  
In your doom I put it all   

My sone wite in special  
It shall not comonlyche fail  
All though it for a time fail  
That falls witness his cause speed  
Upon the point of his falsheede  
It shall afterward be kid  
Whereof so as it is betid  
Ensample of such things blind  
In chronic write I find   
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 post a mire probitatis miliciam assecutus mortem patris sui apud Troiam Polix even Tirannice vindicavit  

tHe goddess of the see Thetis  
She had a son & his name is  
Achilles whom to keep & ward  
While he was young & in to ward  
She thought him saufly to be take  
As she which dread for his sake  
Of that was said in prophecy  
That he at Troy● should die  
When that the city was byleyn  
For thy so as the books seen  
She cast her wit in sundry wife  
How she him might so desguyse  
That no man should his body know  
And so byf●lle that ilk throw  
While that she thou●t upon this deed  
There was a king which linseed  
Was hot/ & he was well begun  
With fair daughters many one  
And duelt f●r out in an isle   

Now shalt thou here a wonder wile  
This queen which the mother was  
Of Achilles upon this cas  
Her s●●e as a maiden were  
let cloth●● in the same gear  
Which longeth unto womanhead  
As he was young a took no●● heed  
But suffereth all ●hat she him deed  
Whereof she hath her women bid  
And chargeth by her other all  
How so it afterward befall  
That they dyscover nought this t●●ng  
But feign & make a knowledging  
Upon the counseyl which was nom●  
In every place where they come  
To tell & to witness this  
How he her lady daughter is  
And right in such a manner wise  
She bade they should done her service  
So that Achilles underfongeth  
As to a young lady belongeth  
Honour service & reverence  
For Thetys' with great diligence  
Him hath so taught & affayted  
That thou so 〈◊〉 were awaited  
With sober & go●tely countenance  
He should his womanhead advance  
That none the sooth know might  
But that in every man's sight  
He should seem a pure maid  
And m such wise as she him said  
Achilles which that Ilke while  
Was young upon him to smile  
Bigan when he was so besein  
And thus after the books sein  
With fret of pearl upon his heed  
All fresh between the white & red  
As she which tho was tender of age  
Stood the colour in his visage  
That for to look upon his cheek  
And seen his childy manner eke  
He was a woman to behold  
And than his mother to him told  
That she him had so begun  
By cause that she thought gone  
To Lichomede at thilk tide  
Where that she said he should abide  
Among his daughters for to duelle  
Achilles herd his mother tell  
And wist nought the cause why  
And nevertheless full buxo●●ly  
He was ready to that s●e bad  
Whereof his mode● was right glad  
To linseed & forth they went  
And whe●●he king knew her intent  
And s●we this young daughter there  
And that it came unto his ere  
Of such record of such witness  
He had right a great gladness  
Of that he soothe saw & heard  
And he that wot not how it feared  
Upon the counseyl of the need  
But for all that king linseed  
Hath toward him his daughter take  
And for Thetys' his mother sake  
He put her in to company  
To duelle with Deydamye  
His own daughter the eldest  
The fairest & the comeliest  
Of all his daughters which he had   

Loo thus Thetys' the cause lad  
And left there Achilles feigned  
As he which hath himself restrained  
In all that ever he may & can  
Out of the manner of a man  
And took his womannyssh cheer  
Whereof unto his bedfere  
Deydamye he hath by night  
Where kind would himself ●yght  
After the Philosophers sayn  
There may no wight be their again  
And that was thylk time seen  
The long nights hem between  
Nature which may not forbear  
Hath made 'em both for to steer  
They kyssen first/ & overmore  
The high weigh of loves lore  
They gone & all was done in deed  
Whorof lost is the maidenhead  
And that was afterward well know  
For it befell that ilk throw  
As at Troy where the siege lay  
Upon the cause of Menelay  
And of his queen Dame Eleyn●  
The greg●ys hadden moche p●yne  
All day to fight and to assail  
But for they might nought avail  
So noble a city for to win  
A prive counsel they begin  
In sundry wise where they tret●  
And at last among the great▪  
They fellen unto his accord  
That Phor●eus of his record  
Which was an Astronomyen  
And eke a great magycyens▪  
Should of his calculation  
search after constellation  
How they the city mighten get  
And he which had nought foryete  
Of that belongeth to a clerk  
His study set upon this work  
So long about his wit he cast  
Till that he fond oute●at last  
But if they hadden Achilles  
Here●werre shall be endless  
And over that he told 'em plain  
In what manner he was byseyn  
And in what place he shall be found  
So that within a little stound  
Vlyxes forth with diomed  
Upon this point to Lychomed●  
Agamen on together sent  
But ulyxes or he forth went  
Which was one of the most wise  
Ordained hath in such a wise  
That he the most richest array  
Whereof a woman may be gay  
With him he took manifold  
And overmore as is told  
An harnoys for a lusty knight  
Which burued was as silver bright  
Of sword of plate & eke of mail  
As though he should do battle  
He took also with him by ship  
And thus together in fellowship  
Forth this diomed & he  
In hope till they mighten see  
The place where Achilles is  
The wind stood not than ●mys  
But every topseyle coal it blewe  
Till Vlyxes the marches knew  
Where linseed his reign had  
The styresman so well him lad  
That they be comen sauf to land  
Where they gone out upon the strand  
In to the burgh where that they found  
The king/ & he which hath facounde  
Vlyxes did the message  
But the counseyl to his courage  
Why that he came he told nought  
But underneath he was bethought  
In what manner he might aspye  
Achilles from Deydamye  
And fro these other that there were  
Full many a lusty lady there   

They played them there a day or two  
And as it was fortuned so  
It fell that time in such a wise  
To Bacchus that a sacrifice  
These young ladies should make  
And so the strange men's sake  
That come fro the siege of Troy  
They maden well the more joy  
There was revel there was dancing  
And every life which couth sing  
Of lusty women in the rout  
A fresh carolle hath song about  
But for all this nevertheless  
The greeks unknown of Achilles  
So weren that m no degree  
They louthen wite which was he  
Ne by his voys ne by his pace  
Vlyxes than upon this caas  
A thing of high prudence hath wrought  
For thylk array which he hath bought  
To give among the women there  
He let● do fetten all the gear  
Forth with a knights harnoys eke  
In all a country for to seek  
Men sholden nought a fayler see  
And every thing in his degree  
Endelong upon a board he laid  
To linseed & than he prayed  
That every lady ches● should  
What thing of all that she would  
And take it as by weigh of yefte  
For they hem self it should shefte  
He said after her own will  
Achilles than stood nought still  
When he the bright hel●e beheld  
The sword the hauberk & the shield  
His heart fell thereto anon  
Of all▪ that other would he none  
The knights ge●e he underfongeth  
And thylk array which that belongeth  
Unto the women he forsook  
And in this wise as saith the book  
They known than which he was  
For he goth forth the great paas  
In to the chambre where he lay  
Anon & made no delay  
He armeth him in knightly wise  
That better can no man devise  
And as fortune should fall  
He came forth to fore hem all  
As he which tho was glad Enough  
But linseed no thing lough  
When that he saw how that it feared  
And than he wist well & heard  
His daughter had be forleyn  
But that he was so/ overseyn  
The wonder overgoth his wit  
For in chronic is wreton yet  
Thing which shall never be foryete  
How that Achilles hath byge●e  
Pyrrus upon Deydamye  
Whereof came out the treachery  
Of false witness when they said  
How Achilles was a maid  
But that was no thing seen tho  
For he is to the siege go  
Forth with Vlyxes and Dyoinede   

Loo thus was proved m the deed  
And fully spoke at thylk while  
If one woman another beguile  
Where is there any sekyrnesse  
When Thetys' which was the goddess  
Deydamye hath so beiaped  
I not how it shall been escaped  
With the women whose Innocence  
Is now all day thorough such credence  
deceived oft as it is seen  
With men that such untruth mean  
For they been sly in such a wise  
That they by sleight & by quaintise  
Of false witness bringen Inn  
That doth 'em oft for to win  
Where they be not worthy therewith   

For thy my son do not so  
My father as of false witness  
The truth & the manner express  
Touchend of love how it bathe fir  
As ye have told I have well herd  
But for ye saiden otherwise  
How thylk vice of covetise  
Hath yet perjure of his accord  
If that thou list of some record  
To tell another tale also  
In loves cause of time ago  
What thing it is to be forswore  
I would prey you therefore  
Whereof I might ensample take   

My good son & for thy sake  
Touchand of this I shall fulfil  
Thine asking at thine own will  
And the matter I shall declare  
How the women deceived are  
When they so tender herb bear  
Of that they here men so swear  
But when it cometh to thassay  
There find it falls another day  
As jason died to Medee  
Which stant yet of authority  
In tokne & in memorial  
Whereof the tale in special  
Is in the book of Troy write  
Which I shall do the for to wite   
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 & coviugium Regis Othonis filie juramento firmius se astrinxit/ sed suo postea completo negocio cum ipsam secum navigio in Graecian perduxisset ubi illa senectam patris sui Esonis in floridam iwentutem mirabili sciencia reformavit Ipse Iason fidei sue ligamento alijs que beneficijs post positis dictam Medeam pro quadam causa Regis Creontis filia periurus dereliquit  

IN grece whilom was a king  
Of whom the fame & knowledging  
believeth yet & peleus  
He hight but it fell him thus  
That his fortune her wheel so lad  
That he no child his own had  
To regne after his decease  
He had a brother nevertheless  
whose right name was Aeson  
And he hath the worthy knight jason  
Bygoten/ in which in every land  
All other passed of his hand  
In arms so that he the best  
Was named & the worthiest  
He sought worship overall  
Now herkne & I the tell shall  
An adventure that he sought  
Which afterward full dear he bought   

There was an Isle which Colchos  
Was cleped & thereof awos  
great speech in land about  
That such marvel was none out  
In all the wide world nowhere  
As though in that I'll there  
There was a sheep as it was told  
The which his flees bare all of gold  
And so the gods had it set  
That it ne might a weigh be fet  
By power of no worlds wight  
And yet full many a worthy knight  
At had assayed as they dorst  
And ever it fell 'em to the worst  
But he that would it nought forsake  
But of his knighthood undertake  
To do what thing thereto belongeth  
This worthy jason sore alongeth  
To see the strange regions  
And know the condycyous  
Of other/ marches where he went  
And for that cause his hole intent  
He set Colchos for to seek  
And thereupon he died▪ speak  
To Peleus his eme the king  
And he well paid was of that thing  
And shope anon for his passage  
Such as were of his lineage  
With other knights which he cheese  
With him he took & Hercules  
Which full was of chivalry  
With jason went in company  
And that was in the month of may  
When cold storms were away  
The wind was good the ship was yare  
They took her leave & forth they far  
Toward Colchos but on the weigh  
What hem befell is long to say  
How Lamedon the king of Troy  
Which ought well have made 'em ioyr  
When they to rest a while him preide  
Out of his land he hem congeyde  
And so fell the dissension  
Which afterward was destruction  
Of that city as men may here  
But that is not to my matter  
But thus this worthy folk gregoys  
Fro that king which was not curtois  
And fro his land with seyl updrawe  
Thenne went 'em forth & many a saw  
They made & many a great menace  
Till at last in to that place  
Which as they sought they arrive  
And striken sail & forth as belive  
They senten unto the king & tolden  
Who were there & what they wolden  
Oetes which than was king  
When that he herd this tiding  
Of jason which was comen there  
And of these other what they were  
He thought done 'em great worship  
For they anon come out of ship  
And straight unto the king they went  
And by the hand jason he hent  
And that was at the palace gate  
So far on the king came on his gate  
Toward jason to done 'em cheer  
And he whom lacketh no manner  
When he the king saw in presence  
gave him again such reverence  
As to a kings state belongeth  
And thus the king him underfongeth  
And jason in his arm he caught  
And forth in to the hall he 'straught  
And there they sat & speak of thyngiss  
And jason told him though tidings  
Why he was come & fair him prayed  
To haste his time & the king said  
jason thou art a worthy knight  
But it lieth in no man's might  
To done that thou art come fore  
There hath be many a knight forlese  
Of that they wolden it assay  
But jason him would not esmaye  
And/ said of/ every/ worlds cure  
Fortune stant in adventure  
Paraventer well paraventer woe  
But how as ever that it go  
It shall be with mine hand assayed  
The king though held him not well paid  
For he the greeks sore dread  
In aunter if jason ne sped  
He might thereof here a blame  
For though was all the worlds fame  
In Grece as for to speak of arms  
For thy he dread him of his harms  
And 'gan to preach him & to prey  
But jason would not obey  
But said he would his purposes hold  
For aught that any man him told  
When the king these words heard  
And saw how that the knight answered  
Yet for he would make him glad  
After Medea gone he had  
Which was his daughter & she came  
And jason which good heed nam  
When he her saw again her goth  
And she which was him nothing loath  
Welcomed him in to that land  
And soft took him by the hand  
And down they seten both same  
She had herd spoke of his name  
And of his great worthiness  
For thy she 'gan her eye inpresse  
Upon his face & his stature  
And thought how never creature  
Was so welfarend as was he  
And jason right in such degree  
Nc might not withhold his look  
But so good heed on her he took  
That him ne thought under the heaven  
Of beauty saw he never her even  
With all that fell to womanhead  
Thus each of other took heed  
Though there was no word of record  
Here hearts both of one accord  
Ben set to love but as though  
There mighten be no words more  
The king him made great joy & fest  
To all his men he give an hest  
So as they will his thank deserve  
That they should all jason serve  
While that he would there duelle  
And thus the day shortly to tell  
With many mirths is dyspent  
Till night was come & though they went  
eachone of other took his leave  
When they no longer myghten leave  
A not how jason that night sleep  
But well I wot that of the sheep  
For which he came in to that isle  
He thought but a little while  
Al was medea that be thought  
So that m many wise he thought  
His wit wakened or it was day  
Sometime ye sometime nay  
Sometime thus sometime so  
As he was stirred to & fro  
Of love & eke of his conquest  
As he was hold of his hest  
And thus he rose up by the morrow  
And took him saint john to borrow  
And said he would first begin  
At love & after for to win  
The flees of gold for which he come  
And thus to him good heart he nome   

Medea right in the same wise  
Till day came that she must rise  
Lay & bythought her all the night  
How she that noble worthy knight  
By any weigh might wed  
And well she ne witted if he ne sped  
Of thing which he had undertake  
She might her self no purposes take  
For if he died of his battle  
She most than algate fail  
To getten him when he were deed  
Thus she vygan to set read  
And torn about her wits all  
To look how it might fall  
That she with him bad a leisure  
To speak & tell of his desire  
And so it fell the same day  
That jason with that sweet may  
To guider set & had space  
To speak & he besought her grace  
And she his tale goodly herd  
And afterward she him answered  
And said jason as thou wilt  
Thou might be safe thou might be spilled  
For wite well that never man  
But if he couth that I can  
Ne might that fortune achieve  
For which thou comest but as I love  
If thou wilt hold covenant  
To love of all the remnant  
I shall thy life & honour save  
That thou the flees of gold shalt have  
He said all at your own will  
Madame I shall truly fulfil  
Your hest while my life may last  
Thus long he prayed & at last  
She granteth & height him this  
But when night cometh & it time is  
She would him send certainly  
Such one that should him privily  
A loan in to her chambre bring  
He thanketh her of that tiding  
For of that grace is him begun  
Him thinketh all other things won   

The day made end & lost his light  
And comen was the derk night  
The Which all the days eye blended  
jason took leave & forth he went  
And when he came out of the press  
He took to cound●●● Hercules  
And told him how it was betid  
And prayed him it should well be head  
And that he would look about  
The whiles that he should be out  
Thus as he stood and heed name  
A maiden fro Medea came  
And to Chambre jason led  
Where that he fond ready the led  
The fairest and the wisest eke  
And she with simple cheer and meek  
When she him saw was all ashamed  
Then was her tale now entamed  
For sickerness of marriage  
She set forth a rich image  
The which was the figure of jubites  
And jason swore and said there  
That also wis god should him help  
That if Medea did him help  
That he his purposes might win  
They should never part a twin  
But ever while him last life  
He would her hold for his wife  
And with that word they kissed both  
And for they should hem unclothe  
There come a maid in her wise  
She died 'em both full service  
Till that they were in fed naked  
I wot that night was well a waked  
They had loath what they would  
And than at loyser she him told  
And 'gan fro point to point inform  
Of this batuyle and all the form  
The which that he/ should find there  
When he to that ybe come were  
She said at the entry of the paas  
How More that god of arms was  
Hath set two oxen stern and stout  
That casten fyte and flame about  
〈◊〉 all month and at the nas●  
So that they syttin all & bbose  
What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that passeth 'em between  
And far theodore upon the green  
There goth the ●●is of gold to keep  
A serpent the which may never sleep  
Thus who that should it win  
The fire to stop he must begin  
The which that the fierce beasts cast  
And dance he moat hem at the last  
So that he may yokke and dryur  
And thereupon he must as believe  
The serpent with such strength assails  
That he may slay him in battle  
Of the which he must the teeth outdraw  
As it longeth to that law  
And than he must the oxen yoke  
Till that they have with a plough to broke  
A forowe of land which of the lowe  
The teeth of the serpent he must so we  
And there shall arise knights  
Armed well at all rights  
Of hem is nought to take heed  
For each of 'em in hasty heed  
shall other slay with deaths wound  
And thus when they be leid to ground  
And go so forth/ and take his prey  
Then must he to the gods pray  
But and he fail in any wise  
Of that he have herd my devise  
There may be set none other weigh  
That he ne must algates die  
Now have I told the peril all  
And will you tell now forth with all  
Quod Medea to jason though  
That ye shall know ere ye go  
again the venom and the fire  
What shall be recover  
But for it is nigh day  
Arise up so that I may  
deliver you what thing I have  
That may your life & honour save  
They were both loath to rise  
But for they were both wise  
Up they risen at the last  
jason his clothes on him cast  
And made him ready right anon  
And she her serke died upon  
And cost on her a mantee close  
Withouten more and than aroos  
Than took she forth a rich tie  
Made of gold and of perry  
Out of the which she took a ring  
The stone was worth all other thing  
She said whiles he would it were  
There might no peril him dear  
In water may he not be drenched  
Where as it cometh the fire is quenched  
It overcometh also cruel best  
There may none adversity that man areste  
Where so he be on see or land  
That hath this ring upon his hand  
And over that she 'gan say  
That if a man will not beseyne  
Within his hand close the stone  
And he may invisible gone  
This ring to jason she bytaught  
And so forth after she him taught  
What sacrifice he should make  
And 'gan out of her coffer take  
Him thought a heavenly figure  
The which all by charm & by conjure  
Was wrought and also was full writ  
With names the which he should wit  
As she him taught than to read  
And bade him as he would speed  
Without rest of any while  
When he were landed in that isle  
He should make his sacryfise  
As ●●de his carecte in the wise  
And she him taught on knees down bend  
Th●e si●hes toward the orient  
For so should he the gods please  
And win himself much ease  
And when he had thrice radde  
To open a box she him ●adde  
That she there took him in present  
And was full of such ointment  
That there was fire ne venom none  
That should fasten him upon  
When that he were anointed with a●  
For thy she taught him how he shall  
Anoint his arines all about  
And for he should no thing doubt  
She took him than a manner of a glu●  
The which was of so huge virtue  
That where a m●n it would cast  
It should bind anon so fast  
That no man might it do aw●y  
And that she bade by all weigh  
He should in to the mouths throw  
Of these two oxen that fire so blow  
Thereof to stop the malice  
The glue shall serve of that se●●yce  
And over that her ointment  
Her ring and her enchantment  
again the serpent should him were  
Tille he him slew with shield & spear  
And than he may saufly enough  
His oxen yoke in his plough  
And the teeth sow in such a wise  
Till he the knights see arise  
And ●chone on other down be laid  
In such a manner as I have said  
Loo thus Medea for jason  
ordaineth and prayeth thereupon  
That he no thing forget should  
And also she prayed him that he would  
When he had all his arms done  
To the ground kneel & thank anon  
The gods and so forth by ease  
The flees of gold he should cheese  
And when he had sese so  
That then he were soon go  
Without any tarrying  
When this was said unto weeping  
She fell as she that was thorough nom●●  
With love and so forth overcomen  
That all her world on him she s●●te  
But when she saw there was no bet  
That he ne must needs part her fro  
She took him in her arms two  
A ninety times & 'gan him kiss  
And said O all my worlds bliss  
My tryst/ my lust my life my hel●  
To be thy help in thy quarrel  
I pray unto the gods all  
And with that word she 'gan down fall  
On swooning/ & he her up name  
And forthwith the maiden came  
And there to bed anon her brouht  
And than jason her besought  
And to her said in this manner  
My worthy lusty ladies dear  
Comforteth you/ for by my trou●h●  
It shall not fail in my sloth  
That I ne will through out fulfil  
Your commandment & your own will  
An● yet I hope to you to bring  
Within a while such tiding  
The which shall make us both ga●●  
But for he would keep her name  
When that he wist it was nigh day  
He said adyeu my sweet may  
And forth with him he took his ge●●  
The which she bade take him there  
And straight unto his chambre he went  
And goeth to ●ed/ & a sleep him hen●  
And lay that no man him awoke  
For Hercules heed of him took  
Till it was under of the day & more  
And than he gan to sick sore  
And suddenly abrayed of sleep  
And than they took of him keep  
His chamberleyns ●en soon there  
And make ready all his gear  
And he awos/ and unto the king  
He went and said how to that thing  
For which he came/ he would go  
The king therefore was wonder woe  
And for he would him fain withdraw  
He told him many a dreadful saw  
But jason would it not record  
And at the last they were accord  
When that he would not abide  
A ●ote was ready at the ●yde  
In that which this worthy knight of gre●●  
Full armed up/ at every piece  
To his battle that belongeth  
Took other on hand & sore him longeth  
Till he the water passed were  
And when he came to that y●● there  
He set him on his knee down strauȝl  
And his carecte as he was taught  
He rad & made his sacrifice  
And sithen anoynced him m● wys●  
As Medea him hath ●ede  
And than he arose him fro the 〈◊〉  
And with the glue the fi●e he qu●ynt  
He anon after 'gan ateynt  
The great serpent and him slough  
But erst he had sorrow enough  
For that serpent made him to travail  
So hard and sore of his battle  
That now he stood/ & now he fell  
For long time so● it be fell  
Th●t with his sword ne with his spear  
He might not that serpent dear  
It was so shelled all about  
It spyld all edge toll without  
He was so rude and hard of skin  
There might no thing go there in  
venom and fire together he cast  
That he ●ason grieved sore with blast  
And if it had not been his ointment  
His ring & his enchantment  
The which Medea took him before  
He had with that worm be lorn  
But through the virtue that thereof ca●  
jason the dragon overcame  
And he anon the teeth out drowe  
And set his oxen in a plough  
With the which he broke a piece of ●ond  
And sew 'em with his own ●ond  
Than might he great marvel see  
Of every tooth in his degree  
Sprung up a knight with spear & shield  
Of the which right anon 〈◊〉 the field  
eachone slough other/ & with that  
jason not Medea forgot  
On both his knees he 'gan down fall  
And ga● thanking to the gods all  
The flees he took & goeth to the boat  
The son shineth bright & hot  
The flees of gold shone forth with all  
The water glystered overalle  
Medea weeped/ and sighed oft  
And stood upon a tower aloft  
All privily within herself  
There herd it not ten or twelve  
She prayed and said god him speed  
The knight that hath my maidenhead  
And die she looked toward the isle  
And when she saw within a while  
The flees glistering ageyn the son  
She said O lord all is won  
My knight the field hath overeomen  
Now would god that he were comen  
O lord god I would he were in land  
But I dare take this on hand  
If that she had wings two  
She would have flown to him though  
strait there he was unto the ●ote  
The day w●s clear the son was hot  
The greeks were in great doubt  
The while that her lord was out  
They wise not what should betide  
But waited upon the tide  
To see what end should fall  
There stood also the nobles all  
Forth with the common of the Town  
And as they looked up & down  
They were ware within a throw  
Where as came the boat/ as they well know  
And saw how ●ason brought his prey  
And than they 'gan all to say  
And ●●yden of with one sreven  
O where was ever under heaven  
So noble a knight as jason is  
And well ny●e all saiden this  
That jason was a fair knight  
〈…〉 t was never of man's might  
The ●●●es of gold so for to win  
And thus to talk they begin  
〈…〉 that the king forth anon  
〈◊〉 saw the flees how that shone  
And when jason came to the land  
The king himself took his hand  
And kissed him▪ and greet ioyr made  
●he greeks were wonder glade  
And of the thing right merry thought  
And forth with him that flees they brought  
And every man 'gan prece in  
For well was him that might win  
To see there of the property  
And thus they passen the city  
And gone unto the place 'straught  
Medea the which forgot her nought  
Was ready there and sai● anon  
Welcome O worthy knight jason  
She would have kyst him wonder fain  
But shame borned her again  
It was not the manner as tho  
For thy she durst not do so  
She took her leave. and jason wen●e  
In to his chambre/ & she him sent  
Her maid to see how he fir  
The which when she saw and herd●  
How that he had faren out  
And that it stood well all about  
She told her lady what she witted  
And she for joy her maiden kiss  
The baths were than arrayed  
With herbs tempered and assayed  
And jason was unarmed soon●  
And died as it befell to done  
In to his bathe he went anon  
And wish him clean as any ●one  
He took a sop/ and out he came  
And on his best array he name  
And kempt his heed when he was glad  
And goth him forth all merry & glad  
Right straight in to the kings hall●  
A●pmg the great lords all  
And made him glad welcoming  
And he hem told the tithing  
Of this & that how it befell  
When that he won the sheeps fell  
Medea when she was after sent  
Came soon to that parliament  
And when she might jason see  
Was none so glad of all as she  
There was no joy for to seche  
Of him made every man a speech  
Some men said one/ somme said other  
But though he were god's brother  
And might make fire and thunder  
There might be no more wonder  
Than was of him in that Cyde  
Each man taught other this is he  
That hath in his power within  
That all the world might not win  
Lo here the best of all good  
Thus said they that there stood  
And also that walked up and down  
Both of the Court & of the town   

The time of souper came anon  
They wysshen & thereto they gone  
Medea was with jason set  
though was there many a dainty fet  
And set to ●ore hem on the board  
But none so liking as the word  
Which was there spoke among 'em two  
So● as they dorst speak tho  
But though they ●adden little space  
Yet they accordene in that place  
How jason should come at night  
When every torch & every light  
Were out/ & than of other things  
They speaken a loud for supposynges  
Of 'em that stooden there about  
For love is evermore in doubt  
If that it be wisely governed  
Of 'em that be of love learned  
When all was do that dish & cup  
And cloth & board & ●l was up  
They ●ake while hem list to wake  
And after that they leave take  
And gone to ●edde for to rest  
And when him thought for the best  
That every man was fast a sleep  
jason that would his time keep  
Both forth stalkend all privily  
Unto the chambre & readily  
There was a maid which him kept  
Medea wook & nothing slept  
But nevertheless she was a bed  
And he with all hast him sped  
And made him naked & all warm  
Anon he took her in his arm  
What need is for to speak of ease  
Him list each other for to please  
So that they hadden joy enough  
And though they setten when & how  
That she with him away shall steel  
With words such● & other feel  
When all was treded to an end  
jason took ●eue & 'gan forth wend  
Unto his own chambre in peace  
There wist it none but Hercules   

He slept & w●s when it was time  
And when it fell toward prime  
He took to ●ym such as he trust  
In secre that none other wist  
And told 'em of his counseyl there  
And said that his will were  
That they to ship had all thing  
So privily in thevening  
That noman might here deed aspye  
But that were of company  
For he will go without leave  
And ●enger will he nought believe  
But he ne would at thylk throw  
That king or queen should it know  
They said all this shall be do  
And jason trust well thereto   

Medea in the mean while  
Which thought her father to beguile  
The treasure which her father had  
With her all privily she lad  
And with jason at time set  
Away she stole and fond no let  
And 'straught she goth her in to ship  
Of grece with that fellowship  
And they anon drough up the seeing  
And all that night this was counsell  
But early when the son shone  
Men seen how that they were gon●  
And come unto the king & told  
And he the sooth know would  
And asketh where his daughter was  
There was no word but out alas  
She was a go/ the mother wept  
The father as a wood man leapt  
And 'gan the time for to wary  
And swore his oath he will not tarry  
That with caliph & with galeye  
The same course the same wey●  
Which jason took he would take  
If that he might him overtake  
To this they saiden all ye  
Anon they weren at the see  
And all as who said at one word  
They gone within ships board  
The seylle goth up & forth they strauȝt  
But none exploit thereof they caught  
And so forth they tornen home again  
For all that labour was in ●eyn  
jason to grece with his prey  
Goth thorough the see the right weigh  
When he there come & men it told  
●i●y made joy young & old  
Aeson when he wise of this  
How that his son comen is  
And hath achieved that he sought  
And home with him medea brought  
In all the wide world was none  
So glad a man as he was one  
together been these lovers though  
Till they had sons two  
Whereof they weren both glade  
And old Aeson greet joy made  
To seen the increases of his lineage  
For 〈◊〉 was of so great an age  
That men away●●n every day  
When that he should gone away  
jasen which saw his father old  
●●en medea made him bold  
Of art magpie which she couth  
And prayeth her that his father youth  
She would make againward new  
And she that was toward him true  
Behyghte him that she would it do  
When that she time saw thereto  
But what she deed in that matter  
It is a wonder thing to here  
But yet for the novelrye  
I ●●ynke tell a great party   
N●t● qiubus medica mentis Esonē s●n●●tute decrepitum ad sue iwentutis adolescenciam prudens Medea reduxit▪  

Thus it befell upon a night  
When there was nought but star light  
She was banished right as her list  
That no wight but her seluen it wist  
The world was still on every side  
And that was at midnight tide  
With open exede & foot all bare  
Here here to spread she 'gan to far  
Upon her clothes girt she was  
All speechless & on the grass  
She glode forth as an adder doth  
None otherwise she ne goth  
Till she came to the fresh flood  
And there a while she withstood  
thrice she turned her about  
And thrice eke she 'gan down lout  
And in the flood she w●et her here  
And thrice on the water there  
She gaspeth with a dretching onde  
And though she took her speech on hand  
first she began to clepe & call  
Upward unto the stars all  
To wind to air to see to ●ond  
She prayed & held up her hand  
To Echates & 'gan to cry  
Which is the goddess of sorcery  
She saide helpeth at this need  
And as ye maden me to speed  
When jason came the flees to seche  
So help me now I you beseech  
With that she looketh & was ware  
Down fro the sky there came a char  
The which/ dragon's about drough  
And though she 'gan her heed down bough  
And up she styghe & fair & well  
She drofe forth both char & wheel  
Above in the air among the skies  
The land of Crete & though parties  
She sought & 'gan fast her high  
And thereupon the hulles high  
Of Othryn and Olymphe also  
And eke of other hulles moo  
She fond & gade●eth herbs soute  
She pulleth up some by the rote  
And many with a knife she sheareth  
And all in to her chaar she ●ere●●  
Thus when she hath the hulles sought  
The floods there forya●● she nought  
Erydyan and Amphrydos  
●eneye● & eke Sperceydos  
To hem she went & there she nome  
Both of the water & of the f●m●  
She fond & eke the small stones  
Which all she cheese out for the nonce  
And of the red see a part  
That was behovelycke to her art  
She took/ & afterward about  
She sought sundry seeds out  
In fields & in many griefs  
And eke a part she took of leaves  
But thing which might her most aua●yle/  
She fond in Crete & in thessayle   

In days & in nights nine  
With great travail & great pine  
She was purveyed of every piece  
And turned homeward in to grece  
Before the gates of Aeson  
Her char she let away to gone  
And took out first that was therein  
For though she thought to begin  
Such thing as seemeth impossible  
And made her self invisible  
As she that was with a pray enclosed  
And might of no man be disclosed  
She took of turfs of the land  
Without helpe● of man's hand  
And heeled with the green grass  
Of which an Altar made there was  
Unto Echates the Goddess  
Of art magic and sorceress  
And eft another to iwente  
As she which died here hole intent  
though took she felwood & berueyne  
Of herbs be not better twain  
Of which anon without ●●ett  
These altars been about set  
Two sundry pits fast by  
She made/ & with that hastily  
A wether which was black she ●●ouȝ  
And out thereof she the blood drough  
And died in to the pits two  
Warm milk she put also thereto  
With honey meynt, & in such wise  
She 'gan to make her sacrifice  
And cried & prayed forth with all  
To pluto the god infernal  
And to the queen proserpyne  
And so she sought out the line  
Of 'em that longen to that craft  
Behind was noman laft  
And prayed 'em all as she was couth  
To grant Aeson his first youth  
This old Aeson brought forth was though  
A weigh she bade all other go  
Upon peril that might fall  
And with that word they wenten all  
And leften there them two alone  
And though she began to gasp & gone  
And made signs many one  
And said her words therupon  
So that with spelling & her charms  
She took Aeson in both her arms  
And made him for to sleep fast  
And him upon her herbs cast  
The black wether though she took  
And hew the flesh as doth a Cook  
On either altar part she laid  
And with the charms that she saide  
A fire down from the sky alight  
And made it for to brenne light  
And when Medea saw it burn  
Anon she 'gan to start & run  
The fiery altars all about  
There was no best which goth out  
More wild than she seemeth there  
About her shoulders hinge her here  
As though she were out of her mind  
And turned in to another kind  
though lay there certain wood cleft  
Of which the pieces now & eft  
She made 'em in the pits wet  
And put 'em in the fiery heat  
And took the brand with all the blaze  
And thrice she began to raze  
About Aeson there as he slept  
And eft with water which she kept  
She made a circle about him thrice  
And eke with fire of sulphyr twice  
Full many another thing she deed  
Which is not written in the stead  
But she can up so & down  
She made a wonder son  
Sometime lyche unto the cock  
Sometime unto the laverok  
Sometime cacleth as an hen  
Sometime speaketh as done men  
And right so as her ●argon straungeth  
In sundry wise hill form changeth  
She seemeth fair & no woman  
Forth with the craft that she can  
She was as who seith a goddess  
And what her list more or less  
She died in books as we find  
That passeth over man's kind  
But who that will wonders here  
What thing she wrought in this matter  
To make an end of that she 'gan  
Such marvel herd never man  
A pointed in the new moan  
When it was time for to done  
She set ● cauldron on the fire  
In which was all the hole a tire  
Where on the medicine stood  
Of juse of water & of blood  
And let it boil in such a plight  
Till that she saw the spume white  
And though she cast in rind & root  
And seed & flower that was for boat  
With many an herb & many a stone  
Whereof she hath there many one  
And eke the Cympheyus the serpent  
To her hath all her scales lent  
●he ●ydre her give his adders skin  
And she to boil cast 'em in  
And part eke of the horned owl  
The which men here on nights howl  
And of a Raven which was told  
Of nine ninety winter old  
She took the heed with all the bill  
And as the medy●yue it will  
She took thereafter the bowel  
Of the see wolf & for the heel  
Of Aeson with a thousand more  
Of thyngiss that she had tho  
In that cauldron to guider as belive  
She put & took than of olive  
A dry branch hem with to ster●  
The which anon 'gan flower & bear  
And weigh all fresh & green again  
When she this virtue herd f●yn  
She let the least drop of all  
Upon the bare flore down fall  
Where as the drop fall was  
Anon there sprung flower & grass  
And way anon all meed we green  
So that it might well be seen  
Medea than knew and wist  
Her medicine is for to tryse  
And goth to Aeson there he lay  
And took a sword was of assay  
With which a wound upon his side  
She made that there out may slide  
The blood within which was old  
And seek & trouble feeble & coldr  
And though she took unto his use  
Of herbs all the best juse  
And poured it in to his wound  
That made his beynes full & sound  
And though she made his wounds close  
And took his hand up he wse  
And though she gave him drink a draft  
Of which his youth again be caught  
His heed his heart & his bysage  
Lyche unto twenty winter age  
And lyche unto the fresh may  
His hoar hairs were away  
When passed been the cold showers  
Right so recovereth he his flowers   

Loo what might any man devise  
A woman show in any wise  
More heartily love in any stead  
Than medea to jason deed  
first she made him the flees to win  
And from all her kith & kin  
With great treasure with him she stole  
And to his father forth with all  
His eld hath turned in to youth  
Which thing none other man couth  
But how it was to her a●uyt  
The remembrance dueleth yet   

King Peleus his eme was deed  
jason bare coroune on his head  
Medea hath fulfilled his will  
But when he should of right fulfil  
The truth which to her afore  
He had in the ●le of Colchos swore  
though was medea most deceived  
For he hath another received  
Whtch● daughter was to king Creon  
Creusa she byght, & thus jason  
As he that was to love untrue  
Medea left & took a new  
But that was afterward sore about  
Medea with her art hath wrought  
Of cloth of gold a mantle rich  
Which seemeth worth a kings rich  
And that was unto Creusa sent  
In name of yeft and of present  
For susterhood was 'em between  
And when the young fresh queen  
That mantyl lapped her about  
A none thereof the fire sprang out  
And brent her both flesh & bone  
though came Medea to jason  
With both his sons on here hand  
And said O thou of every land  
The most untre we creature  
Loo this shall be thy forfeiture  
With that she both his sons slough  
Before his eye & he out drough  
His sword & would have slain her tho  
But far well she was a go  
Unto Pallas the court above  
Where as she plaineth upon love  
As she that was with that goddess  
And he was left in great distress  
Thus might thou see what sorrow it doth  
To swear an oath which is not sooth  
In loves cause namely  
My sone be well aware for thy  
And keep that thou be not forswore  
For this which I have told tofore  
Ovid telleth every deal   

My father I may leave it weal  
For I have heard it oft say  
How jason took the flees away  
Fro Colchos for yet herd I nought  
By whom it was first thither brought  
And for it were good to here  
If that thou list at my prayer  
To tell I would you beseech   

My sone who that will it seek  
In books he may find it write  
And nevertheless if thou wilt wite  
In the manner as thou hast prayed  
I shall the tell how it is saide   
Nota qualiter aureum vellus in pards Insule Colchos primo devenit Athemas Rex philen habiut coniugem 〈◊〉 qua Faxum genuit et Helen/ Mortua autem Helen Athemas junonem Regis Cadmi filiam postea 〈◊〉 uxorem dnxit/ que more Noverce dittos infants in tantum recollegit odi●que ambos in mari proici penes Regem procuravit/ unde Iuno compaciens quemdam Arietem grandem aureo vestitum vellere ad litus natantem destinauit● super cuius dorsum pueros apponi jussit quo facto Aries super undas regressus cum solo Frixo sibi adherente in Colchos applicuit/ ubi Iuno dictum Arietem cunsuo vellere prout in alijs canitur ●coni●is sub a●ta custodia collocavit  

tHe fame of thylk sheeps fell  
Which in Colchos as it bifelle  
was all of gold shall never die  
Whereof I think for to say  
How he came first in to that I'll  
There was a king in thylk while  
To wards grece and Athemas  
The chronic of his name was  
And had a wife which Phylen height  
By whom so as fortune it dight  
He had of children young two  
Fails the first was of tho  
A man child right fair with all  
A daughter eke which men call  
Helen he had by this wife  
But for there may no man's life  
Endure upon this earth here  
This worthy queen as thou might here  
ere that the children were of age  
Took of her end the passage  
With great worship & was bygrave  
What thing it liketh god to have  
It is great reason to been his  
For thy this king so as it is  
With great sufferance it underfongeth  
And afterward as him belongeth  
When it was time for to wed  
A new wife he took to bed  
Which Iuo height & was a maid  
And eke the daughter as men said  
Of Cadme which a king also  
Was hold in thilk days though  
When Iuo was the kings make  
She cast how that she might make  
These children to her father loath  
And shope a wile again 'em both  
Which unto the king was at vnknow  
A year or two she seat do sow  
The land with sudden wheat about  
Whereof no corn may springen out  
And thus by sleight & by covin  
Aroos the dearth & the famine  
thorough out the land in such a wise  
So that the king a sacrifice  
Upon the point of this dyserrsse  
To Ceres which is the goddess  
Of corn hath shape him for to give  
To look if it may be foryeve  
The mischief which was in his land  
But she which knew to fore the hand  
The cyraimstaunce of all this thing  
again the coming of the king  
In to the Temple hath shape so  
Of her accord that all though  
Which of the Temple priests were  
Have said & full declared there  
Unto the king but if so be  
That he desyver the country  
Of Fryxus & of helen both  
With whom the gods been so wroth  
That while though children been within  
Such tilth shall no man begin  
Whereof to get him any corn  
Thus was it said thus was it sworn  
Of all the priests that there are  
And she which causeth all this fare  
say eke thereto what that she would  
And every man than after told  
So as the queen had 'em prayed   

The king which bath his ere laid  
And leaveth all that ever he heard  
Unto here tale thus answered  
And saith that liefer is him to cheese  
His children both for to lose  
Than him & all the remnant  
Of 'em which are apperdendunt  
Unto the land which he shall keep  
And bade his wife to take keep  
In What manner is best to done  
That they delivered were soon  
Out of the world & she anon  
Two men ordaineth for to gone  
But first she made 'em for to swear  
That they the children should here  
Unto the see that none it know  
And hem therein both throw  
The children to the see been lad  
Where in the wise as You bade  
These men be ready for to do  
But the goddess which juno  
Is hot/ appeareth in the stead  
And hath unto the men forbid  
That they the children not ne slay▪  
But bad hem look in to the see  
And taken heed of that they sighen  
There swum a sheep to fore her eyen  
Whoos flees of burned gold was all  
And this goddess forth with all  
Comaundeth that without let  
They should anon the children set  
Above upon the sheeps back  
And all was do right as she spoke  
Whereof the men gone home again  
And fell so as the books say  
Helen the young maiden though  
Which of the see was woe bego  
For pure dread her heart hath lore  
That fro the sheep which hath her bore  
As she that was swounend faint  
And fell & her self deeynt  
Frixus & this sheep forth swum  
Till he to the isle of Colchos came  
Where juno the goddess he fond  
Which took the sheep to the land  
And set it there in such a wise  
As thou to fere hast herd devise  
Whereof cam●after all the woe  
Why jason was forswore so  
Unto mede● as it is spoke   

My father who that hath to broke  
His troth as ye have here told about  
He is not worthy for to love  
Ne be beloved as me seemeth  
But every love ne we quemeth  
To him which new fangle is  
And nevertheless now after this  
If that thou list to taken heed  
Upon my shrift to proceed  
In loves cause again the vice  
Of covetise and Auoryce  
What there is more I would wite   

My sone this find I write  
There is yet one of thylk brood  
Which only for the worlds good  
To make a treasure of money  
Put all conscience a weigh  
Whereof in thy confession  
The name and the condition  
I shall here afterward declare  
Which maketh one rich another bare   
Plus capit usura sibi quam debetur et illud/ Fraud colocata sepe latenter agit/ Sic amoz excessus quam sepe suos ut cuarus/ Spirat et vivus tres capit ipse loco  
Hic tractat de illa specie Auaricie que usura dicitur/ cuius creditor in pecunia tantum numerata plus quam sibi de iure debetur incrementum lucri ad auget  

●Pon the bench syttend on high  
With avarice vsure I sigh  
Full clothed of his own suit  
Which after good maketh chase & suit  
With his brocours that run about  
Lyche unto ratches on a rout  
Such lucre is none above ground  
Which is not of the ratches found  
For where they see beyete start  
That shall hem in no wise asterde  
But they it drive in to the net  
Of lucre which vsure hath set  
Usure with the rich dueleth  
To all that ever he buyeth & selleth  
He hath ordained of his sleight  
Mesure● double & double weight  
Outward he selleth by the lass  
And with the more he maketh his tasse  
Whereof his house is full withynne  
He retcheth nought be so he win  
Though that he lose ten or twelve  
His love is all toward himself  
And to none other but he see  
That he may win such three  
For where he shall aught give or leanly  
He will again ward take a been  
There he hath lent the small pese  
And right so there be many of these  
Lovers that though they▪ love a light  
That scarcely would it weigh a mite  
Yet would they have a pound again  
And doth vsure in his bargeyn  
But certes such vsure unlyche  
It falleth more unto the rich  
Als well of love as of beyete  
Than unto 'em that be not great  
And as who saith be simple & poor  
For selden is when they recover  
But if it be thorough greet desert  
And nevertheless men see poverty  
With pursuit & countenance  
Full oft make a great chevaunce  
And take of love his advantage  
For with the help of his brocage  
That maken seem where it is nought  
And thus full oft is love bought  
For little what and much take  
With false weights that they make   

Now sone of that I said above  
Thou wost what vsure is of love  
Tell me for thy what so thou wilt  
If thou thereof host any guilt   

My father nay for aught I here  
For of though points ye tolden here  
I will you by my troth assure  
My weight of love & my measure  
Hath be more large & more certain  
Than ever I took of love again  
For so yet couth I never of slight  
To take again by double weight  
Of love more than I have give  
For also wis mote I be shrive  
And have remission of sin  
And so yet couth I never win  
Ne yet so mochel sooth to said  
That ever I might have half again  
Of so full love as I have lent  
And mine hop were so well went  
That for the hole I might have half  
My thinketh I were a goddess half  
For where vsure would have double  
My conscience is not trouble  
I bid never as to my deal  
But of the hole an haluen deal  
That is none excess as me thinketh  
But nevertheless it me forethinketh  
For well I wot that will not be  
For every day the better I see  
That ho● so ever I give or lean  
My love in place there I mean  
For aught that ever I ask or crave  
I can nothing againward have  
But for that I will not let  
What so befall of my beyete  
That I ne shall give & leanly  
My love & all my thought so clean  
That toward me shall nougt believe  
And if she of her good leave  
Reward me would nought again  
I wot the last of my bargeyn  
Shall stand upon so great a lost  
That I may never more the cost  
Recover in this world till I die  
So that touchend of this party  
I may me well excuse & shall  
And for to speak forth with all  
If ovy brocour for me went  
That point came never in mine intent  
So that the more me marveleth  
What thing it is my lady aileth  
That all mine heart & all my time  
She hath/ & do no better byme   

I have herd said that thought is free  
And nevertheless in privity  
To you my father that been here  
Mine hole shrift for to here  
I dare mine heart well disclose  
Touchend vsure as I suppose  
Which as ye tell in love is used  
My lady may not been excused  
That for one looking of her eye  
Mine hool heart hath till I die  
With all that ever I may & can  
She hath me won to her man  
Whereof me thinketh good reason would  
That she somedeal reward should  
And give a part there she hath all  
I not what fall hereafter shall  
But in to now yet dare I say  
Her list never give again  
A good word in such a wise  
Whereof mine hope might arise  
My greet love to compense  
I not how she her conscience  
Excuse will of this vsure  
By large weight & great measure  
She hath my love & I have nought  
Of that which I have dear about  
And with mine heart I have it paid  
But all this is aside laid  
But I go loveless about  
Her ought stand in right great doubt  
Till she redress such a sin  
That she will all my love win  
And giveth me not to live by  
Nought also much as grant mercy  
Her list to say of which I might  
Some of my greet pain alight  
But of this point lo thus I far  
As he that payeth for his Chaffer  
And buyeth it dear & yet hath none  
So moat he needs poor gone  
Thus buy I dear & have no love  
That I ne may come above  
To win of love none increase  
But I me will never the lose  
Touchend vsure of love acquit  
And if my lady be to wite  
I pray to god such grace her send  
That she my time it must amend  
My sone of that thou hast answered  
Touchend vsure/ I have all herd  
How thou of love haste wonnen small  
But that thou tellest in thy tale  
And thy lady thereof accusist  
Me thinketh thy words thou mysusist  
For by thine own knowledging  
Thou sayst that she for one looking  
Thy hole heart fro the she took  
She may be such that her one look  
Is worth the heart many fold  
And than hast thou thy heart well sold  
When thou hast that is more worthy  
And also that thou tellest for thy  
How that her weight of love uneven  
may to thy seeming under heaven  
stand ever even in that balance  
The which standeth in loves governance  
such is the statute of this law  
That though thy love more draw  
And poise in the balance more  
Thou may not ask again therefore  
Of doubt/ but all of grace  
For love is lord in every place  
There may no law him justify  
By reddour ne by company  
That he ne will after his will  
Whom that him liketh to speed or spill  
To love a man may well begin  
But whether he shall lose or win  
That wot no man till at the last  
And therefore covet not to fast  
My sone/ but abide thine end  
Per c●as all may to good wend  
But that thou hast me told and said  
Of one thing I am right well paid  
That thou by sleight ne by guile  
Of no brocoure hast other while  
Engyned love for such deed  
Is more venged as I read   
Hic ponit exemplum contra istos marituss▪ qui ultra id quod proprias habent uxores/ ad noue voluptatis in crementum. alias mulieres superflue lucrari non verentur/ Et narrat qualiter Iuno vindictam in Echo lucris adquirendis de consilio mariti iovis me diatrix exstiterat  

broker's of love that deceyven  
No wonder though they receiven  
After the wrong that they deserve  
For sometime they go and serve  
And do pleasance for a while  
Yet at the last her own guile  
Upon her own heed descendeth  
The which god of his vengeance sendeth  
As by ensample of time a go  
A man may find/ it hath be so  
It fell sometime as it was seen  
The high gods and the queen  
juno than had in company  
A maiden full of treachery  
For she was ever in one accord  
With jubiter that was her lord  
To get him other loves new  
thorough such brocage/ & was untrue  
All other wise than him needeth  
But she the which no shame dreadeth  
With quaint words and with sly  
Blinded in such a wise her ladies eye  
As she to whom juno tryst  
So that there of she no thing wist  
But so privily may be no thing  
That it ne cometh to knowledging  
For thing that is done on the derk night  
Is after known when the day is light  
So it befell at the last  
Al that this slyghe maiden cast  
Was over cast and overthrown  
For as the sooth must be known  
To juno it was done understand  
In what manner her husband  
With false brocage hath taken vsure  
Of love more than his measure  
When he took other than his wife  
Whereof this maiden was gyltyf  
The which hath been of his ass●●t  
And thus was all the game shent  
She suffered him as she must need  
But the broucore of his misdeed  
She that her council gave thereto  
On her is the vengeance do  
For juno with her words bright  
This maiden which Tito height  
Reproveth and saith in this wise  
O traitress of suc●e service  
Hast thou thine own lady served  
Thou hast great pain well deserved  
Thy sly words for to paint  
With flattery that is so quaint  
Towards me that am thy queen  
Where thorough thou madest me to went  
That my husband true were  
When that he loveth else where  
All be it so/ him needeth n●ught  
But upon the it shall be bought  
The which art prive to these doings  
And me full oft of thy besynges  
deceived haste now is the day  
That I the while well quite. may  
And for thou hast to me counseled  
That my lord hath with other dealed  
I shall the set in such a kind  
That ever unto the worlds end  
All that thou hearest/ thou shalt tell  
And clap it out as doth a bell  
And with that word she was for shape  
There may no vice her mouth escape  
What man that in the world crieth  
Withouten fail Hecco replieth  
And what word that him lust to say●  
The same word she saith again  
Thus she that sometime had leave  
To be at large/ is now morrow & eve  
In woods & on hills both  
For such brocage is wives loath  
The which doth lords heart & change  
And love in other places strange  
For thy/ if ever it so befall  
That thou hereafter in chambre or hall●  
Me wedded man hold that thou hast  
For thy all other love is waste  
One wife shall well to the suffys●  
And that if tho● for covetise  
Of love would ask more  
Thou shouldest done again the lod●  
Of all men that true be  
My father as in this degree  
My conscience is not accused  
For I no such brocage have used  
Where thorough that love of lust is won  
For thy speaketh forth/ as ye begun  
Of avarice upon my shrift  
My son I shall the branches s●yft  
By order as they been set  
Of whom no good is well beset   
Pars verbis verba munus pro munere reddi/ Conuenit ut pondus ●qu● statera ger●t/ Preterea cupido non da● sua dona cupido/ Name 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  

blind avarice of his ly●nage  
For council/ & for co●●nage  
To withhold again largesse  
H●th one the whose name is scarceness●  
The which is kepat of his how  
And is so thorough avarous  
That he no good will let out of hand  
Though god himself should fond  
Of gift should he no thing have  
And if a man it would crave  
He must than fail at need  
Whereof himself may not speed  
And thus scarceness in every place  
By reason may no thing purchase  
And 〈◊〉 in his ●egre  
Above all other most priu●  
With Avarice he standeth see  
That he is evermore in woe  
In his estate of his office  
After the rule of that vice  
He taketh his lepis he hoppeth he blended  
That light is to slay the flent  
That gede of him ne hard ne nesshe  
Only the value of a Resshe  
Of good in helping of another  
Ne though be were his own brother  
And in the ●●as of gift and love  
S●●ndeth every man for him above  
thinketh of his unkindship  
That him needeth no felauship  
So that the bag and he accord  
Him rekketh not what man record  
Of him were it evil or good  
For all his trust is on his good  
And so alone he falleth oft  
When he best weeneth to stand on lofd●  
As well in love as other wise  
For love is ever of some repryse  
To him that will his lone hold  
For thy my son as thou art hold  
Tonchend of this tell me thy shryer  
Hast thou be searce of large gift  
Unto thy love to whom thou servest  
For after that thou well deservest  
Of gift thou might be the bett●  
F●● that good I will be set  
For that which thou might thou better fa●●  
Thenne is no wisdom for to spare  
For thus men say in every need  
He was wise that first made meed  
For where as meed may not speed  
I not what helpeth other deed  
Full of● he faileth of his game  
That will with idle hand reclaim  
His hawk/ as many a nice man doth  
For thy my son tell the sooth  
And say the truth/ if thou have be  
●on●● thy ●●ue scorse o● fro  
My father it hath sto●den thus  
That if the ●●●ou● of ●resus  
With all the good of Oc●auian  
And the riches of Indian  
Of pearls and of rich stones  
Were all together mine at ones  
I set it at no manner account  
Than would bare stead amounde  
To give it her all on a day  
So that to that sweet may  
It might like more or less  
And thus the cause of my largesse  
Ye may understand and leave  
That I shall not the better achieve  
The purposes which is in my thought  
But if that I gaf her never nought  
Ne thereto durst a proffer make  
For well I wot she will not take  
And give will she not also  
She is escheweng of both two  
And thus I trow be the skill  
Towards me▪ for she ne will  
That cause I have of hope  
Nought as much as a drop  
But toward other/ as I may see  
She giveth and taketh in such degree  
That as by the weigh of frendelyhede  
She can so keep her womanhead  
That every man speaketh of her weal  
But she will take of me no deal  
And yet she wot well that I would  
give & do both what I should  
To please her in all my might  
By reason this wot every wight  
For that may by no weigh asterte  
There she is master of the hert●  
She must be master of the good  
For god wot well/ that all my mode  
And all my good whiles I have ought  
And all my heart & all my thought  
As freely as god hath it me give  
It shall be hers whiles I live  
Right as her list herself command  
So that it needeth no demand  
To ask of me if I have be scarce  
To love/ for I to that parse  
will answer and say no  
My sone that is right well do  
For of time 〈◊〉 ●●●rcenesse  
It hath been seen that fore the less  
Is lost the more as thou shalt ●e●e  
A tale like to this matere   
Hic loquitur contra istos qui avaricia stricti largitans beneficium in amoris causa confundunt/ Et ponit exemplum qua●●cer Croseus largue et hilaris babionem avarum et tenacione de amore viole qui pulcherrima fuit/ dono largissimus circumuenit  

● Carcenes & love accord never  
ffor every thing is well that leue●  
When that a man hath bought it dear  
And for to speak in this matter  
For sparing of a little cost  
Full offtime a man is lost  
The large cote for the hood  
What man that scarce is of his good  
And will not give he shall not take  
With gift a man may undertake  
The high god to please & queme  
With gift a man the world may dame  
For every creature y bore  
If thou give him is glad therefore  
And every gladship as I find  
Is comfort unto loves kind  
And causes of man to sped●  
So was he wise that first gave me●●  
For meed keepeth love in house  
But when the men been covetous  
And space to give a part  
They know not of Cupid's a●●●  
For his fortune and his apprise  
deceiveth all covetise  
And hateth all negardry  
And for to look on this party  
A sooth ensample that it is s●●  
I find written of Babeo  
That had a love of his menage  
There was no fayter of her age  
And height vyota by name  
The which full of youth & of game  
Was of her seft large and free  
But such another Chynche as ●e  
Men wise not m all the land  
And had afaited to his hand  
His servant which Spodius  
Was called/ and in this wise thus  
The worlds good of suffisance  
Was had but liking & pleasance  
Of that that longeth to Ryc●esse  
Of love stood in great distress  
So that this young lusty wight  
Of the thing that fell to lou●s right  
Was ever served overall  
That she was so begun with all  
Till that Cupyde and ●oenus e●●e  
A medycyn for to seek  
Ordain would in this c●●s  
Right as fortune than was  
Of love vp●on the d●stene  
It fell right as it should b●  
A fresh a fire lusty man  
That nought of auary●● can  
The which crocius by name height  
And was liberal all out right  
And there as she was he came in presence  
She saw him large of his dispense  
And amorous and glad of there  
So that her liked well to here  
The goodly words that he said  
And thereupon of love he prayed  
It was of love all that he m●nt  
And for that she should to love ass●●●  
He gaf her gifts ever among  
But for men sayn that meed is strong  
Hit was well seen that same tide  
For as it should of right betide  
This upole largesse bath take  
And the negard she died forsake  
Of bic●●us she will no more  
For he was gratching and ever more  
There was with him none other fare  
But for to pinch & for to spare  
Of worlds mukke to get increases  
So goth the wretch loveless  
Beiaped for his scarcity  
And he that large was and free  
And set his heart to dispend  
This Crocius his to we hath bend  
The which Venus took him for to hold  
And shot as oft as he would  
Loo thus departeth love his all we  
That what man will not be fellow  
To give & spend as I the tell  
He is not worthy for to dwell  
In loves Court to be relieved  
For thy my son if I be lived  
Thou shalt be large of thy dispense  
My father in my conscience  
If there be any thing amiss  
I will amend it after this  
Toward my love namely  
My sone well & readily  
Thou sayst so that well paid with all  
I am/ and furthermore I shall  
Unto thy shrift specify  
Of auary●● the progeny  
That vice sueth after this  
Thou shalt have wonder how hit i●  
Among the folk in many Regne  
That such a vice might regne  
That is commune to all assays  
As men may find now a days   
Cuncta creatum deus/ et qui cuncta c●●●uit/ Dampnant ingrati dicta quam facto viu/ Non dolour a long stat quo si●i t●●is ami●am/ Traxit et in fine deserit esse suam  
Hic ●●quitur super illa aborta specie avaricie que ingratitudo dicta es●cuius condicioni non ●●lum creator/ sed it cuncte creature abhominabilem detestantur  

tHe vice like unto the fiend  
That never yet was man's friend  
And cleped is unkindship  
Of coven & of felauship  
With avarice he is withhold  
And thinketh that he should be bold  
Unto the mother that him bare  
Of him may never man be●● are  
He will not have the merit  
For that he would not acquit  
That in this world is much used  
And few been there excused  
To tell of him is endless  
And thus I say nevertheless  
Where as this vice cometh to sonde  
There taketh no man his thank o●● hand  
Though he with all his mights serve  
He shall of 'em no thing deserve  
He taketh what any man may give  
But while he hath one day to live  
He will nothing reward again  
He grudgeth to give again  
Where he hath a barn full  
That maketh a kind heart dull  
To say his trust in such friendship  
There as he findeth no kyndeship  
And for to speak words pleyne  
Thus here I many a man complain  
That now on days thou shalt find  
At need few friends kind  
In what thou hast done for 'em bifore  
It is forgotten as it were lore  
The books speaken of this vice  
And tell how that god of his justice  
By weigh of kind & also of nature  
And every living creature  
And the law also who that it can  
They damn an unkind man   
Ars et natura Cristus sit omnia iura Dampnant ingratum lamentantur fore natum  

Hit is all one to s●y unkind  
A●●hynge that done is again kind  
For it with kind never stood  
A man to yield evil for good  
For he that would take heed  
A best is glad of a good deed  
And loveth that creature  
After the law of his nature  
The which doth him ease & for to se●  
Of this matter authority  
Full offtime it hath befall  
Whereof a tale among us all  
The which of old ●●samplary●  
I think it for to specify   
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/ ubi perveniens avidam 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 benivolencia ipsum sin gulis d●nis sufficienter remnnerant  

tO speak of an unkind man  
I find how sometime Adryan  
Of rome that a great lord was  
●pon a day as he per ●as  
To the wood in his hunting went  
It happeth at a sudden went  
After the chase as he pursueth  
thorough hap that no man escheweth  
He fell unware in to a pit  
Where as it might not be let  
The pit was deep & he fell low  
That of his men none might know  
Where he became/ for none was so nigh  
That of his fall the mischief sigh  
And thus alone there he lay  
Clepend and cryend all the day  
For secoure & deliverance  
Till again eve it fell perchance  
A whylo or it bicam to night  
A power man that Bardus height  
Come forth walkend with his Ass  
And had gathered him a tasse  
Of green stykkes & of dry▪  
To sell whom that would hem bey●  
As he that had no livelihood  
But when he might such a loode  
To town with his ash carry  
And as it fell him for to tarry  
That same time nyhe the pit  
And had his truss fast knyt●●  
And herd a voice that cried dim  
And he his ere to the brim  
Hath laid & herd it was a man  
That said O help Adryan  
And I will give all my good  
The power man this understood  
As he that would gladly win  
And to this lord that was within  
He spoke & said if I the save  
What sikernesses shall I have  
Of covenant that afterward  
Thou wilt me give such reward  
As thou behyghtest now before  
That other hath his oath sworn  
By heaven & by gods all  
If that it might so bifalle  
That he him out of the pit brought  
Of all the goods that he ought  
He shall have even haluendele  
This bardus said he would weal  
And with this word his ass anon●  
He did untruss & thereupon  
Down goth the co●d in to the pit  
To the which he hath an end knit  
A staff whereby he said he would  
That Adryan him should hold  
But it was then per ●as fallen  
In to that pit was so fallen  
An ape the which at that throw  
When that the rope down came low  
And suddenly thereto he skypte  
And it in both his arms clypte  
And bardus with his ass anon  
Him hath updrawen & is gone  
But when he saw it was an ape  
He wend all had been ● jape  
Of fairy & sore him dread  
And Adryan eftsoons graddy  
For help & cried fast  
And he eftsoons his cord cast  
But when it come unto the ground  
A great serpent it hath bewound●  
The which bardus anon up drough  
And than him thought well enough  
Hit was but fanton b●t yet he herd  
The voice & thereto he answered  
What art thou in god's name  
I am quod Adryan the same  
The which good thou shalt have even  
half/ Odd bardus than a gods half  
The third time assay I shall  
And cast his cord forth with all  
In to the pit/ & when it came  
To him this lord of Rome it nam●  
And thereupon him hath dressed  
And with his hand full oft blessi●  
And than he bade Bardus hale  
And he that understood his tale  
between him & his Ass all soft  
Hath drawn & set him up a loft  
Without harm all esyly  
And he said not once grant mercy  
But forth him went to the city  
And let this power bardu● be  
And nevertheless this simple m●●●  
His covenant so as he ca●  
Hath asked & the other answered & said  
That if so were that he him up braid  
Of aught that hath be spoken or done  
It shall he wroken on him soon  
That him were better to be deed  
And he can none other rede  
But on his ass again he cast  
His truss & hied him homeward fast  
And when that he came home to bed  
He told his wife how he sped  
But finally to speak aught more  
●nto this lord dread him sore  
So that one word he durst not sey●  
And so upon the morrow again  
In the manner as I record  
Forth with his ass & with his cord  
To gather wood as he did ere  
He goth/ & when he cometh there  
●nto the place where that he would  
He 'gan his ape anon behold  
The which had gathered all about  
Of stykkes here & there a rout  
And layed 'em ready to his hand  
Whereof he made his t●isse & bond  
Fro day do day. & in this wise  
Thus proffered he his service  
So that he had of wood enough  
And upon a time as he drough  
Toward the wood he saw beside  
The great ghastly serpent glide  
Till that she came to his presence  
And in her kind a reverence  
She hath him done & forth with all  
A stone more bright than a Castalle  
Out of her mouth in his way  
She let down fall & went her way  
For that he should not be adread  
then was this power bardus glad  
Than●●end god & to the stone  
He goeth & taketh it up anon  
And hath great wonder in his wit  
How that the be'st him hath quit  
Where that the man hath failed  
For whom he had most travailed  
But all he put in gods hand  
And turned home & what he fond  
●nto his wife he hath it showed  
And they that were both lewd  
Aburden that he should it sell  
And he no l●nger would dwell  
But forth anon upon the tale  
The stone he proffereth to the sale  
And right as himself he set  
The ●●wler anon him fet  
The gold and made his payment  
Thereof was none delayement  
Thus when this stone was boght & sold  
Homeward with joy many fold  
This bardus goth. & when he came  
Home to his house and that he nam●  
His gold out of his purse within  
He fond also his stone therein  
Wherefore for joy his heart played  
And to his wife thus he said  
●●● here my gold/ loo here my ston●  
His wife had wonder thereupon  
And asked him how it might be  
Now by my truth quoth he  
But I dare swear upon a book  
That to my merchant I it took  
And he it had when I went  
So know I not to what intent  
It is now here but through gods grace  
For thy to morrow in other place  
● will assay it for to sell  
And if it will not with him dwell  
But ●●pe in to my purse again  
Than dare I safely swear & seyn●  
●t is the virtue of the stone  
The morrow came/ & he is gone  
To 〈◊〉 about in other stead  
His stone to sell & so he deed  
And left it with his chapman the●  
But when that he came e●s where  
In presence of his wife at home  
Out of his p●rs anon he nome  
His gold & fond his stone with a●  
And thus it fell him o●●●ral  
Where he it sold in diverse place  
Such was the fortune & the grac●  
But so well may no thing b● hid  
That it ne is at the last kid  
This fame goth about Rome  
●o farforth that the words come  
To the Emperor justynyan  
And he let send for that man  
And asked him how that it was  
And bardus told him all the ●s  
How that the serpent & eke the bes●  
Al though they made none behest  
His travail had well quyt  
But he that had a man's wit  
And made his covenant by mouth  
And swore thereto all that he couth  
To part & give half his good  
Hath now forgotten how that it stood  
As he that would no truth hold  
This Emperor all that he told  
Hath herd & that unkindness  
He said he would himself redress  
And thus in Court of judgement  
This Adryan was after sent  
And the quarrel in audience  
Declared was in his presence  
Of the Emperor & many moo  
Whereof was moche speech tho  
And great wondryng among the p●●s●  
But at the last neverthelese  
For the party which hath plained  
The law hath deemed & ordained  
By 'em that were advised web  
That he shall have the haluendel●  
thorough out of Adryans' good  
And thus of that unkind blood  
standeth the memory unto this day  
Where thorough that every wise man may  
Ensamplyn him & took in mind  
What shame it is to be unkind  
again the which reason debateth  
And every creature it hateth  
For thy my son in thy office  
I read thou flee that ilk vice  
For right a● the chronicle s●y●●  
How Adryan he his faith  
Forgot for worlds cou●fys●  
Full oft in such a manner wys●  
Of lovers now a man may see  
Full many that unkind ●●  
For well to promise & evil to las●  
That is here life for at the last  
When that they have her ●●ylle done  
Her love is gone after soon  
What sayst thou soon to this ●as  
My father I will say alas  
That ever was such a man borne  
That ●hen he hath his truth sworn  
And hath of love what he would  
That he any time should  
Ever in his beard after find  
To be falls or to be unkind  
But father as touchend of me  
I may not stand in that degree  
For I took never of love why  
That I ●e may go thereby  
And do my profile else where  
For any speed I find there  
I may well think all about●  
But I dare not speak it ou●●  
And if I durst I would pleyn●  
That she for whom I suffer peynt  
And love ever her alike  
That neither gift neither byhote  
In rewarding of my service  
Hit list her in no manner wise  
I will not say that she is kind  
And for to say that she is unkind  
That dare I not but god above  
The which deemeth e●●ry heart of love  
He wot that on mine own side  
Shall not unkindness abide  
If that I shall with my lady dwell●  
Thereof dare I no more tell  
Now good father as it is  
Tell me what ye think of this  
My sone of that unkindship  
The which toward thy ladyship  
Thou pleynest for she will the nought  
Thou art to blame in that thought  
For it may be that thy desire  
Though it burn ever as doth the fir●  
●●r ●as to her honour mysset  
Or else time cometh not yet  
The which standeth upon thy destiny  
For thy my son I read thee  
Think well what ever the bifalle  
For no man hath his lusts all  
But as thou toldest me biforne  
That thou to love art not forsworn  
And hast do no unkyndenysse  
Thou might thereof thy grace bliss  
And leave not for thy contenannce  
Forther may be no such g●●uaunce  
To love as it is unkindship  
Wherefore to keep thy worship  
So as the old books tale  
I shall the tell a ●●dy tale  
Now her●en & be well were thereby  
For I will 〈◊〉 it openly   
Hic ponit exemplum contra istos ●i ●os amo● ingratoe. Et narrat qualiter Theseus cadani filius consilio suffultus Adriane Regis Minos filie in domo qd ●a●orinthus dicitur Minotaurum vincit/ unde Theseus Adriane sponsalia certissime p●omittens ipsam una cum fedra sorore sua a Creta secum navigio duxit/ S●d statim postea oblito gratitudinis beneficio Adrianam ipsum saluantem in insula chion spretam post tergum reliquit. & fedran A the nis sibi sponsatam ingratis coronavit  

in Ynos as telleth the poet  
The which was sometime king of Crete/ A son he had & androche/ He height and so befell● that he  
●nto Athenis for to ●ere  
Was sent/ & so he bore him there  
For that he was of his lineage  
Such pride he took in his courage  
That 〈◊〉 forgeten hath the scoles  
And in riot among fools  
He did many things wrong  
And used that life so long  
Till at the last of that be wrought  
He fond the mischief that which he sought  
Where thorough he fell that he was slain  
His father the which it herd say  
Was wroth/ & all that ever he might  
Of men of arms he him dight  
A strong power & forth he went  
Unto Athenis where he brent  
The pleyne country all about  
The cities stood of him in doubt  
As they no defence had  
again the power that he lad  
Egeus that was there king  
His council took upon this thing  
For he was than in the city  
So that of peace in to treat  
between minos and Egeus  
They feel & been acorded thus  
That king minos fro year to year  
receive shall as thou shalt here  
Out of athens for truage  
Of men that were of mighty age  
persons nine. of which he shall  
His will do in special  
For vengeance of his sons death  
None other grace there ne geth  
But for to take the juice  
And for that was done in such a wise  
The which stood in a wonder ca as  
For that time so it was  
Whereof that men yet read and sing  
King minos had in his keeping  
A cruel monster as seith the geste  
For he was half man & half beast  
And mynotaurus he was hot  
The which was bigoten in a riot  
Upon Phasyfe his own wife  
Whiles he was out upon the strif  
Of that greet siege of Troy  
But she that lost hath all joy  
When that she saw this moustre bore  
Bad men ordain another fore  
And it fell that same time thus  
There was a Clerk one Dedalus  
That had been of her assent  
Of that her world hath miswent  
As he that made of his own wit  
Whereof the remembrance is yet  
For mynotaure such a house  
That was so strong & marvelous  
That what man within went  
There was so many a diverse went  
That he ne shall come out  
But go amassed all about  
And in this house to look & ward  
Was mynotaurus put in ward  
That what life that therm came  
Man or be'st he overcame  
And slew and fed him thereupon  
And in this wise many one  
Of athens for truage  
Devoured were in that rage  
For every year they shopen hem so  
They of athens or they go  
Toward thilk woeful chance  
As it was set in ordinance  
Upon fortune her lot they cast  
Till that Theseus at the last  
The which was the kings son there  
amongs other that there were  
In that there as it be fell  
The lot upon his chance fell  
He was a knight worthy with all  
And when he saw his chance fall  
He fir as though he took no heed  
But all that ever he might speed  
With him & with his felauship  
Forth in to grece he goth by ship  
Where that the king minos he sought  
And proffereth all that him is aught  
Upon the point of her accord  
This stern king/ this cruel lord  
Took every day one of the nine  
And put him in to discipline  
Of mynotaure to be devoured  
But Theseus was so favoured  
That he was kept till at the last  
And the mean while he cast  
What mean thing him were best to do  
And fell that Adryane though  
The which was the daughter of minos  
And had herd the worthy los  
Of Theseus and of his might  
And saw that he was a lusty knight  
For hole heart on him she laid  
And he that also of love her prayed  
So farforth that they were alone  
And ordained that anon  
In what manner he should him save  
And shope so that she did him have  
A clue of thread the which withynne  
first atthe door he shall begin  
And when he would again ward wend  
With him to take that one end  
He ●●●●t go the same weigh  
And over this so as I say  
Of speech she took him a pelot  
The which he should in to the throat  
Of mynotaure cast right  
such weepen also for him she dight  
That he by reason may not fail  
To make an end of his battle  
For she him taught in diverse wise  
Till he was cunning of that enpryse  
How he this best should kill  
And thus shortly for to tell  
So as this maiden him had taught  
Theseus with his monster fought  
And smote of his heed the which he nam  
And by the thread so as he came  
He goeth again till he were out  
Than was great wonder all about  
Minos the tribute hath rebeced  
And so the were was all seced  
between Athenis & hem of Crete  
But now to speak of that sweet  
The whose beauty was without wane  
This fair maiden Adryane  
When she saw Theseus sound  
Was never yet upon this ground  
A gladder wight than she was though  
Theseus dwelled a day or two  
With this maiden spoke & rouned  
That she to him was abandouned  
In all that ever she couth  
So that of her lusty youth  
All privily between hem fifty  
The first flower he took away  
For he so fair her than behyght  
That ever while he live might  
He should her take for his wife  
And as his own hearts life  
He should her love & truth her bear  
And she that might not forbear  
So sore loveth him again  
That what as ever he would say  
With all her heart she it leaveth  
And thus his purposes he achevyth  
So that assured of his truth  
With him she went & that was ruth  
Fedra her young sister eke  
A lusty maiden sober and meek  
Fulfilled of all courtesy  
For susterhode and company  
Of love/ the which was 'em between  
To see her sister be made a queen  
her father left & forth she went  
With him that all his first intent  
Forgot within a little throw  
So that it was all overthrow  
When that she wend that it should stand  
The ship was blown fro the land  
Wherein they lay sailend there  
This Adryan had mochel fere  
Of that the wyndo so loud blewe  
As she that of the see ne knew  
And prayed for to rest a while  
And so fell that upon an isle  
That this night they been driven  
Where he to her leave hath give  
And she shall land & take her rest  
But that was nothing for her best  
For when she was to land brought  
The which at that time thought nought  
But all truth & took no keep  
Hath laid her down to sleep  
As she that long hath been forwatched  
But certes she was evil matched  
And far from all loves kind  
For more than the best unkind  
Theseus the which no truth kept  
While that this young lady slept  
fulfilled of his unkindship  
Hath forgotten all godeshyp  
The which Adryan had him done  
And he bade the shipmen soon  
Hale up the sail & not abide  
But forth he goeth the same tide  
Toward athens & there on land  
He left his lady in the strand  
Slepend till that she awoke  
But when that she cast up hyf look  
Toward the strand and saw no wight  
Her heart than was sore aflyght  
That she ne wist what to think  
But drowe her to the water bryncke  
Where so she biheld the see at large  
She saw no ship/ she saw no barge  
As farforth as she might ken  
O lord she said such a sin  
As all the world shall after here  
Upon this woeful woman here  
This worthy knight hath done & wrought  
I wend I had his love bought  
And so deserved at need  
When that he stood upon his dread  
And also the love he me behyght  
It is great wonder how he might  
Towards me now be unkind  
And so to let out of his mind  
Thing that he said his own mouth  
But after this when it is couth  
And drawn to the worlds fame  
It shall be hindering for his name  
For well he wot and so wot I  
He gave his troth bodily  
That he my honour should keep  
And with that word she 'gan weep  
And sorrowed more than enough  
Her fair tresses she to drough  
And with her self she took such a strif  
And she between the death & the life  
Swounend lay full oft among  
And all was this on him long  
The which was to love unkind so  
Whereof the wrong shall evermo  
stand in chronicle of remembrance  
And also it asketh a vengeance  
To be unkind in loves cas  
So as theseus than was  
All though he were a noble knight  
For he the law of loves right  
Forfeited hath for alway  
That Adryane he put away  
The which was a great unkind deed  
And after that so as I read  
Fedra the which her sister is  
He took in stead of her and this  
Fel afterward to mekel tene  
For that vice of which I mean  
Vnkyndeship whore it falleth  
The truth of man's heart it palleth  
That he can no good deed acquit  
So may he stand of no merit  
Towards god and also  
Men call him the worlds so  
For he no more than the fiend  
Unto another man's friend  
But all toward himself alone  
For thy my son in thy person  
This vice above all other flee  
My father as ye teach me  
I think to do in this matter  
But over this I would fain here  
Whereof I shall me shrive more  
My good son and for thy lore  
After the rule of covetise  
I shall the property devise  
Of every vice by & by  
Now hearken & be well aware therup   
Viribus ex clara res tollit luce rapina/ Floris et juncta virgine mella capit  
Hic tractat super illa specie Auaricie que Rapina nuncupatur/ cuius matter extorcio ipsam ad deseruiendum magnatum curijs specialius commendavit/  

I 〈◊〉 the lineage of Audry●●  
My sone yet there is a vice  
His right name is ravin  
The which hath a rout of his covin  
ravin among the master dwelleth  
And with his servants as men telleth  
Extortion is now withhold  
ravin of other men's fold  
Maketh his lord & payeth nought  
For where as ever it may be sought  
In his house their shall no thing lack  
And that full oft abyeth the pack  
Of pour men that dwellen about  
Thus standeth the common people in doubt  
The which can do none amendment  
For when him faileth payment  
ravin maketh none other skill  
But taketh by strength what he will  
So been other in the same wise  
Lovers as I shall devise  
That when not else may avail  
Anon with strength they assail  
And get of love the sesyne  
When they see the time by ravin  
Of love/ Certes father no  
For I my lady love so  
For though I were as was Pompey  
That all the world me would obey  
Or else such as Alisandre  
I would not do such a slander  
He is no good man that so doth  
In good faith son thou sayst soothe  
For he that will of purueannce  
By such a weigh his lust advance  
He shall it after sore abye  
But if these old examples lie  
Now good father tell me one  
So as they con many one  
Touchend of love in this matter  
Now listen my son/ & thou shalt here  
So as it hath befallen or this  
In loves cause how that it is  
A man to take the ravin  
The pray the which 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 uxoris sue Philomenam de Athenis in Traciam sorore visitacionis causa secum quadam vice perduceret in concupiscencian Philoment tanta severitate in Itinere dilapsus est quod non solum ipse violencia sue rapine virginitatem oppressit/ sed et ipsive linguam non factum detegeret forpice intulavit/ unde imperpetue memory cro nicam tanti raptoris postea vindicarunt  

there was a ryal noble king  
A rich of all worlds thing  
The which of his proper enherytance  
Athenis had in governance  
And who so thinketh thereupon  
His name was king Pandion  
Two daughters had he by his wife  
The which he loved as his life  
The first daughter proygne height  
The second as she well might  
Was called fair philomene  
To whom fell after moche tene  
The father of his purveyance  
His daughter Proygne would advance  
And gaf her unto marriage  
A worthy king of his lineage  
A noble knight also of his hand  
So was he kid in every land  
Of Trace he height Thereus  
The Clerk Ovid telleth thus  
This thereus his wife home lad  
A lusty life with her he had  
Till it be fell upon a tide  
This Proygne as she lay him beside  
Bethought her how that it might be  
That she her sister might see  
And to her lord her will she said  
With goodly words & him prayed  
That she to her myghe go  
And if it liked him not so  
That than he would himself wend  
Or else by some other send  
The which might her d●re sufter great  
And shape how they might meet  
Her lord anon to that he herd  
Gave his accord/ & thus answered  
I will he said for your sake  
The weigh after your sister take  
Myself and bring her if I may  
And she with that there as she lay  
●igan him in her arms to clip  
And kissed him with her soft lip  
And said sire grant mercy  
And he soon after was ready  
And took his leave for to go  
In sorry time did he so  
This thereus goth forth to ship  
And with him his felaushippe  
By see the right course he nam  
In to the Country till he came  
Where Philomene was dwelling  
And of her sister the tiding  
He told & than they were glade  
And much joy of him they made  
The father and the mother both  
To leave her daughter they were loath  
But if they were in presence  
And nevertheless at the reverence  
Of him that would himself travail  
They would not that he should fail  
Of that he prayed to give her leave  
And she that would not behind leave  
In all hast made her ●are  
Toward her sister for to far  
With Thereus and forth she went  
And be with his hole intent  
When she fro her friends is gone  
So sottith him on her love anon  
That his eyen might he not without  
That he ne must on her behold  
And with the sight he 'gan desire  
And set his own heart a fire  
And fire when it to tow approacheth  
To him anon the strength ●●rocheth  
Till with his heat it be devoured  
The tow ne may be succoured  
And so that tyrant ravener  
When that she was in his power  
And he thereto saw time and space  
And he that lose hath all grace  
Forgot he was a wedded man  
And in a rage on her he ran  
Right as a wolf that taketh his prey  
And she began to ●●ye & pray  
O my father and mother dear  
Now help. but they ne might it here  
And she was of to little might  
Defence again so rude a knight ●  
To make when he was so wood  
That he no reason understood  
But held her under in such a wise  
That she might not arise  
But say oppressed and diseased  
And if a Goushauke had seized  
A bird the which durst not for f●●●  
remove/ and thus this tyrant the●●  
Byraft such thing as men sayne  
May never more be yoleden again  
And that was the Vyrgyny●●  
Of such ●auyn was py●●  
But when she to herself came  
And of mischief heed name  
And knew how that she was no maid  
With woeful heart thus she said  
O thou of all men the wrose  
Where was there ever man that ders●  
Do such a deed as thou hast do  
That day shall fall I hope so  
That I shall tell out my fill  
And with my speech I shall fulfil  
The wide world in ●rede and length  
That thou hast done to me with str●gth  
And if that I among the people dwell  
Unto the people I shall it tell  
And if I be with in wall  
Of stones closed than I shall  
Unto the stones clepe and ●●y●  
And tell 'em all the felony  
And if I to the woods wend  
There shall I ●●le ●ll● a● en●●  
And cry it to the birds out  
That they shall here it all about  
For I so loud shall rehearse  
That my voice shall the heaven pierce  
That it shall sown in god's er●  
O false man where is thy fere  
O more ●●uel than any be'st  
How shalt thou hold thy behest  
The which thou unto my sister mades●  
O thou that all love ungladese  
And art ensample of all untrue  
Now would god my sister knew  
Of thine untruth how that it stood  
And he than as a lion wood  
With his unhappy hands strong  
He caught her by the tresses long  
With the which he bond her arms  
That was a feeble deed of arms  
And to the ground anon her case  
And out he clippeth also fase  
Her tongue with a pair of shears  
So that what with blood & what with ●eres/  
Out of her eyen & of her mouth  
He made her fair fa●e uncouth  
She lay swooning unto the death  
There was unneath any birth  
But yet when he her tongue reft  
A little part yet he left  
But she no word with all may sown  
But chi●●e & as a bird iargowne  
And nevertheless that wood hound  
Her body hent up fro the ground  
And put her in a tower strong  
Where that for right or for wrong  
He purposed that for always  
She should abide to her deing day  
But nevertheless now taketh h●d●  
What after fell of this misdeed  
When all this mischief was befall  
This Thereus that fowl him befall  
When he was comen his palace ner●  
His wife anon with mild cheer  
With all reverence honourably him kept  
And when he it saw/ anon he wept  
And that he did for disseyte  
For she began to oske strait  
Where is my sister/ & he said  
That she was deed & quam●●igue ab●●id  
As she that was a woeful wife  
And stood between her death & life  
By cause she herd this tiding  
But for she saw her lord weeping  
She wend not but all truth  
And had well the more ruth  
The pearls were than forsaken  
To her & black clothes taken  
As she that was gentle & kyn●e  
In worship of her sisters mind  
She made a rich entyerement  
For she found none amendment  
To sigh sob or sorrow more  
So was there guile under the gore  
Now leave we this king & queen  
And torn we again to philomene  
As I began to tell erst  
When she came to prison ferst  
It thought a king's daughter strange  
To make so sudden a change  
from wealth unto so great a woe  
And she began to think though  
Though she by mouth no thing prayed  
Within her heart thus she said  
O thou almighty jupiter  
That buy sittest & lookest far  
Thou sufferest many a wrongful doing  
And yet it is not thy willing  
To the there may no thing be hid  
Thou knowest how it is betided  
I would I had not been borne  
For than I had not forlorn  
My speech and my virginity  
But good lord all is in the  
When thou thereof will do no vengeance  
And shape my deliverance  
And ever among this lady wept  
And thought that she never kept  
To be a worlds woman more  
And that she wished evermore  
But of● unto her sufter dear  
Her her●● speaketh on this manner  
And said O sister & ye knew  
Of mine estate ye would rue  
I trow and my deliverance  
Ye would shap and d●o vengeance  
On him that is so falls a man  
And nevertheless so as I can  
I wpf you send some tokening  
Whereof ye shall have some know beching  
Of thing I wot shall you loath  
The which you toucheth & me loath  
And than within a while as T●●●  
She wafe a cloth of silk all white  
With letters and imagery  
In the which was all the folly  
That T●r●us to her had done  
And lopped it to gedre soon  
And set her signet thereupon  
And sent it to proygne anon  
The messenger that forth it bore  
What it amounted was not ware  
And nevertheless to proygne he goth  
And privily taketh her the cloth  
And went again right as he came  
The Court of him no herd name  
When Proygne of Philomene herd  
She would know how it ford  
And opened that the man had brought  
And wo●● there by what hath be wrought  
And what mischief there is befall  
In swoon she 'gan down fall  
And eft aroos and 'gan to stand  
And eft she taketh the cloth on hand  
And by●●ld the letters & the images  
But at the last out of such outrages  
She said to weep is no boat  
And sweareth if that she leave mote  
It shall be ven●ed otherwise  
And with that she 'gan her advice  
How first she might unto her win  
Her sister that no man with●  
But only they that were swore  
It should know & shope therefore  
That Thereus no thing it wist  
And yet right as her seluen list  
Her sister was delivered soon  
Out of the prison & by the moan  
To Proigne she was brought by night  
And when ●●he of other had a sight  
In Chambre there they were alone  
They made many a pitous moan  
But Proigne most of sorrow made  
The which saw her sister pale & fade  
And speechless and dishonoured  
Of that she had been deflowered  
And also upon her lord she thought  
Of that he so untruly wrought  
And had his spoused broken  
She made a vow/ it should be wroken  
And with that word she kneeled down  
Weeping in great devotion  
Unto Cupid and Venus  
She prayed and than said thus  
O ye to whom no thing asterde  
Of love may for every heart  
Ye know as ye that been above  
The god and the goddess of love  
Ye wite well that ever yet  
With all my will and all my wit  
Sith first ye shope me to wed  
That I lay with my lord in bed  
I have been true in my degree  
And ever thought for to be  
And never to love in other place  
But all only the king of Trace  
The which is my lord & I his wife  
But now alas this woeful strif  
That I him thus ageynward find  
The most untre we & the most unkind  
That ever in lady arms lay  
And well I wot that ne may  
Amend it▪ his wrong is so great  
For full little of me he let  
When he mine own sister took  
And me that am his wife forsook  
Loo thus to Venus and cupid  
She prayed/ & furthermore she cried  
Unto A●●ollo the hyhest  
And said O mighty god of rest  
Thou do vengeance on this debate  
My sister and all her estate  
Thou knowest▪ & how she hath forlese  
Her mandenhede/ and I therefore  
In all the world shall here a blame  
Of that my sister hath a shame  
That Thereus to her I sent  
That well thou knowest that mine intent  
Was all for worship and for good  
O lord that givest lives food  
To every wight I pray the here  
The woeful sisters that been here  
And late us not to the be loath  
We been thine own women loath  
Thus plaineth proigne & asketh wretch/  
And though her sister tack speech  
To him that all thing wot  
Her sorrow is not the less hot  
But he that than herd hem two  
Him aught to have sorrowed evermo  
For sorrow that was 'em between  
With signs plaineth philomene  
And Proigne seith she shall it wreak  
That all the world thereof shall speak  
And Proigne than sickness feigned  
Whereof unto her lord she plained  
And prayed she might her chambre keep  
And as her listeth wake or sleep  
And he her granted to be so  
And thus to gether be they two  
That would him but a little good  
Now hearken hereafter how it stood  
O woeful adventures that be fell  
These sisters that been both fell  
And that was not on 'em along  
But only on the great wrong  
The which Thereus had 'em done  
They purpose to venge 'em soon  
This Thereus by proigne his wife  
A sone had that as his life  
Beloved/ and this he height  
And his mother wist well she might  
Do T●reus no more grieve  
Than slay his child that was so leave  
Thus she that was as who said mad  
Of woe/ the which hath her overladde  
Without insight of moderhede  
Forgot pity & lost dread  
And in her chambre privily  
That child without noise or cry  
She slew & hew him all to pieces  
And after with diverse spyeces  
The flesh when it was hew  
She taketh & made thereof a sew  
And the father at his meet  
She served & he 'gan him eat  
That he ne witted how it stood  
But thus his own flesh & blood  
Himself devoured again kind  
To him that was to fore unkind  
And than or that he can up rise  
For that his heart should agryse  
To show him his child was deed  
This Philomene took up the heed  
between two dishes and all wroth  
So came forth the sisters both  
And setten it on the board  
And proigne than began the word  
And said O wert of all wykke  
Of conscience whom no prykke  
May steer/ loo what thou hast do  
Lo here been now we sisters two  
O Ravener loo here thy pray  
With whom so falsely on the way  
Thou hast thy tyranny wrought  
Lo now it is somedeal bought  
And better it shall for thy deed  
The world shall ever sing & read  
In remembrance of thy defame  
For thou to love hast done such shame  
That it shall never be forget  
With that he start up fro the meet  
And shove the board in to the flore  
And caught a sword anon & swore  
That they should of his hands die  
And they unto the god's cry  
Bigan with so loud a steven  
That they were herd up to heaven  
And in the twinkling of an eye  
The gods that the mischief say  
Here forms changed all three  
Each of 'em in his degree  
Was turned in to a birds kind  
deliverly as men may find  
After the seat that they were in  
Her forms were set a twin  
And as it telleth in the tale  
The first in to a nightingale  
Was shapen & that was Philomene  
The which in the winter is not seen  
For than be the leaves fall  
And naked ●en the bushes all  
For after that she was a bird  
Her will was ever to be hid  
And for to dwell in prive place  
T●●t noman should see her face  
For shame that might not be lassid  
Of thing that was before passed  
When that she lost her maidenhead  
For ever upon her womanhead  
Though that the gods would her change  
She thinketh/ & is the more strange  
And holdeth her close the winter day  
But when the winter goth away  
And that nature the goddess  
will of her own free largesse  
With herbis & with flowers both  
Tse feldis & the meadows cloth  
Also the woods & the griefs  
Ben hylled all with green leaves  
So that a bird her hide may  
between mars Apryl & may  
S●e that the winter held close  
For pure shame & not aroos  
When that she saw the bows thick  
And that there is no bare stick  
But 〈◊〉 is hid with levys green  
To wood cometh this Philomene  
And maketh her plaint night & day  
Saying as every man here may  
O why ne were I yet a maid  
For so this old wise said  
The which understood what she meant  
Her notes been of such intent  
And eke they said how in her song  
She maketh great joy & mirth among  
And said now I am a bird  
And now my face may be hid  
Though I have lost my maidenhead  
Shall no man see my cheeks read  
Thus meddleth she with joy woe  
And with her sorrow mirth also  
So that of loves malady  
She maketh dynerse melody  
And said love is a woeful bliss  
A wisdom that can no man wysse  
A lusty fever a wound soft  
This note she rehearseth oft  
To hem that understand her tale  
Now have I of this nightinggale  
The which erst was cleped Philomene  
Told all that ever she would mean  
Both of her form & of her note  
Whereof men may the story note  
And of her sister Proigne I find  
How she was turned out of kind  
In to a swallow swift of wing  
That also in winter lieth sowing  
There as she may no thing be seen  
But when the world is waxen green  
And comen is the summer tide  
Then flieth she forth & begin to chide  
And chatereth out in her language  
What falsehood is in marriage  
And telleth in a manner speech  
Of terms the spouse breach  
She will not in woods dwell  
For she would openly tell  
And also for that she was a spouse  
Among the folks she cometh in house  
To do these wives understand  
The falsehood of her husband  
That they be ware of 'em also  
For there be many untrue of though  
Thus been these sisters birds asthe  
And been to ward the men so loath  
That they ne will for pure shame  
To no man's hand be tame  
For ever it dwelleth in her mind  
Of that they fond a man unkind  
And that was false Thereus  
If such one be among us  
A note but his condition  
Men say in every region  
Within town & eke without  
Now reigneth commonly about  
And namely in remembrance  
I will declare what vengeance  
The gods had him ordained  
Of that the sisters had plained  
For anon he was changed  
And from his own kind straunged  
A lapwenche made he was  
And thus he hoppeth on the grass  
And on his heed standeth up right  
A crest in token he was a knight  
And yet unto this day men seith  
The lapwenche hath lost his faith  
And is the bird ful●est of all    

Confessor  

Be ware my son or that ye so fall  
For if thou 〈◊〉 of such covin  
To get of love the ravin  
Thy lust it may fall the thus  
As it befell of Thereus    

Amans  

My father god forbid  
Me were liefer be fortrede  
With wild horses & to draw  
Ere I again love & his law  
Did any thing or loud or still  
The which were not my ladies will  
Men sayen that every love hath dread  
So followeth it that I her dread  
For I her love/ & who so dreadeth  
To please his love & serve him needeth  
Thus may ye know by what skill  
That no ravin do I will  
again her will by such a weigh  
But while I live I will obey  
Abiding on her courtesy  
If any mercy would her ply●  
For thy my father as of this  
I wot not that I have do amiss  
But furthermore I shall beseech  
Thou that some other point ye me teach  
And asketh forth if there be aught  
That I may be the better taught   
●iu●t ut 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/  

When covetise in pour estate  
standeth with himself upon debate/  
through lack of misgovernance/  
That he unto his sustenance  
Ne can none other weigh find  
To get him good than as the blind  
The which seeth not what shall after  
fall/ That ilk vice/ that which men call  
Of Robbery he taketh on hand  
Where thorough the water & the land  
Of thing that other men forswynke  
He getteth him cloth meet & drink  
Him retcheth not what to do he begin  
Though theft so that he may win  
For thy to make his purchaas  
He lieth waiting on the paas  
And what thing that he seeth there pass  
He taketh his pace more & lass  
If it be aught worth for to take  
He can the pakkes well rensake  
So pryncly beareth none about  
His gold ne be it findeth out  
Or other ●ewel what it be  
He taketh it as his property  
In woods & in fields eke  
Thus Robbery goth to seek  
Where as he may/ his purpose find  
And right so in the same kind  
My good son as thou might here  
To speak of love in this matter  
And make a very resemblance  
Right as a thief maketh his chevesance  
And robbeth men's goods about  
In wood in field where he goth out  
So been there of these lovers some  
In wild steeds where they come  
And find there a woman able  
And thereto space covenable  
Without let or that they far  
They take a part of that chaffer  
Ye though she were a shepeherdesse  
Yet would the lord of wantonness  
Assay all though he be v●mete  
For other men's good is swe●●▪  
But thereof wot nothing the wife  
At f●me/ the which loveth as her life  
Her lord and sitteth alway wysshyug  
After her lords home coming  
But when he cometh home at eve  
Anon he maketh his wife to leave  
For she not else should know  
He telleth her how his hunt 'gan blow  
And how his hounds have well run  
And how there shone a merry son  
And how his hawks flown weal  
But ●e would tell her never a deal  
How ●e to love untrue was  
Of that ●e rob in the pas  
And took his lust under the shaw  
again love & again his law  
The which thing my seen I the forbid  
For it i● an ungodly deed  
For who that taketh by robbery  
His love ●e may not ●ustyfye  
His cause & so full oft sith  
For onye that he hath been blithe  
He shall be after sorry thrice  
Examples for such robberies  
I find written as thou shalt here  
According unto 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 whilom w●s a m●id  
The fairest as Ovid said  
That was in her time tho  
And she was of the chambre also  
Of ●allas that is the goddess  
Wife to mars/ of whom the prowess  
Is given to these worthy knights  
For he is of so great mights  
That he governeth the battle  
Without him may not avail  
The strong hand but he it help  
There may no knight of arms yelp  
But he fight under his banner  
But now to speak of my matter  
This fair fresh lusty may  
Alone as she went on a day  
Upon the strand for to play  
There came Neptunus in the way  
The which hath the see in governance  
And in his heart such pleasance  
He took when he this maiden sigh  
That all his heart aroos on high  
For he so suddenly unware  
Beheld the beauty that she bore  
And cast anon in his heart  
That she shall him no weigh asterte  
But if he take in advantage  
From that maiden some ●●l●ge  
Not of no broochs ne of no things  
But of some other small things  
He thought to have part or that she went  
And her in both his arms hent  
And put his hand toward the Cofre  
Wherefore to rob he made a profere  
That lusty treasure for to steel  
The which passeth other goods fe●●  
That called is the may●enhede  
The which is the flower of womanhead  
This maid that C●●nyx by name  
Was cleped dreading all shame  
Saw that she might not debate  
And well she wist he would algate  
fulfil his lust of robbery  
Anon began to weep & crier  
And said O pallas noble queen  
Show now thy might & late be sent  
To keep and save mine honour  
Help that I lose not my flower  
The which now under key is looken  
That word was not so soon spoken  
When pallas shaped recovyre  
After the will & the desire  
Of her the which a maiden w●s  
And suddenly upon this cas  
Out of her woman's kind  
In to a birds likeness I find  
She was transformed forth with all  
So that Neptunus' no thing stall  
Of thing that he would have stole  
With federes black as any coal  
Out of his arms in a throw  
She flew before his eyen a crow  
The which was to her more delight  
To keep her maidenhead white  
Under the weed of feathers black  
Than in pearls white to forsake  
That no life may restore again  
But thus Neptune his heart in veyn  
Hath upon robbery set  
The bird was flown & he was let  
The fair maid is fro him scaped  
So that for ever le was ●ei●●ed  
And sco●●●d of that ●e hath ●ore  
My sone ●e thou ware therefore  
That thou no maidenhead steel  
Whereof men see dyseses feel  
All day befall in diverse wise  
So as I shall the yet devise  
Another tale thereupon  
That fell 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 virgins castitatem subtili furto surripiens quendam filium qui postea Archas nominatus est ex ea genuit/ unde juno in Calistonan semel eius pulcritudinem in vrse tur pissime deformitatem subito transfiguravit  

KYn● Lychaon upon his wife  
A daughter had a goodly life  
And cleave maiden of worthy fame/  
Calystona whose right name  
Was cleped & of many a lord  
She was besought/ but her accord  
To love might no man win  
As she that had no lust therein  
But swore in her heart & said  
That she would ever be a maid  
Wherefore to keep herself & peace  
With such as amadryades  
Were clexed were maidens tho  
And with the Nymphs eke also▪  
Upon the spring of fresh wells  
She shope to dwell & nowhere ell●●  
And thus came this Calistona  
In to the wood to Tegea  
Where she virginity behyght  
Unto diane & thereto plight  
Her truth upon the bows g●●ne  
To keep her maidenhead clean  
The which afterward upon a day  
Was privily stolen away  
For jubiter thorough his quaintise  
From her it took in such a wise  
That suddenly forth with all  
Her womb aroos/ & she to swalle  
So that it might not be hid  
And thereupon it is betid  
That diane the which it herd tell  
In prive place unto a well  
With Nymphs all a company  
Was comen and in aragerye  
She said that she bathe would  
And bad that every maiden should  
With her all naked bathe also  
And than began the privy woe  
C●listona wax read shame  
But they that knew not the game  
To whom such thing was befall  
A none they made 'em naked all  
As they no thing would hide  
But she withdrew her ever aside  
And nevertheless in the flood  
Where that Dyana himself stood  
She thought to come unperceived  
But thereof she was all deceived  
For when she came a little nigh  
And that Dyana her womb seygh  
She said away thou fowl be'st  
For thine estate is not honest  
This chaste water for to touch  
For thou hast had such a touch  
The which never may be hole again  
And thus goth she that was forleyn  
With shame & the Nymphs fled  
Till when that nature her sped  
That of a son that height Archas  
Was named she delivered was  
And juno that was the wife  
Of jubiter wroth and hastyf  
In purposes for to do vengeance  
Came forth upon that chance  
And to Calistona she spakke  
And set upon her many a lack  
And said a now thou art take  
That thou thy work may not forsake  
A thou ungodly hypocrite  
Thou art greatly for to wite  
But now thou shalt fnl sore abye  
That ilk stealth and mycherye  
That thou hast both take & do  
Whereof thy father Lychao  
Shall not be glad when he it wot  
Of that his daughter was so hot  
That she hath broken her chaste vow  
But I the shall chastise now  
Thy great beauty shall be turned  
thorough which that thou hast be mystorned  
Thy large front thy eyen grey  
I shall hem change in other way  
And of the feature of thy face  
In such a wise I shall deface  
For every man the shall forbear  
And forth with the likeness of a fer●  
She took and was forshapen anon  
And within a time thereupon  
befell that with a bow in hand  
To hunt and gamen for to fond  
In to that wood goeth for to play  
Her sone Archas and in his way  
He happened that this here came  
And when that she good heed name  
Where that he stood under a bow  
She knew him well & to him drowe  
For though she had her form lore  
The love was not lost therefore  
The which kind hath set under his  
law/ When she under the wood shaw  
Her child belhed she was so glad  
That she with both her arms spread  
And though she were in womanhead  
Toward him come & took no heed  
How that he bore a bow bent  
And he with that an arrow sent  
And 'gan to tyse it in his bow  
As he that can none other know  
But that it was a be'st wild  
But Inpiter that would shield  
The mother and the sone also  
Ordained for hem both so  
That they for ever were save  
But thus my son thou might have  
Ensample how it is to flee  
To rob the virginity  
Of a young Innocent away  
And ever this by ovy weigh  
In old books as I read  
Sache robbery is for to dread  
And namely of that good  
The which ever woman that is good  
Desireth for to keep & hold  
As sometimes was by days old  
For if thou here my tale well  
Of that was than thou may somde●  
Of old ensample take heed  
How that the flower of maydenhed●  
Was that time holden in pries  
And so it was and so it is  
And so it shall for ever stand  
And for thou shalt it understand  
Now herkene the tale next sewend  
How maidenhead is to commend   
Hic loquitur de virginitat●● comm● dacione ubi dicit quod nuper Imperatores obstanti status dignitatem virginibus sedebant in via  

oF Rome among the gests old  
I find how Valery told  
That what man so ever were  
emperor/ Of rome he should do honour  
To a virgin & in the weigh  
Where he her meet he should obey  
In worship of virginity  
That was than of great dignity  
And not only of the women though  
But of the chaste men also  
It was commended overall  
And to speak thereof in special   
Hic loquitur qualiter Phirinus iuuenum room pulcherrimus ut ill●sā svam virginitatem conseruaret ambos oculos ●ruens vulti sui decorem abhominabilem constituit  

tOuchend of men ensample I find  
Phirinus that was of man's kind  
Above all other the fairest  
Of Rome & also the comeliest  
That well was her that might  
Behold & have of him a sight  
Thus was he tempted oft sore  
But for the would be no more  
Among the women so coveted  
The beauty of his face streyted  
He hath & thrust out both his eyen  
That all women that him seen  
Than afterward of him ne wrought  
And thus his maidenhead he bonght  
So may I prove will for thy  
Above all other under the sky  
That maidenhead is for to praise  
Who that the virtues would poise  
The which as the apocalypsis recordeth  
To Cast in heaven best acordeth   
Hij sequntur Agnum quocumque ●erit  

So may I show well therefore  
As I have told it bear afore  
In heaven & in earth also  
It is except both two  
Out of his flesh a man to leaven  
Gregory hath this ensample given   

In carne preter carnem vivere pocius  
vita angelica est quam humana  
And jerom saith it shall rather be told  
Lyker to an Angel many fold  
Than to the life of man's kind  
There is no reason for to find  
But only thorough the grace above  
In flesh without fleshly love  
And man to live chaste here  
And nevertheless a man may here  
Of such as have been or this  
And yet there been/ but for it is  
A virtue that is selden won  
Now I this matter have begun  
I think to tell thereof more  
The which my son for thy lor●  
If that the list to take heed  
To treat upon maidenhead   
Vt Rosa de spinis spineto prevalet orta/ Vt filii flores cespite plura valent S●c sibi virgivitas carnis sponsalia vincit/ Eternos fetus que sine lahe parit  

The books sayn that a mamns life  
Upon knighthood in were & strif  
Is set among his enemies  
Right so the freel flesh whose nature is  
Ay ready for to spurn & fall  
The first foman is of all  
For that were is ready ay  
It werreth night/ it werreth day  
So that a man hath never rest  
And therefore is that knight the best  
thorough might & grace of gods sonde  
The which that battle may withstand  
Whereof it dwelleth the memory  
Of 'em that sometime the victory  
Of that deadly were hadden  
The hyhe prowess the which they had  
Where thorough the soul stood amended  
Upon this earth is yet commended   
Hic loquitur qualiter Valentinianus Imperator ipse octogenarius plures prou●ncias Romano Imperio belliger sub iugavit/ dixit se super onnia magis gaudere de eo quod contra sue carnis concupiscenciam victoriam op●●nuisset/ nam et ipse virgo omnibus diebus vite sue castissimus permansit/  

aN Emperor by old days  
There was/ & he at all assays  
A worthy knight was of his  
hand/ There was no such in all the land  
But yet for all his vassellage  
He stood vnwedded all his age  
And in chronicle as it is told  
He was an ninety winter old  
But when men would his deeds poise  
And his knighthood of arms praise  
Of that he did with his hands  
When he the kings & the lands  
To his subjection put under  
Of all that price had he no Wonder  
For he it set at none account  
And said ●ll that might not amount  
again one point that he hath nomen  
That his flesh he hath overcomen  
He was a virgin as he said  
On that battle his pries he laid  
Lo now my son advise the  
father all this may well be  
But and all other did so  
The world of men were soon ag●  
And in the law men may find  
How god to man the law of kind  
Hath set the world to multiply  
And who that will him justify  
It is not to do the law  
And nevertheless your good saw  
Is good to keep who so may  
I will not there again say nay  
My sone take it as I say  
If maidenhead be taken away  
Without laws ordinance  
It may not fail of vengeawce  
And if thou wilt the sooth wyten  
Behold a tale the which is written  
How that the king of Agamenon  
When he the city of L●sbon  
Had wonuen/ a maiden there he fond  
That was the fairest of the land  
In that time that men wist  
And he had of her what him list  
Whereof that she was dangerous  
Of the thing that which was most precious  
This fair maiden cleped is  
Creseyde the daughter of Crysys  
The which was that time special  
Of that time bishop principal  
Where Phoebus had his sacrifice  
So was it well the more vice  
Agamenon was than in way  
To Troyward and took a way  
This maiden that he with him lad  
And great lust in her he had  
But Phoebus' that which had great disdain  
For that this maiden was forleyn  
Anon as he to Troy came  
Mengeaunce upon this deed name  
And sent a common pestilence  
They sought than her evidence  
And made calculation  
To know in what condition  
This death came in suddenly  
And at the last readily  
The cause & also the man they fond  
And forth with all the same stound  
Agamenon opposed was  
The which hath knowleched all the cas  
Of the folly that he hath wrought  
And thereupon mercy they sought  
Toward the god in diverse wise  
With prayer & with sacrifice  
And the maiden home they send  
And gafe her gold enough to spend  
For ever whiles she would live  
And thus the sin was forgive  
And all the pestilence seced  
Loo what it is to be encrecid  
Of love which is ill won  
It were letter be unbegonne  
Than take a thing without leave  
Which thou must after needs leave  
And yet have maugre forth with all  
For thy to robben overall  
In loves cause if thou begin  
I not what ease thou shalt win  
My father so will I iwis  
My sone be well aware of this  
But now your examplary  
In love is cause of robbery  
I have it right well understand  
But over this how so it stand  
Yet will I wite of your apprise  
What thing is more of covetise   
In●idiando latens tempus rimatur et horam/ Fur quibus occulto tempore furta parat/ Sic amor insidijs vacat et sub tegmine laudes/ Prendere furtivos nocte favente 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/  

with covetise if I find  
A servant of the same kind  
Which stealeth is hot & much  
●ye. With him is ever in company  
Of whom if I shall tell sooth  
He stalketh as a peacock doth  
And taketh his prey so covert  
That no man wot it in apart  
And wot the lord at home  
Than would he stalk about & come  
And what thing he fynt in his way  
When that he saw the men away  
He stealeth it & goth forth with all  
That thereof no man know shall  
And eke ●uf oft he goth a night  
Withouten moan or star light  
And with his craft the door unpykyth  
And taketh therein what him liketh  
And if the door be so shut  
That he be of his entry let  
He will at the window in crept  
And while the lord is fast a sleep  
He stealeth what thing him best list  
And goth his weigh or it be wist  
Full oft also by light of day  
Yet would he steel & make assay  
Under the cete his hand he put  
And with a knife his purse he cut  
And receiveth what he find therein  
And thus he auntreth him to win  
And beareth an horn & not bloweth  
For no man of his council knoweth  
That he may get of his mitching  
It is all bill under the wing  
And as an hound goth to fold  
And hath there taken what he would  
His mouth upon the grass he wipeth  
And so with feigned cheer him slyketh  
And what as ever of sheep he strangle  
There is no man thereof shall jangle  
As for to know who it deed  
Right so doth stealth in every stead  
Where as him list his prey take  
He can so well his cause make  
And so well feign/ & so well gloze  
That there ne shall no man suppose  
But that he were an Innocent  
And thus a man's eye he blended  
So that this craft he may use  
Without help of any refuse  
There been lovers of that degree  
With all her lust in privity  
As who say get all by stealth  
And there of atteynen to great wealth  
And for the time that it lasteth  
For love awaiteth ever & casteth  
How he may steel & catch his prey  
When he thereto may find a way  
For be it night or be it day  
He taketh his part when he may  
And if he may no more do  
Yet will he steel a kiss or two  
Tell if thou ever didst so  
In any wise thy lady unto  
My father how my sone thus  
If thou have stolen any kus  
Or other thing that thereto longeth  
For no man such thieves hongeth  
Tell on for thy & say the truth  
My father nay/ & that is ruth  
For by will I am a thief  
But she that is to me most lef●  
Yet durst I never in privity  
Mot once take by'r by the knee  
To steel of her or this or that  
And if I durst I wot well what  
And nevertheless but if I lie  
By stealth ne by robbery  
Of love which fell in my thought  
To her did I never nought  
But as men say where heart is failed  
There shall no castle be assailed  
But though I had hearts ten  
And were as strong as all men  
If I be not mine own man  
I dare not usen that I can  
I may myself not recover  
Though I be man never so poor  
I bear an heart/ and it is  
So that me faileth wit in this  
How that I should of mine accord  
The servant lead against the lord  
For if my foot would owhere go  
Or that my hands would else do●  
When that my heart is there again  
The remnant is all in vain  
And thus me lacketh all we'll  
And yet ne dare I not steel  
Of thing which longeth unto love  
And eke it is so hie above  
I may not well thereto areche  
But so be at time of speech  
Full seld if that I steel may  
A word or two & go my way  
Betwixt her/ his estate & me  
comparison there may none be  
So that I feel & well wot  
All is to heavy & to hot  
To set on hand without love  
And thus I moat algate leave  
To steel that I may not take  
And in this wise I moat forsake  
To ●en a thief again my will  
Of thing which I may not fulfil  
For that serpent which never slept  
The flees of gold so well ne kept  
In Colchos as the tale is told  
That my lady a thousand fold  
Is bet●er yemed and bewaked  
Where she be clothed or be naked  
To keep her body night and day  
She hath a wardey●●dy ay  
Which is so wonderful a wight  
That him no man's might  
With sword ne weepen may daunt  
Ne with no sleight of charm enchants  
Whereof he might be made tame  
And danger is his right name  
Which under lock & under key  
That no man may her steel away  
And all the treasure underfang  
That unto love may be long  
The lest looking of her eye  
That moat be stole if he it say  
And who so grudgeth for so light  
He would soon set a wite  
On him that would stelle more  
And that me grieveth wonder sore  
For this proverb is ever new  
That strange looks maken strew  
A● that wolden steel and pike  
For so well can no man sick  
By him nether by no other mean  
To whom danger would ●eue or lean  
Of that treasure he hath to keep  
So though I would stalk or creep  
And wait on eve & eke on morrow  
Of danger shall I no thing borrow  
And steel I wot well may I nought  
And thus I am right well bethought  
While danger standeth in his office  
Of stealth which he clepeth a vice  
I shall be guilty nevermo  
Therefore I would he were ago  
So fet that I never of him hert●  
How so afterward it fir  
For than I might afterward perca●  
Of love make some purchaas  
By stealth or by some other way  
That now stont fro me far away  
But father as ye told above  
Who stealeth goth a night for love  
I may not weal that point forsake  
That oft-times I ne wake  
On nights when that other sleep  
But how I pray you take keep  
When I am looked in such a wise  
That by night I may arise  
At some window looken out  
And see the howsing all about  
So that I may the chambre know  
In which my lady as I trow  
lieth in her bed & sleepeth soft  
Than is my heart a thief full oft  
For there I stand to behold  
The long nights that been cold  
And think on her that lieth here  
And than I wish that I were there  
As wis as was Nectanabus  
Or ●ls as was Protheus  
That couthen both of nygromance  
In what likeness in what semblance  
Right as hem list 'em self transform  
For if I were of such a form  
I say that I would flee  
In to her chambre for to see  
If any grace would fall  
So that I might under the pall  
Some thing of love pike or steel  
And thus I think thoughts feel  
And though thereof no thing be sooth  
Yet case as for a time it doth  
But at the last when I find  
That I am fall in to my mind  
And sce that I have stand long  
And have no profit underfang  
Than stalk I to my bed within  
And there to think I begin  
Of love when I shall by night  
My will is good/ but my might  
Me lacketh both & of my grace  
For what so that my thought embrace  
Yet have I not the better feared  
My father/ ●oo now have ye heard  
What I by stealth of ●oue have do  
And how my will hath be thereto  
If I be worthy to penance  
I put it unto your ordinance  
My sone for stealth I thee byhete  
Though it be for a time sweet  
At end it doth but little good  
As by ensample how that it stood  
Whilom I may the tell now  
I pray you father tell me how  
My sone of him which goeth by day  
By weigh of stealth to assay  
In loves cause & taketh his prey  
Ovid said as I shall say  
And in his methamor he told  
A tale which is good to hold   
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/ Phoebus eive pulchritudinem concupis hens in conclave domus clara luce sub ●ntrans virginis pudiciciam matre absent defloravit/ unde ipsa inpregnata ●ratus pater filiam suam ad sepeliendū●●ua effodit ex cuius tumulo florem sol sequium vocant/ dicunt consequenter primitus accrevisse  

tHe poet upon this matter  
Of si●lth wrote in this manner  
Venus which hath the law in hand  
Of thing which may not be withstands  
As she with the treasure toward  
Of love hath within her ward  
Phoebus to love hath so constrained  
That he without rest is pained  
With all his heart to covet  
A maid which was warded strait  
Within chambre & kept so close  
That selden was when she discloos  
Goth with her mother for to play  
Lenchoter so as men say  
This maiden height/ & Orc●anus  
Her father was. and befell thus  
This daughter that was kept so dear  
And had been bifore year to year  
Under her mother discipline  
A clean malden and a virgin  
Upon the whose nativity  
Of comelyhede & of beauty  
Nature hath set all that she may  
That lyche unto the fresh may  
With either months of the year  
Sourmounteth so without peer  
Was of this maiden the feiture  
Whereof phoebus out of measure  
her loveth on every side  
A waiteth if so may betide  
That he thorough any sleygthe might  
Her lusty maidenhead unright  
The which were all his worlds wealth  
And thus lurking upon his stealth  
In his await so long he lay  
Till it befell upon a day  
That he thorough out her chambre wall  
Came in all suddenly & stalle  
That thing that was to him so life  
But woe the while that he was a thief  
For Venus which was enemy  
Of thylk loves mycherye  
Discoverith all the plain caa●  
How it befell & how it was  
Toward phoebus his concubine  
And she to let the covin  
Of thylk love deadly ●brothe  
To plain upon this maid he goth  
And told her father how it stood  
Whereof for sorrow well nigh wood  
Unto her mother thus he said  
Loo what is to keep a maid  
To Phoebus dare I no thing speak  
But upon this I shall be wreak  
So that these maidens after this  
Mowe take ensample what it is  
To suffer her maidenhead to be stole  
Where that she the death may thole  
And bad with that/ go make a pit  
Wherein he hath his daughter set  
As he that would no pity have  
So that she was all quick be grave  
And deed anon in his presence  
But Phoebus for the reverence  
Of that she had been his love  
Hath wrought thorough his power above  
That she sprung up out the mould  
In to a flower was named gold  
Which stonte governeth of the son  
And thus when love is evil won  
Full oft it cometh to repentayle  
My father that is no marvel  
When that the council is be wreyed  
And offtime love hath played  
And stole many a prive game  
Which never yet came to blame  
What that he thinketh weren hid  
But in your tale as betid  
Venus disturbed all the caas  
And eke also broad day it was  
When Phoebus such a filth wrought  
Whereof the maid in blame brought  
That afterward she was so fore  
But for ye saiden now to fore  
How stealth of love goth by night  
And doth his things out of sight  
Thereof me lust also to here  
A tale lyche to the matter  
Whereof I might ensample take  
My good son & for thy sake  
So as it befell by days old  
And so as the poet it told  
Upon the nights mycherye  
Now hearken a tale of Poesy   
Hic ponit ●yemplum super eodem quod de not contingit▪ Et narrat qualiter Hercules cum Eola in quadam spelunca nobili Thophis dicta sub monte thimolo ibi silva bachis 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 silva descendeus speluncam subintravit temptans si forte cum Eola sue concupiscency voluptatem. nesciente Hercules furari posset/ Et cum ad lectum Herculis muliebri palpata vest ex casu pervenisset putans Eolam fuisse cubiculum nudo corpore ingreditur quem senciens Hercules manibus apprehensum ipsum ad terram ita fortiter al lisit ut inpotens sui corporis effectus usaȝ mane ipsum requievit/ ubi Saba cum Nymphis siluestribus superue niens ipsum sic illusum deridebat  

tHe mightiest of all men  
When hercules with Eolen  
Which was the love of his courage/  
together upon a pilgrimage  
Toward Rome sholden go  
It fell hem by the way so  
That they upon a day the cave  
Within a roche founden have  
Which was rial & glorious  
And of entail curious  
By name & Thopis it was hot  
The son shone though wonder hot  
As it was in summer tide  
This Hercules which by his side  
Hath Eolen his love there  
When they at thylk cave were  
He said it thought it for the best  
That she three for her rest  
All thylk day and thilk night  
And she that was a lusty wight  
In every thing to him obeyed  
●it liketh her all that he said  
The long day/ & so befall  
This cave was under the hill  
Of thymolus which was ●●growe  
With wets/ & at thylk throw  
Fanus with Saba the goddess  
And other Nimphus of her kindness  
In thilk time stood governed  
Were in a place as I am learned  
nigh by which bachus wood height  
This fanus took a great insight  
Of colen that was nigh  
For when th●t he her beauty sigh  
●ute of his wit he was assoted  
And in his heart he hath so noted  
That he forsook the Nymphs all  
And said he would how so it fall  
Assay another for to win  
So that his heart thought withynne  
He set & cast how that he might  
Of love pike aw●y by night  
That be by day in other wise  
To steel might not suffice  
And thereupon his time he waiteth  
Now take good b●de how love affa●teth  
Him which is with love all overoome  
Fair Eolen when she was come  
With Hercules in to the cave  
S●● said that so● would have  
His 〈◊〉 of & fire both  
And ech● of 'em shield other cloth  
And all was do right as she bade  
He hath her in his clothes called  
And cast on her his gypyon  
Which of the skin of a lion  
Was made & he upon the weigh  
It slough & ever thus to play  
She took his great mace also  
And knitted at her girdle the  
So was she lyche to man awyd  
And Hercules hath than assayed  
To clothen him in her array  
And thus they jape forth the day  
Till that her souper ready we●●  
And when they hadden souped there  
They shopen hem to go to rest  
And as it thought 'em for the best  
They bade as for thilk night  
Two sundry beds should be dight  
For they ●e geder lig nold  
By cause that they offer would  
Upon the morrow her sacrifice  
The servant & din her office  
And sondey beds made anon●  
Where in that they to rest gone  
Each by 'em self in sundry place  
Fair Eolen hath set the mace  
Besides her beds bede above  
And with the clothes of her love  
She hylled all her bed about  
And he which had of no thing doubts  
Her wympel wonde about his cheek  
Her kyrtel & her mantel eke  
Abroad upon his bed spread  
And thus they slepen both a bed  
And what of travail & what of win  
The servant like to a drunken swyn  
began for to rout fast  
This Fanus which his stealth cast  
Was than comen to the cave  
And fond they were all save  
Without noise & in he went  
The derk night his sight blended  
And yet it happened him to god  
Where Eolen a bed though  
Was laid alone for to sleep  
But for he would take keep  
Whoos bed it was he made assays  
And of a lion where he lay  
The cote he found & eke he feeleth  
The mace/ & than his heart ke●eth  
That there durst he not abide  
But stalketh upon every side  
And sought about with his honda  
That other bed till he fond  
Where lay wimpled a visage  
though was he glad in his courage  
For he her kirtle fond also  
And eke her mantel both two  
Bespread ●pon a ●ed a●oft  
He made him naked than soft  
In the bed unware he crept  
Where Hercules that time slept  
And wend well it were she  
And thus in stead of Eole  
Anon be proffereth him love  
And he which felt a man above  
This Hercules him threw to ground  
So sore that they have him fond  
Lyggend thereupon the morrow  
And though was not a little sorrow  
That fanus of himself made  
●nt else they were all glade  
And loghen him to scorn about  
Saba with Nymphs all the rout  
●am down to look how that he fir  
And when that they the sooth heard  
He was beiaped overall  
My sone be thou ware with all  
To use such mycheryes  
But if thou have the better aspy●●  
In aunture if the so betide  
As fanus did thilk tide  
Whereof thou might be shamed so  
My holy father certes no  
But if I had right good leave  
Such mycherye I think leave  
Mine faint heart will not serve  
For maugre will I not deserve  
In thilk place where I love  
But for ye tolden here above  
Of covetise & his pillage  
If there be more of that lineage  
Which toucheth to my shuft I pray  
That thereof ye me would assay  
So that I may the vice eschew  
My sone thou hast herd me show  
The vices how they stont on row  
Of Cou●●yse thou shalt know  
There is yet one which is the last  
That is sacrilege be thou fast  
For he with god himself debateth  
Whereof that a●●e the henen him hates   
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 ultima Cupidita●is specie que sacrilegium dicitur/ cuius fructum ea quam altissimo sanctificantur bona depredans ●●●lesie tantum spolijs insidiatu●  

tHe high god with all good  
purveyeth hath for man's food  
Of clothes of meet & drink  
Bade Adam that he should swink  
To getten him his sustenance  
And eke be set in ordinance  
Upon law of Moses  
That though a man be haveless  
He shall not by theft steel  
But now a days there be feel  
That will no labour undertake  
But what they may by stealth take  
They hold it sykerlyche won  
And thus the law is overcome  
Which god hath set/ & namely  
With 'em that so vntrewe●y  
The gods rob of holy church  
The theft which they than wyrch●  
By name is cleped sacrilege  
Ayene whom I think allege  
Of his condition to tell  
Which rifeleth both book & bell  
So forth with all the remnant  
To gods house appertynaunt  
Where that he should ●ydd● his bede  
He doth his theft in holy stead  
And taketh what he fynt therein  
For when he seeth that he may win  
He wendeth for no cursidnesse  
That he ne briketh the holiness  
And doth to god no reverence  
For he hath lose his conscience  
That though the priest therefore to corpse  
He saith he fareth not the worse  
And for to speak it otherwise  
That man that lasseth the franchise  
And taketh of holy church his prey  
I note what beads he shall pray  
When he from god the which hath give all  
The propirte in special  
Which unto Crist himself is due  
Bynemeth/ he may not well eschew  
The pain coming afterward  
For he hath made his forward  
With sacryl●ge for to dwell  
Which hath his heritage in hell  
And if we read of the old law  
I find write in thilk daw  
Of princes there were three  
Comparable all in this degree  
And one of 'em was cleped thus  
The proud king Antyochus  
That other Nabuzardon height  
Which enforced with all his might  
The temple for to destroy & waste  
And so ●e died in all hast  
The third which was after shamed  
Was Nabogo donoser named  
And he jerusalem put under  
Of sacrilege & many a wonder  
There in the holy Temple he wrought  
Wiche Balthasar his heir about  
When mane techel Phares wryt  
Was on the wall as thou might wit  
●o as the bible hath declared  
But for all that ●t is not spared  
Yet now a day that men it pill  
And maken argument & skill  
To sacrylege as it belongeth  
For what man that thereafter longeth  
He taketh no heed what he doth  
And right so for to tell sooth  
An loves cause if I shall treat  
There been of such small & great  
If they no leisure find else  
They will not letten for the belles  
Ne though they see the priest at mass  
That will they leten overpass  
If that they fond her love there  
They stand & tell in her ere  
And ask of god none other grace  
While that they been in holy place  
But or they go some ananntage  
There will they have & some pillage  
Of goodly words & of behest  
Or else they take at the lest  
Out of her hand a ring or glove  
So nyhe the weather they will shove  
And as she said she shall not forget  
Now I this token of her can get  
Thus hallow they the high feste  
Such theft may no church areste  
For all is leeful that hem liketh  
To whom that else it myslyketh  
And eke right in the self kind  
In great cities men may find  
This lusty folk that make 'em gay  
And wait upon the holy day  
In churches & in mynstres eke  
They gone the women for to seek  
And where that such one gooth about  
To sore the fairest of all the rout  
Where as they sitten all a rue  
There will he his body most show  
His crooked keyned & thereon set  
An ouche with a chapelet  
Which late come out of the griefs  
Or else one of the green leaves  
And all for he should seem fresh  
And thus he looketh on the flesh  
Right as an hawk which hath a sight  
Upon the fowl where he shall light  
And as he were a fairy  
He showeth him to fore her ●ye  
〈◊〉 holy place where they sit  
Al for to make her hearts flit  
His eye nowhere will abide  
But look & pry on every side  
On here & her as him best liketh  
And otherwhile among he seeketh  
thinketh of 'em that was for me  
And so there thinken two or three  
And yet he loveth none at all  
But where as ever his chance fall  
And nevertheless to say sooth  
The cause why he so doth  
Is for to steel an heart or two  
Ouce of the church or that he go  
And as I said it here above  
It is a sacrilege of love  
For well may be that he stealeth away  
That he never after yield may  
Tell me for thy my sone anon  
Hast thou do sacrilege or none  
As I have said in this manner  
My father as of this matter  
I will you tell readily  
What I have do but truly  
I may excuse mine intent  
That I never to church went  
In such manner as ye me shrive  
For no man that is on live  
The cause why I have it last  
May be/ for I unto that craft  
Am no thing able for to steel  
Though there were never so feel  
But yet will I not say this  
When I am there my lady is  
In whom lieth holy my quarelle  
And she to church or to Chappelle  
Go to matins or to mass  
That time I wait well & pass  
To church I come & there I stand  
And though I take a look in honda  
My contenannce is on the look  
But toward her is all my look  
And if so fall that I pray  
Unto my god & somewhat say  
Of pater noster & of Crede  
All is for that I would speed  
So that my bede in holy church  
There might some miracle wirche  
My lady berte for to change  
Which ever to me hath be strange  
So that all my devotion  
And all mine contemplation  
With all my heart & my courage  
Is only set on her image  
And ever I wait upon the tide  
If she look any thing a side  
That I me may on her advice  
Anon I am with covetise  
So smyth that me were leef  
To be in holy church a thief  
But not to steel a vestiment  
For that is no thing my talon  
But I would steel if that I might  
A glad word or a goodly sight  
And ever my service I profere  
And namely when she goth offer  
For her I lead then if that I may  
For somewhat would I steel away  
When I beclyppe her on the waist  
Yet at the last I steel a taste  
And other while grant mercy  
She seith▪ & so win I thereby  
A lusty touch a good word eke  
But all the remenannt to seek  
Is fro my purposes wonder far  
So may I say as I said err  
In holy church if that I woo  
My conscience yet would I allow  
Be so that upon amendment  
I might get assignment  
Wherefore I speed in other place  
Such sacrilege I hold a grace  
And thus my father sooth to say  
In church right as in the weigh  
If I might aught of love take  
Such handsel have I not forsake  
But finally I me confess  
There is in me no holiness  
While I her see in any stead  
And yet for ought that ever I deed  
No sacrilege of her I took  
But as it were a word or look  
Or else if that I herd frede  
When I toward offering her lead  
Take thereof what I take may  
For else ●ere I nought away  
For though I would aught ●ls have  
At other things been so save  
And kept with such a privilege  
That I may do no sacrilege  
God wot my will nevertheless  
Though I must needs keep peace  
And in all gree soon mine let it pass  
My will thereto is not the lass  
For I might otherwise away  
For thy my father I you prey  
Tell what thou thinkest thereupon  
If I thereof have guilt or none  
Thy will my son is for to blame  
The remnant is but a game  
That I have the told as yet  
But take this lere in to thy wit  
That all thing hath time & stead  
The which serveth for the bede  
●●e Chambre is of another speech  
But if thou wystest of the wretch  
How sacrylege it hath about  
T●ow shouldest use it right nought  
And for thou shalt the more amend  
A tale on the I will dispend   
Hic in amoris causa super istius vi 〈◊〉 articulo ponit exemplum Et narrat pro ●o quod paris pr●ami Regis filius ●●●●nam menelai uxorem in quadam g●●at Insula a templo veneris sacrile ●●s abduxit/ illa troy famosissima ●●sidie per universum orbis climita di nulgata praecipue causabat/ ita qd huiusmodi sacrilegium non solum ad ipsius Regis patriam omnium az svorum interitum/ Sed ad perpetuam urbis de solacionem vindicem fomitem ministrabat  

tO all men as who saith know  
It is & in the world thorough blow  
How that of Troy lamedon  
To Hercules and to jasen  
When toward Colchos out of gr●●●  
By see seyling upon a piece  
Of land of Troy rest prayed  
But he wrongfully conveyed  
And for they found him so villain  
When they came in to grece again  
With power that they get might  
Towards Troy they have hem dight  
And they took such vengeance  
Whereof stant yet in remembrance  
For they destroyed king & all  
And leften but the brent wall  
The greeks of Troy's many slow  
And prisoners they took enough  
Among the which there was one  
The kings daughter lamedone  
Esyona the fair thing  
Which unto the lamon the king  
By Hercules and by the assent  
Of all the hole parliament  
Was at his will give & granted  
And thus hath great Troy dannted  
And him to torn in such manner  
But after this now shalt thou here  
The cause why the tale I tell  
Upon the chances that bifelle  
King lamedon which died thus  
He had a son one priamus  
Which was not thilk time at home  
But when he herd of this he come  
And fond how the city was fall  
Which he began upon the wall  
And made there a city new  
That they which other lands knew  
Thomas se●den that of lime & stone  
In all the world so fair was none  
And on that one side of the town  
The king let make ylyowne  
That high tour that strong place  
Which was adread of no menace  
Of quarrel none nor of engine  
And though men would make a mine  
No man's craft it might approach  
For it was set upon a roche  
The walls of the Town about  
Hempskirk stood of all the world no doubt  
And after the proportion  
six gates were there of the town  
Of such inform/ of such entail  
That hem to see was great meruayl●  
The dyches were broad & deep  
And few men it might keep  
From all the world as seemeth tho  
But if the god's weren foo  
great press unto that city drowe  
So that there was of people enough  
Of burgeys that therein dwellen  
There may no man's tongue tell  
How that city was rich of good  
When all was made & all well stood  
King Pry●mus though him bethought  
What they of grece whilom wrought  
And what was of her sword devoured  
And how his sister dishovoured  
With telamon away was lad  
And he thinking he wax unglad  
And set anon a parliament  
To which the lords were assent  
In many a wise there was spoke  
How that they mighten been awroke  
But at the last nevertheless  
They said all accord and peace  
To setten either party in rest  
It thought 'em all for the best  
With reasonable amendment  
And thus was Antenor forth sent  
To ask Esyona again  
And wite what they would say  
So passeth he the see by barge  
To grece for to say his charge  
The which he said readily  
Unto the lords by and by  
But where he spoke in grece about  
He herd not but words stout  
And namelyche of Thelamon  
The maiden would he not for gone  
He said for no manner thing  
And bade him gone home to his king  
For there gate he none amend  
For aught he couth do or send  
This Antenor again goth home  
Unto his king/ & when he come  
He told in grece what that he herd  
And how that telamon answered  
And how they were at her above  
That they will neither peace ne love  
But every man shall done his best  
But for men sayn that night hath rest  
The king bythought him all the night  
And early when the day was light  
He took his council of this matter  
And they accord in this manner  
That he withouten any let  
A certain time should set  
A parliament to been advised  
And in this wise it was anysed  
Of parliament he set a day  
And that was in the month of may  
This priamus had in his sight  
A wife & Hecuba she height  
By whom that time she & he  
Sons five had & daughters three  
Beside two and thirty more  
And weren knights all tho  
But not upon his wit bygete  
But else where he might 'em get:  
Of which he had know  
Such was the world that ilk throw  
And so he was of children rich  
And thereof was no man him lyche  
Of parliament the day was come  
There been the lords all & some  
though was pronounced & purposed  
And all the cause hem was disclosed  
How Antenor in grece feared  
They sitten ay still and herd  
And though spoke every man about  
There was alleged many a doubt  
And many a proud word spoke also  
But for the most party as though  
They wisten not what was the best  
Or for to were or for to rest  
But he that was without fere  
Hector among the lords there  
His tale told in such a wise  
And said lords ye been wise  
Ye known this as well as I  
Above all other most worthy  
Stant now in great manhood  
Of worthiness and of knighthood  
For who so will it well agrope  
To hem belongeth all Europe  
Which is the third part even  
Of all the world under the heaven  
And we be but folk a few  
So were it reason to eschew  
The peril or we fall therein  
Better is to leave than to bygyn  
Thing which may not be achieved  
He is not wise that find him grieved  
And doth so that his grieve be more  
For who that looketh all tofore  
And will not see what is behind  
He may full oft his harms find  
Wyck is to strif & have the worse  
We have encheason for to corpse  
This wot I well/ & for to hate  
The greeks/ but or we debate  
With 'em that been of such a might  
It is full good that every wight  
Be of himself right well bythought  
But as for me thus say I nought  
For while that my life may stand  
If that ye taken were in hand  
Fall it to the best or to the wert  
I shall my seluen be the ferst  
To grieve 'em what ever I may  
I still not once say nay  
To thing which that your council deemeth  
For unto me more well it quemeth  
The were certes than the peace  
But this I say nevertheless  
As me belongeth for to say  
Now shape ye the best way  
When Hector had said his devise  
Next after him though spoke paryse  
Which was his brother and allied  
When him best thought thus he said  
Strong thing it is to suffer wrong  
And suffer shame is more strong  
But we have suffered both the two  
And for all that yet have we do  
What so we might to reform  
This wrong & shame in better form  
Sent Antenor as ye well know  
And they her great words blow  
Upon her wrongful deeds eke  
And who that will not himself meek  
To peace & list no reason take  
Men sayne Reason will him forsake  
For in the multitude of men  
Is not the strength/ for with ten  
It hath be seen in true quarrel  
Ayene an hundred haluendele  
And hath the better by god's grace  
Thus hath befall in many place  
And if it like unto you all  
I will assay how so it bifalle  
Our enemy if I may grieve  
For I have caught a great believe  
Upon a pleyne point I will declare  
This yonder day as I 'gan far  
To hunt unto the great heart  
Which was to fore my hounds start  
And every man went on his side  
Him to pursue and I to ride  
Bigan to chase/ & sooth to say  
Within a while out of my way  
I road/ & nyst where I was  
And slope me caught & on the grass  
Beside a well I layed me down  
To sleep and in a vysyoun  
To me the god Mercury came  
Goddesses three with him he name  
minerve Venus and juno  
And in his hand an Appel though  
He held of gold with letters write  
And thus he did me to wite  
How that they put 'em upon me  
That to the fairest of 'em three  
Of gold that Appel should I give  
With each of 'em I was shrive  
And eachone fair me behyght  
But Venus said if that she might  
That Appel of my gift get  
She would it nevermore forget  
And said how that in grece land  
She would bring in to my hand  
Of all this earth the fairest  
So that me thought it for the best  
To her and gave that apple though  
Thus hope I well if that I go  
But she for me will so ordain  
That they matter for to plain  
Shall have or that I come again  
Now have ye herd that I would say  
Say ye what stont in your advice  
And every man though said his  
And sundry causes they record  
But at the last they accord  
That paris shall to grece wend  
And thus the parliament took an end   

Cassandre when she herd of this  
The which to paris sister is  
Anon she 'gan to weep and wail  
And said alas what may us ail  
Fortune with her blind wheel  
Ne will not let us stand weal  
For this I dare well undertake  
That if paris his weigh take  
As it is said that he shall do  
We been ever than fordoo  
This maiden Cassandre height  
In all the world as it beareth sight  
In books as men find write  
Is that Sibyl of whom ye wite  
That all men yet clepe sage  
When that she wist of this viage  
How Paris should to grece far  
No woman might worse fare  
Ne sorrow more than she died  
And right so in the same stead  
Ferd Helenus which was her brother  
Of prophecy/ and such another  
And all was hold but a jape  
So that purpoos which was shape  
Or were 'em leef or were 'em loath  
Was hold/ and in to grece goth  
This paris with his retenaunce  
And as it fell upon his chance  
Of grece he londeth in an isle  
And him was told that same while  
Of folk which he began to freyne  
though wás in that isle queen Eleyne  
And eke of countries there about  
Of ladies many a lufty rout  
With much worthy people also  
And why they comen thedertho  
The cause stood in such a wise  
For worship and for sacrifice  
That they to Venus would make  
As they tofore had undertake  
Some of good will & some of behest  
For than was her hyhe feste  
Within a Temple which was there  
When paris wist what they were  
Anon he shope his ordinance  
To gone te done his obeisance  
To Venus on her holy day  
And did upon his best array  
With great richesse he him behongeth  
As it to such a lord longeth  
He was not armed nevertheless  
But as it were in land of peace  
And thus he goeth out of ship  
And taketh with him his felauship  
In such manner as I you say  
Unto the temple he hold his way  
Tiding which goeth overall  
To great & small forth with all  
Come to the queens ere & told  
How paris come & that he would  
Do sacrifice unto Venus  
And when she herd tell thus  
She thought how that ever it be  
That she will him abide and see  
Forth cometh paris with glad visage  
In to the temple on pilgrimage  
Where unto Venus the goddess  
He giveth & offereth great richesse  
And prayeth her that he pray would  
On that other side he 'gan behold  
And see where this lady stood  
And forth in his fresh mode  
Goth where she was & made her cheer  
As he well couth in his manner  
That of his worldsuch pleasance  
She took that all her acquaintance  
As farforth as the heart lay  
He stolen or that he went away  
So goth he forth & took his leave  
And thought anon as it was eve  
He would done his sacrilege  
That many a man shall abyge  
When he again to ship was come  
To him he hath his council nome  
And all devised the matter  
In such a wise as thou shalt here  
Within night all privily  
His men he warneth by and by  
That they be armed ready soon  
For certain thing which was to done  
And they anon be ready all  
And each on other 'gan call  
And went 'em out upon the strand  
And took her purposes there on land  
Of what thing they would do  
Towards the temple/ & forth there go  
So fell it that of devotion  
Helen in contemplaaon  
With many another worthy wight  
Was in the temple and work all night  
To bid & pray to the image  
Of venus as was than usage  
So that paris right as him list  
In to the temple or they wist  
Came with his men all suddenly  
And all at ones set a skrye  
On 'em which in the temple were  
Fr though was moche people there  
But of defence was no boat  
So suffer they that suffer more  
Paris unto the queen went  
And her in both his arms hent  
With him & with his felauship  
And forth they bear her in to ship  
Up goth the sail/ & forth they went  
And such a wind fortune hem sent  
Till they the haven of Troy caught  
Where out of ship/ anon they strauȝt  
And gone 'em forth toward the town  
The which came with procession  
Ayene Paris to seen his prey  
And every man began to say  
To paris and to his felauship  
All that they couthen of worship  
Was none so little man in Troy  
That he ne made mirth and joy  
Of that Paris had wonnen Eleyn  
But all that night is sorrow & pain  
To Helenus and to Cassandre  
For they it token shame & slander  
And loss of all the common grace  
That Paris out of holy place  
By stealth hath take a man's wife  
Whereof he shall lose his life  
And many a worthy man thereto  
And the city before do  
Which never shall be made again  
And so it fell right as they say  
The sacrilege which he wrought  
Was cause why the greeks sought  
Unto the town. & it belay  
And wolden never part away  
Till what by sleight & what by strength  
They had it wonnen in breed & length  
And brent and slain that was therein  
Now so my son such a sin  
Is sacrilege in holy stead  
Beware therefore/ & bid thy bede  
And do no thing in holy church  
But that thou might by reason wyrche  
And eke take heed of Achilles  
When he unto his love cheese  
Polixena that was also  
In holy temple of Apollo  
Which was the cause that he dyede  
And all his lust was laid aside  
And Troilus upon Creseyde  
Also his first love laid  
In holy place & how he feared  
As who saith all the world it heard  
Forsake he was for diomed  
such was of lust his last meed  
For thy my son I would read  
By this ensample as thou might read  
Seche else where thou wilt thy grace  
And ware the well in holy place  
What thou to love do or speak  
In aunter if it be so wreak  
As thou hast herd me tell tofore  
And take good heed also therefore  
Upon what form of Anaryce  
More than of any other vice  
I have divided in parties  
The branches which of companies  
Through out the world in general  
Like as ye now here shall  
Of covetise and perjury  
Of false brocage and of usury  
Of scarceness and unkindship  
Which never drough to fellowship  
Of Robbery and of prive stealth  
Which done is for the worlds wealth  
Of Ravyn and of sacrilege  
Which take the conscience of a grege  
Al though it may richesse attain  
It flowereth/ but it shall not greyne  
Unto the sweet of rightwiseness  
But who that would do largesse  
Upon the rule as it is give  
So might a man with thought leave  
Toward his god/ & eke also  
Toward the world/ for by the two  
Largesse a waiteth as belongeth  
To neither part that he wrongeth  
He keepeth himself & keepeth his friends  
So stonte he safe to both his ends  
In such wise that he be sure  
That he exceedeth no measure  
Whereof my son thou shalt wite  
So as philosopher hath write   
Prodegus et parcus duo sunt extrema quam largus/ Est horam medins pl●●●s in ore bonus  
Nota hic de virtute largitatis que ad oppositum avoricie inter duo extrema videlicet percimoniam et prodegalitem specialiter consistit/  

●E 〈…〉 ix the two extremytres  
Of vice stont the propyrtees  
Of v●rtu and to prove it so  
Take avarice and take also  
The vice of prodegalyte  
Betwixt hem liberality  
Which is the virtue of largesse  
Stant & governeth his noblesse  
For though two vices in discord  
Stant ever as I find of record  
So that between debate  
Largesse ruleth his estate  
For in such wise as Avarice  
As I tofore have told the vice  
thorough strait holding & scarceness  
Stant in contrary to largesse  
Right so prodegalyte  
Revers but not in such degree  
For so as Avarice spareth  
And for to keep his treasure careth  
That other all his own & more  
Ayene the wysemans' lore  
Yeveth and dispendeth here and there  
So that him retcheth never where  
While he may borugh he will dispend  
Till at the last he seith I wend  
But that is spoken all to late  
For than is poverty at the gate  
And taketh him even by the sleeve  
For ●rst will he no wisdom leave  
And right as avarice is sin  
That would his treasure keep & win  
Right so yonre prodegalyte  
But of largesse in his degree  
Which even stant between the two  
The high god & the man also  
The virtue each of hem commendeth  
For he him seluen first amendeth  
That over all his name spreadeth  
And to all other where it needeth  
He gave his good in such a wise  
That he maketh many a man rise  
Which else should fall low  
Largesse may not be unknown  
For what land he reigneth in  
It may not ●ayle for to win  
Of his desert love and grace  
Where it shall fail in other place  
And thus between to moche & light  
Largesse which is not to wite  
Holdeth ever forth the middle way  
But who that will torn a way  
from that to prodegalyte  
Anon he leaveth the property  
Of vertu/ & goth to the vice  
For in such wise as Avarice  
Left for scarceness his good name  
R●g●t so that other is to blame  
Which ●●●rgh his waste measure exceedeth  
For no man wot what harm it bedeth  
But much joy there leaveth  
Where that largeness an heart guideth  
For ●●o m●sur● is so governed  
●●●t he to be the party's is learned  
To god and to the world also  
He doth Reason to both the two  
The power folk of his alms  
relieved been in distress  
Of thirst/ of hunger & of cold  
The yeft of him was never sold  
But freely give and nevertheless  
The mighty god of his encrces  
Reward him of double grace  
The ●●uen ●e doth him to purchase  
And giveth him eke the worldis good  
And thus the cete for the hood  
●orgesse taketh/ & yet no sin  
●●●●th bow so that ever he win  
What man hath horse men give horse  
And who none hath/ of him no for●  
For he may than on foot go  
T●e world hath ever stand so  
But for to looken of the fifty  
A man to go the siker weigh  
Better is to give than to take  
With yeft a man may friends make  
But who that taketh other great or small  
He taketh a charge forth with all  
And stant not fire till it be quite  
So for to dame in man's wit  
It helpeth more a man to have  
His own good for to crave  
Of other men/ and make him bond  
Where else he may stand unbonde   
Seneca/ Simo res tue tibi non sufficiunt fac ut rebus tuis sufficias  

Seneca counseled in this wise  
And saith but if thy good suffice  
Unto the liking of thy will  
Withdraw thy lust and hold the still  
And be to thy good suffisant  
For that thing is appertynaunt  
To truth & causeth to be free  
After the rule of charity  
Which first beginneth of himself  
For thou richest other twelve  
Whereof thou shalt thyself be poor  
I not what thonk thou might recover  
While that a man hath good to ye●e  
With great rents he may leave  
And hath his friends oneral  
And everich of 'em tell shall  
The which he hath his full pak  
They say a good fellow is jack  
And when it foileth at the last  
Anon his price they overcast  
For than is there none other law  
But Jack was a good fellow  
When they him pour and needy se●  
They let him pass & far well he  
All that he wend of company  
Is than turned to folly  
But now to speak in other kind  
Of love a man may such find  
That where they come in every row●●  
They cast and waste her love about  
Till all her time is overgone  
And than have they love none  
For who that loveth overall  
It is no reason that he shall  
Of love have any propyr●e  
For thy my son advise the  
If thou of love hast been to large  
For such a man is not to charge  
And if so be that thou hast  
dispended all thy time in waist  
And set thy love in sundry place  
Though thou the substance of thy grace  
Less at the last it is no wonder  
For he that put him seluen under  
As who saith common over all  
He loseth the love special  
Of any one if she be wise  
For love shall not bear the prise  
By reason when it passeth one  
So have I seen many one  
That were of love well at ease  
Which after fell in great disease  
thorough waste of love that they spent  
In sundry places where they went  
Right so my son I ask of the  
If thou with prodegalyte  
Hast here or there thy love wasted  
My father nay/ but I have tasted  
In many a place where I have go  
And yet love I never one of though  
But for to drive forth the day  
For leaveth well my heart is ay  
Withouten more for evermore  
All upon one for I no more  
Desire but her love alone  
So make I many a prive moan  
For well I feel I have dispended  
My long love & not amended  
My speed for aught I find yet  
If this be waste to your wit  
Of love and prodegalyte  
Now good father deemeth ye  
But of one thing I will me shr●●●  
That I shall for no love thrive  
But if herself will me relieve  
My sone that may well I leave  
And nevertheless me seemeth so  
For aught that thou baste yet misdo  
Of time which thou hast misspended  
It may with grace be amended  
For thing which may be worth the co●●  
Per chance is newther waste ne lo●●  
●●● what thing stont in adventure  
That can no worlds creature  
Tell in certain how it shall end  
Till he there of may see an end  
So that I note as yet therefore  
If thou my son hast won or lore  
For offtime as it is seen  
When summer hath lost all his green  
And is with winter waste & bare  
That him is left no thing to spare  
All is recovered in a throw  
The cold winter is over blow  
And still been the sharp showers  
And suddenly against his flowers  
The summer happeneth & is rich  
And so percase thy grace lyche  
My sone though thou be now poor  
Of love yet thou might recover  
My father certes grant mercy  
Ye have me taught so readily  
That ever while I live shall  
The better I may beware with all  
Of thing which ye have said or this  
But evermore how that it is  
Toward my shrift as it belongeth  
To wite of other points me longeth  
Whereof that ye me wolden teach  
With all my heart I you beseech    
Explicit liber quintus Sequitur liber Sextus   

Incipit ●iter Sextus  
● St gula quam nostr●m maculavit pama p●●●tum/ Ex veti to pomo/ quo do let omnis home/ Hec agit ut 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 human concupis ●nae oblectamentum habundancius argumentatur  
tHe great sin orygenal/ Which every man in governal/ Upon his birth hath enemyed/ In paradies it was mystymed  

When Adam of thylk Appel boat  
His sweet morcelle was so hot  
Which deadly made the kind  
In the books as I find  
This vice which so out of rule  
Hath set us all is cleped gule  
Of the which the branches been so great  
That of 'em all I will not irete  
But only as touching to two  
I think to speak of no more  
Whereof the first is dronkeship  
Which beareth the cup felauship  
Full many a wonder doth that vice  
He can of a wiseman make a nice  
And of a fool that him shall seem  
That he can all the law dame  
And give every judgement  
Which longeth to the firmament  
Both of the sterre● & of the moan  
And▪ thuss maketh a great clerk soon  
Of him that is a lewd man  
There is no thing that he ne can  
While he hath dronkeship on hand  
He knoweth the see/ he knoweth the land  
He is a noble man of arms  
And yet no strength is in his arms  
There he was strong enough to fore  
With dronkeship it is forlese  
And all is changed his estate  
And waxeth anon so feeble and ma●e  
That he may neither go ne come  
But all together he is benumb  
The power both of hand & foot  
So that algate abide he moat  
And all his wits be foryete  
The which is to him such a let  
That he note never what he doth  
Ne which is falls/ ne which is sooth  
Ne which is day ne which is night  
And for the time he knoweth no wight  
That he ne wot so moche as this  
What manner thing him seluen is  
Or he be man or he be best  
That hold I right a sorry fest  
When he that Reason understood  
So sodenlyche he is wax wood  
Or else lyche the deed man  
Which neither go ne speak can  
Thus oft he is to bed brought  
And where he lieth he reteheth nought  
Till he arise upon the mow we  
And than he seith/ O which a sorrow  
It is a man to be drynkeles  
So that half drunk in such a rees  
With dry mouth he start him up  
He saith baylegh sa the cup  
That made him lose his wit again  
Is than a morrow all be lie  
The cup is all that ever him pleaseth  
And also that most him dyseseth  
It is the cup whom he serveth  
Which all care from him herueth  
And all balies to him bringeth  
In joy weepeth/ in sorrow he singeth  
It may no while stont in vers  
For drunkship is so divers  
He drinketh the win/ but at the last  
The win drinketh him & bynt him  
Fast/ And leyth him drunk by the wall  
As him which is his bond thralls  
And all in his subjection  
And lyche to such condition  
As for to speak it otherwise  
It falleth that the most wise  
B●n other while of love adoted  
And so bywhapped and assoted  
O● drunken men/ & never yet  
Was none which half so lost his wit  
Of drink as they of such things do  
Which cleped the ●olyf woe  
And wexen of her own thought  
So dr●nk that they ne knew nought  
What reason is more or less  
Such is the kind of that sickness  
And that is not for lack of brain  
But love is so great a main  
That where he taketh a heart on hand  
There may no thing his might withstood  
With which Solomon was nome  
And strong Samson overcome  
The knightly david him ne might  
Rescue that he with the sight  
Of Bersabe ne was bestead  
●yrgyly also was overlad  
And Aristotiles was put under  
For thy my son it is no wonder  
If thou he drunk of love among  
Which is above all other strong  
And if so is that thou so be  
Tell me thy shrift in prynyte  
It is no shame of such a thewe  
A young man to be dronkelewe  
Of such Phisyk as I can a part  
And as me seemeth in that art  
Thou shouldest by phisonomye  
Be shapen to that melody  
Of lovedronke/ and that is ruth  
A holy father that is truth  
That ye me tell I am beknow  
That I with love am so bythrowe  
And all my heart is so thorough sonkr  
That I am verylyche drunk  
And yet I may both speak & go  
But I overcome so  
And turned fro myself so clean  
That oft I wot not what I mean  
So that excusen I ne may  
My heart fro the first day  
That I am to my lady hythe  
I was never yet sober sith  
Where I her see or see her not  
With musing of my thought  
Of love which my heart assaileth  
So drunk that my heart faileth  
And all my brain is overturned  
And my manner so my●torned  
That I foryete all that I can  
And stand like a mased man  
That oft when I would play  
It maketh me draw out of the way  
In sullen place by myself  
As doth a labourer to delve  
Which can no gentylmans' cheer  
Or else as a lewd frere  
When he is put to his penance  
Right so lose I my countenance  
And if it needs so vetyde  
That I in company abide  
Where as I must dance & sing  
The hove dance and carolynge  
Or for to go the new foot  
I may not well have up my foot  
If that she be not in the way  
For than is all mirth away  
And weigh anon of thought so full  
Whereof my limbs been so dull  
I may unneaths go a pas  
For thns it is/ & ever hit was  
When I on such thoughts muse  
The lust and mirth that men use  
When I see not my lady byme  
Al is foryete for the time  
So farforth that my wits changen  
And all lusts fro me straungen  
That they say all truly  
And swore that I am not I  
For as the man which oft drinketh  
The win that in his stomach sinketh  
Waxeth drunk & witless for a throw  
Right so my lust is overthrow  
And of mine own thought so mate  
I wax/ that to mine estate  
There is no lime will me ser●e  
But as a drunk man I swerver  
And suffer such a passion  
That men have great compassion  
And every by himself marveleth  
What thing it is what one aileth  
Such is the manner of my woe  
Which time that I am hurt so  
T●l eft again that I her see  
But than it were a nycete  
To tell you how that I far  
For when I may upon her stare  
Her woman he de her gentleness  
My heart is full of such gladness  
That overpasseth so my wit  
That I wot nowhere where it sit  
But am so drunken of that sight  
Me thinketh that for the time I might  
Right strait thorough the hole wall  
And than I may well if I shall  
Both sing and dance & leap about  
And hold forth the lusty rout  
But nevertheless it falleth so  
Full oft that I fro her god's  
Ne may but as it were a stake  
I stand advisement to take  
And look upon her fair face  
That for the while out of the place  
For all the world ne might I wen●e  
Such lust cometh than to my mind  
So that without meet & drink  
Of lusts thoughts which I think  
Me thinketh I might stand ever  
And so it were to me liefer  
Than such a sight for to leave  
For well is me that I have leave  
To have so much of my will  
And thus thinking I stand still  
Without blemishing of mine eye  
Right as me thought that I sye  
Of paradies the most joy  
And so there while I me reioy●  
In to my heart a great desire  
The which is hotter than the fire  
All suddenlike upon me runneth  
That all my thought within brenneth  
And am so farforth overcome  
That I note where I am become  
So that among the hearts strong  
In stead of drink I underfong  
A thought so sweet in my courage  
That never pyement ne vernage  
Was half so sweet for to daynke  
For as I would than I think  
As though I were at mine above  
For so thorough drunk I am of love  
That all that my soty deemeth  
Is sooth as than it to me seemeth  
And while I may the thoughtrs keep  
Me thinketh as though I were a sleep  
And that I were in god's barm  
But when I see mine own harm  
And that I suddenlike awake  
Out of my thought & heed take  
How that the sooth stant in deed  
Than is my sikerness in dread  
And joy turneth in to woe  
So that the heat is all ago  
Of such soty as I was in  
And than Inward I begin  
To take of love a new thirst  
Which me grieveth all there worst  
For than cometh the blanch Fever  
With chele and make me to chever  
And so it coldeth at my heart  
That wonder is how I asterte  
In such a point that I ne die  
For certes there was never key  
Ne frozen is upon the wall  
More Inly cold than I am all  
And thus I suffer the hot chele  
Which passeth other points feel  
In Cold I brenne and feeze in heat  
And than I drink a bitter sweet  
With dry lip & eyen wet  
Loo thus I tempre my diet  
And take a draft of such releases  
That all my wit is herteles  
And all my heart therein sit  
Is as who saith without wit  
So that I prove it by reason  
In making of comparison  
There may no difference be  
Bytwyx a drunk man & me  
But all the wert of everichone  
Is ever that I thirst in one  
The more that my heart drinketh  
The more I may so me thinketh  
My thirst shall never be acqueynte  
God shield that I be not dreynte  
Of such a superfluity  
For weal I feel in my degree  
That all my wit is overcast  
Whereof I am the more aghast  
That in defante of ladyship  
Per chance in such a dronkeship  
I may be cede or I beware  
For certes father this I dare  
Beknowe & in my thirst tell  
But I a draft have of a well  
In which my death is and my life  
My joy is turned in to staff  
That sober shall I never worth  
But as a drunken man for worth  
So that in land where I far  
The lust is lore of my welfare  
As he that may no boat find  
But this me thinketh a wonder kind  
As I am drunk of that I drink  
Of these thoughts that I think  
Of which I find no releases  
But if I might nevertheless  
Of such a drink as I covet  
So as me lust have one receit  
I should assobre and far we'll  
But so fortune upon her wheel  
On he me deigneth not to set  
For evermore I find a let  
The botyler is not my friend  
Which hath the key by the bend  
I may wish and that I waste  
For well I wot so fresh a taste  
But if my grace be the more  
I shall assay nevermore  
Thus am I drunk of that I see  
Forcasting is forfended me  
And I can not my seluen staunch  
So that my father of this branch  
I am gytlyf to tell truth  
My sone that me thinketh ruth  
For love drunk is the mischief  
Above all other the most chief  
If he no lusty thought assay  
Which may his sorry thirst allay  
As for the time that it lesseth  
To him which other joy misseth  
For thy my son above all  
Think well how so it befall  
And keep the wits that thou hast  
And late hem not be drunk in waist  
But nevertheless there is no wight  
That may withstand loves might  
But why the cause is as I find  
But that there is diverse kind  
Of love drunk why men plaineth  
After the Country which all ordaineth  
I will the tell the manner  
Now list my son/ & 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 every chance  
A f●r the god's purveyance  
To man it groweth from above  
So that the speed of every love  
Is shape there or it befall  
For 〈…〉 o above all  
Which is of god's soveraynt  
Hath in his seller as men saint  
Two tons full of love drink  
That maketh many a heart sink  
And many an heart also to fleet  
Or of the four or of the sweet  
That one is full of such pyement  
Which passeth all intendment  
Of any man if he it taste  
And maketh a ioylyf heart in haste  
That other bitter as the gall  
Which maketh a man's heart pall  
Whoos dronkeship is a sickness  
thorough feeling of the bitterness  
cupid is boty●●r of both  
Which to the lief & to the loath  
Yeveth of the sweet & of the sour  
That some laugh & some louvre  
But for so moche as he blind is  
Full offtime be aoth amiss  
And 〈…〉 the bad for the good●  
Which hindereth many man's food  
Without cause & fortheteth eke  
So been there of love some seek  
Which ought of reason to been hole  
And some comen to the dole  
In ●●●e & as hem self list  
〈…〉 ink undeserueth of the best  
And thus this blind botiler  
To such as comen there  
Yeveth of the swetee in stead of truble  
L● how he can the hearts trouble  
And maketh drunk all upon chance  
Without law or governance  
I● he draw of the sweet ton  
Thenne is the sorrow all overcome  
Of love drink & shall not grieve  
So to the drunk every eve  
For alis than but a game  
But when it is not for the same  
And he the bitter ton draweth  
Such drunkship an heart gnaweth  
And feebleth all a man's thought  
That better him were have drunk nought  
And of his breed have eaten dry  
For than he loseth his lusty weigh  
With dronkeship & wot not whither  
To go the ways been so slyder  
In which he may percase so fall  
That he shall break his wits all  
And in this wise men been drunk  
After the drink that they have drunk  
But all men drink not alike  
For some shall sing & some shall sick  
So that it me no thing marveleth  
My sone of love that the assaileth  
For ●●●el know by thy tale  
That thou hast drunk of the dwale  
Which bitter is/ till god the send  
Such grace that thou might amend  
But soon thou shalt bid & pray  
In such wise as I shall say  
That thou thy lust well attain  
Thy woeful thurstes to restrain  
Of love and mayst the sweetness  
As Bacchus did in his distress  
When bodeliche thirst him hent  
In strange lands 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 invenit/ fusis ad ●ouem precibus a●●aruit/ & sic potum pe tenti peticio prevaluit  

tHis Bacchus son of ●ubiter  
Was hot/ & as he went far  
By his faders assignment  
To make a were in the Orient  
And great power with him he lad  
So that the hyher hand he had  
And victory of his enemy  
And turneth homethard with his pries  
In such a Country which was dry  
A mischief fell upon the weigh  
As he road with his company  
Nigh to the strands of lombardy  
There might they no drink find  
Of water ne of other kind  
So that himself & all his host  
Were for default of drink almost  
Destwyed▪ and than bachus prayed  
To jubiter▪ and thus he said  
O high father that seest all  
To whom is reason that I shall  
beseech and pray in every need  
behold my father and take heed  
This woeful thirst that we been in  
To staunch and grant us for to win  
And safe unto the Country far  
Where that our lusty loves are  
Waiting upon our home coming  
And with the voice of his praying  
Which herd was to the god's hay  
He saw anon to fore his eye  
A wether which the ground hath spurned.  
And where he hath it overturned  
There sprung a well fresh & cleve  
Whereof his own ●otylere  
After the lusts of his will  
gave every man to drink his fill  
And for this ilk great grace  
Forth with in the same place  
A rich temple let he arere  
Which ever shall stolde there  
To thirsty men in remembrance  
For thy my sone after thy chance  
It sit the well to take heed  
So for to pray upon the need  
As Bacchus prayed for the well  
And think as thou hast herd me 〈…〉  
How grace he grad & grace he had●●  
He was no fool that first so radde  
For ●elden getes a domme man land  
Take that proverb and understand  
That words been of virtues great  
〈…〉 thy to speak thou ne let  
To ask and pray early and late  
Thy thirst to quench & think algate  
The ●otyler which beareth the key  
As blind as thou hearest me say  
And if it might so betide  
That he upon the blind side  
●er case the sweet ton reached  
Than shalt thou have a sweet draft  
And wax of love drunk sober  
And thus I read thou assobre  
Thine heart in hope of such a grace  
For dronkeship in every place  
To whether side that it torn  
Doth harm & make a man to sporne  
And fall of in such a wise  
Where he per case may not arise   
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 look in evidence  
Upon the sooth in experience  
So as it hath befall or this  
In every man's mouth it is  
How ●rystram was of love drunk  
With Beal Isawde when they drunk  
The drink which Brangueyn him  
betook/ ere the king Mark his eme her  
took/ To wife as it was after know  
And eke my son if thou wilt know  
As it hath fallen evermore  
In lones cause and what is more  
Of drunkship afore to dread  
As it whysome befell in deed  
Whereof thou might the better eschew  
Of drunken men that thou sew  
The company in no manner  
A great ensample 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 invitavit qui vino in in●br●ati nupte formasitatem aspicien ●●s ●●plici ebrietatis a mensa ypotaciam a ●irotheo marito suo impetu rapuerunt  

tHis find I write in poesy  
Of thylk fair Ipotasye  
Of whose beauty there as she  
Was/ Spoke every man & fell per cas  
That Pyrotheus so him sped  
That he to wife her should wed  
Whereof that he great joy made  
And for he would his love glade  
again the day of marriage  
By mouth both & by message  
His friends to the fest he prayed  
With great worship & all men said  
He hath this young lady spoused  
And when that they were all day honsed  
And set and served at meet  
There was no win which may beget  
That there ne was plenty enough  
But Bacchus thilk ton drough  
Whereof by way of dronkeship  
The greatest of the felauship  
Were out of reason overtake  
And Venus which also hath take  
The cause most in special  
Hath give 'em drink forth with all  
Of thilk cup which exciteth  
The lust wherein a man delighteth  
And thus by double weigh drunk  
Of lust that ilk ●yry fonke  
Hath made 'em as who seith half wod●  
That they no reason understood  
Ne to none other thing they sayen  
But her which to fore her exen  
Was wedded thylk same day  
That fresh wife that lusty may  
On ●ir it was all that they thoughte●●  
And so farforth his lusstes soughton  
That they which named were  
Centauri at the feast there  
Of one assent/ of one accord  
This young wife maugre her lord  
In such a rage forth lead  
As they none insight hadden  
But only to her drunken fare  
Which many a man hath made misfare  
In love as well as other weigh  
Whereof if I shall more say  
Upon the nature of this vice  
Of custom & of exercise  
The man's grace how it fordoth  
A tale which was whilom sooth  
Of fools that so drunken were  
I shall rehearse unto thine 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 ut penam mortis alleviarent spontanea vim ebrietate sopiti quasi porci semimort●● gladio perierunt  

i Rede in ● chronicle thus  
Of Gabba and of vi●●llus  
The which of spain both were  
The greatest of all other there  
And both of one condition  
After the disposition  
Of gluttony & of dronkeship  
That was a sorry felauship  
For this thou might well understand  
That man may not well long stand  
Which is wyndronk of common use  
For he hath lore the vertuse  
Whereof Reason should him cloth  
And that was seen upon 'em lo 〈…〉  
〈…〉 ●ayn there is no evidence  
Whereof to know a difference  
between the drunk & the wooed  
For they be never neither good  
For where that win doth wit away  
wisdom hath ●oft the right weigh  
That he no manner vice dreadeth  
No more than a blind man thredeth  
His needle by the son light  
No more is Reason than of might  
When he with dronkeship is blended  
And in this point they were shent  
This gabba both & eke 〈…〉 I'll  
Upon the cause as I shall tell  
Whereof good is to taken heed  
For they two with her dronkenhede  
Of witless ex●●tacion  
Oppresseden all the ●acion  
Of Spain for a fowl usance  
Which done was of coutynuaunce  
Of 'em which all day drunken were  
There was no wife ne maiden there  
What so they were fair or fowl  
That they ne wolden defoul  
Whereof the land was often woe  
And ●ke in other things more  
They wroughten many a sundry 〈…〉  
But how so that the day be long  
The dark night cometh at the los●  
God would not they sholden last  
And shope the law in such wise  
That they by the doom to the juice  
Be dampened for to been lore  
But they that hadden be tofore  
Inclined to all drunkenness  
Here and than ●are witness  
For they in hope to assuage  
The pain of death upon the rage  
That they the less should feel  
Of win le●e fulfil a meal  
And 〈…〉 ●ill so was bifalle  
Th●● her the strengths loften all  
With●●te wy●● of any brain  
And thus they ●en deed holf slain  
That hem ne gr●ueth but a lied  
My 〈…〉 if thou be for to wide  
In any point which I have said  
Whereof thy wits been vntey●●  
I read the clepe 'em home again  
I shall do father as ye say  
As farforth as I may suffice  
But well I wot that in no wise  
The dronkeship of love away  
I may remove in no wise  
It stont not upon my fortune  
But if thou list to commune  
Of the second gluttony  
Which cleped is delicacy  
Whereof ye spoke here tofore  
beseech I would you therefore  
My sone as of that ilk vice  
Which of all other is the nurse  
And stant upon the retinue  
Of Venus so as it is due  
The property how that it fareth  
The ●ook hereafter now declareth   
Delicie cum divicijs sunt i●ra potē●um/●n quibus orta Venus excitat ora gule/ Non sunt delicie tales quam corpora pascunt/ Ex quibus impletus gaudia venture 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 praecipue potentibus quequam complacencia corporaliter ministravit/  

oF this Chapter in which I treat/  
There is yet one of such diet. To which no power may 〈…〉.  
For all is past of peindemayn  
And sundry win and sundry drink  
Whereof that he will eat or drink  
His 〈…〉 been for him affayted  
So that his body is a waited  
That him shall lack no delight  
As farforth as his appetite  
sufficeth to the meats hot  
Whereof this lusty vice is hot  
Of gule the delicacy  
Which all the hole progeny  
Of lusty folk hath undertake  
To feel whiles that he may take  
richesse/ whereof to be found  
Of abstinence he wot no bound  
To what profit it should serve  
And yet ph●sik of his conserve  
Maketh many a restoration  
Unto his recreation  
Which would be to Venus' leef  
Thus for the point of his relief  
The Cook which shall his meet array  
But he the better his mouth assay  
His lords thonk shall oft lose  
E● he be served to the cheese  
For there may lack not so light  
That he ne fynt anon a wite  
For but his lust be fully served  
There hath no wight his thonk deseruned  
And yet for man's sustenance  
To keep and hold in governance  
To him that will his hele get  
Is none so good as common meet  
For who so looketh on the books  
It saith confexion of Cooks  
A man him should well advise  
How he it took and in what wise  
For who that useth that he knoweth  
Full seldom sickness in him groweth  
And who that useth meats strange  
Though his nature impair & change  
It is no wonder lyef son  
When that he doth again his won  
For in sickness this I find  
Vsaunce it is second kind   
Philosophus/ Consuetudo est alter● natura  

And right so changed his estate  
He that of love is delicate  
For though he had to his hand  
The best wife of all the land  
Or the fairest love of all  
Yet would his heart on other fall  
And think 'em more delicious  
Than he hath in his own hou●  
Men say it is now oft so  
Auyse 'em well they that so do  
And for to speak in other way  
Full offtime I have herd say  
That he which hath no love achieved  
Him thinketh he is not relieved  
Though that his lady make him cheer  
So as she may in good manner  
Her honour & her name save  
But if he the surplus might have  
No thing withstanding her estate  
Of love more delicate  
He set her cheer at no delight  
But he have all his appetite  
My sone if it be with the so  
Tell me my holy father no  
For delicate in such a wys●  
Of love as ye me devise  
Ne was I never yet gyltyf  
For if I had such a wife  
As ye speak of what should I more  
For than I would nevermore  
For lust of any womanhead  
My heart upon none other feed  
And if I did it were a waste  
But all without such repast  
Of such as ye me told above  
Of wife or yet of other love  
I fast and may no food get  
So that for lack of dainty meet  
Of which an heart may be fed  
I go fasting to my bed  
But might I getten as I told  
So much that my lady would  
Me feed with her glad semblannt●  
Though me lack all the remnant  
Yet should I somedeal be abesshed  
And for the time well refreshed  
But certes father she ne doth  
For in good faith to tell sooth  
I trow though I should ser●ue  
She would not his eye swerver  
My heart with one goodly look  
To feed/ & thus for such a Cook  
I may go fasting ever more  
But if so is that any woe  
May feed a man's heart we'll  
Thereof I have at every meal  
Of plenty more than enough  
But that is of himself so cough  
My stomach may not it defy  
Loo thus is the delicacy  
Of love which my heart feedeth  
Thus have I lack of that me needeth  
But for all this yet nevertheless  
I say not I am guiltless  
That I somedeal am delicate  
For else were I fully mate  
But if that I some lusty stounds  
Of comfort & of ease found  
To take of love some repast  
For though I with the full taste  
The lust of love may not steel  
My hunger otherwise I keel  
Of small lusts which I pike  
And for a time yet they like  
If that ye wisten what I mean  
Now good son shrive the clean  
Of such dayntees as been good  
Whereof thou takest thine hearts food  
My father I shall you rehearse  
How that my foods been diverse  
So as they fallen in degree  
If feeding is of that I see  
Another is of that I here  
The third as I shall tell here  
It groweth of mine own thought  
And e●●es should I ●eue nought  
For who that faileth food of herd  
He may not well the death asterte   
Not●i qualiter visus in amore se continet de 〈…〉  

Of sight is all my first food  
Tho●ugh which my eye of all good  
Hath that to him is acordaunt  
A lusty food suffisant  
When that I go toward the place  
Where I shall see my ladies face  
Mine eye which is loath to fast  
beginneth to hunger anon as fast  
That him thinketh of one hour three  
Till I there come and he her see  
And than after his appetite  
He taketh a food of such delight  
That him none other dainty needeth  
Of sundry sights he him feedeth  
He seeth her face of such colour  
That fresher is than any flower  
He seeth her front is large & plain  
Without frounce of any greyne  
He seeth her eyen lyche an heaven  
And seeth her nose strait & even  
He seeth her rude upon her cheek  
And seeth her reed lips eke  
Her chin acordeth to the face  
And that he seeth is full of grace  
He seeth her neck round & white  
And all this thing without wite  
He may see naked at the lest  
So is it well the more feste  
And well the more delicacy  
And to the feeding of the eye  
He seeth her shap forth with all  
Her body round/ her middle small  
So well bigone with good array  
Which passeth all the lust of may  
When he is most with soft showers  
Full clothed in lusty flowers  
With such sights by and by  
Mine eye is fed fnll finally  
When he the port & the manner  
Seeth of her womanlyche cheer  
Than hath he such delight on hand  
He thinketh he might still stand  
And that he hath full suffisance  
Of lyue●●de and of sustenance  
And to his part evermo  
And if it thought all other so  
from then would he never wend  
But there unto the worlds end  
He would abide if that he might  
And feeden him upon the sight  
For though I might stand ay  
In to the time of domes day  
And look upon her ever in one  
Yet when I should fro her gone  
Mine eye would as though he fast  
Ben hunger starven also fast  
Till eft again that he her sye  
such is nature of mine eye  
There is no lust so deyntefull  
Of which a man should not be full  
Of that the stomach underfongeth  
But ever in one mine eye longeth  
For look how that a goushauk tireth  
Right so doth he when he pyreth  
And tutyth on her womanhead  
For he may never fully feed  
His lust but ever alike  
Him hungereth so that he the more  
Desireth to be fed algate  
And thus my eye is made the gate  
Thugh which the deyntees of my though●  
Of lust been to mine heart brought  
Right as my eye with his look  
Is to mine heart a lusty Cook  
O● loves feed delicate  
Right so my ere is in his estate  
Where as my eye may not serve  
Can well mine ears thonk deserve  
And feeden him fro day to day  
With such food as he may  
For thus it is that overall  
Where that I come in special  
I may here of my lady price  
I here one say that she is wise  
Another seith that she is good  
And some men sayn/ of worthy blood  
That she is one/ & is also  
So fair that there is none so  
And some praise her goodly cheer  
Thus every thing that I may here  
Which soundeth to my lady good  
Is to my heart a lusty food  
And eke my ere hath over this  
A dainty feast when so is  
That I may here her selum speak  
For than anon my fast I break  
On such words as she saith  
That full of truth & full of faith  
They been and of so good disport  
That to my ere great comfort  
They done as they that been delices  
For all the meats and all the spyce●  
That any Lombard couth make  
Ne be so lusty for to take  
Ne so farforth restauratif  
I say as for mine own life  
As been the words of her mouth  
For as the windows of the south  
Been most debonair of all debonair  
So when her lust to speak fair  
The virtue of her goodly speech  
Is verily my hearts leche  
And if it so bifalle among  
That she carole upon a song  
When I it here I am so fed  
That I am fro my life so led  
As though I were in paradies  
For certes as to mine avys  
When I here of her vois the steu●  
Me thinketh it is a bliss of heu●  
And eke m other vois also  
Full offtime it falleth so  
Mine ere with a good petaunce  
Is fed of reading & of romance  
Of Ydome and of Amadas  
That whilom were in my cas  
And eke of other many a store  
That loveden long or I was bode  
For when I of her loves red  
mine ere with the tale I fed  
And with the lust of her story  
Sometime I drew it to memory  
How sorrow may not ever last  
And so cometh hope in at the last  
When I none other food know  
And that endureth but a throw  
Right as it were a cherry feste  
But for to counten at the lest  
As for the while yet it eseth  
And somedeal of my heart appeseth  
For what thing to my ere spreadeth  
Which is pleasant somedeal it eseth  
With words such as she may get  
My lust in stead of other meet  
Loo thus my father as I say  
Of lust the which my eye hath say  
And eke of that my ere hath herd  
Full oft I have the better fir  
And the two bringen in the third  
The which hath in my heart amid  
His place take to array  
The lusty food which assay  
I meet and namelyche on nights  
When that me lacketh all sights  
And that my hearing is away  
Then is he ready in the weigh  
My rear souper for to make  
Of which my hearts food I take  
This lusty Cook's name is hoot  
Thought which hath ever his pots  
hot/ Of love boiling on the fire  
With fantasy and with desire  
Of which full oft or this she fed  
My heart when I was a bed  
And than he set upon my lord  
Both every sight & every word  
Of lust which I have herd or said  
But yet is not my fest all plain  
But all of words and of fishes  
Thereof I have my full dishes  
But as of feeling and of taste  
Yet might I never have one repast  
And thus as ye have herd to forn  
I lick honey on the thorn  
And as who seith upon the bridle  
I chew so that all is idle  
As in effect the food I have  
But as a man that would him save  
When he is sick by medycyn  
Right so of love the famyn  
I fond m all that ever I may  
To feed and drink forth the day  
Till I may have the greater feste  
Which all my hunger might areste  
Loo such been my lusts three  
Of that I think and here and see  
I take of love my feeding  
Without tasting or feeling  
As the power doth of the heir  
I live and am in good espyer●  
That for none such delicacy  
I trow I do no gluttony  
And nevertheless to your avys  
My holy father that been wis  
I recommend mine estate  
Of that I have been delicate  
My sone I understand well  
That thou hast told I here everydeal  
And as me thinketh by thy tale  
It been delights wonder small  
Whereof thou takest thy loves food  
But soon if that thou understood  
What is to been delicious  
Thou wouldest not be curious  
Upon the lust of thine estate  
To been to fore delicate  
Whereof that thou reason exceed  
For in the books thou might read  
If man's wisdom shall be showed  
It ought well to been eschewed  
In love as well as other weigh  
For as these holy books say  
The bodily delyces all  
In every point how so they fall  
Unto the soul done grievance  
And for to take in remembreunce  
A tale acordaunt unto this  
which of great understanding is  
In man's soul reasonable  
I think to tell/ & is no fable   
Hic ponit exemplum contra istos de licatos/ Et narrat de divite et Laʒaro/ quorum gestns m evangelio lucasuidencius describit.  

oF Cristes' word who will it read  
How that this vice is for to dread  
In the evangely it telleth pleyne  
which must algate be certain  
For christ himself beareth witness  
And though the clerk & the clergesse  
In latin tongue it read and sing  
Yet for the more knowledging  
Of truth which is good to wite  
I shall declare as I it wr●te  
In Englys●he/ for thus it began  
Crist seith there was a rich man  
A mighty lord of great estate  
And he was eke so delicate  
Of his clothing that every day  
Of purpir/ & bice he made him gay  
And eat and drank to his fill  
After the lusts of his will  
As he which stood all in delice  
And took no heed of thylk vice  
And as it should so betide  
A power Laʒar upon a tide  
Came to the gate & asketh meet  
But there might he no thing get  
His deadly hunger for to staunch  
But he which had his full paunch  
Of all lusts at the board  
Ne deigneth not to speak a word  
Onlyche a crumb for to give  
Whereof the peure might leave  
Upon the yeft of his alms  
Thus lay this power in great distress  
Acold & hongred at the gate  
For which he might go no gate  
So was he woeful beseen  
That there as he lay on the green  
The hounds comen fro the hall  
Where that this sick man was fall  
And as he lay there for to die  
The wounds of his malady  
They lyeken for to done him ease  
But he was full of such disease  
That he may not the death escape  
But as it was that time shape  
The so wle fro the body passeth  
And he whom no thing overpasseth  
The high god up to the heaven  
Him took where he hath set him even  
In Abraham's barm on high  
Where he the heavens ioyr sigh  
And had all that he have would  
And fell as it befall should  
This rich man this same throw  
With sudden death was overblow  
And forth withouten any went  
In to hell straight he went  
The fiend in to the fire him drough  
Where that he had pain enough  
Of flame which that ever brenneth  
And as his eye about runneth  
Toward the heaven he cast his look  
Where that he saw & heed took  
How Lazar set was in his see  
As far as ever he might see  
With Abraham/ & than he prayed  
Unto the patriarch and said  
Send Lazar down fro thylk seat  
And do that he his finger wet  
In water/ so that he may drop  
Upon my tongue for to stop  
The great heat in which I hrenne  
But Abraham auswerd then  
And said to him in this wise  
My sone thou the might advise  
And take in thy remembrance  
How Lalar had great penance  
Whiles he was in that other life  
But thou in all thy lusty iolyf  
The bodily delights soughtest  
For thy so as thou than wroughtest  
Now shalt thou take to thy reward  
Of deadly pain hereafter ward  
In hell which shall ener last  
And this Laʒar now at the last  
The worlds pain is over ronn●  
In heaven he hath his life begun  
Of joy which is endless  
But that thou praydest nevertheless  
That I shall Laʒar to the send  
With water on his fingers end  
Thine hot tongue for to keel  
Thou shalt not such graces feel  
For in that folble place of sin  
For ever in which thou shalt been Inn  
Cometh none out of this place thither  
Ne none of you may come hither  
Thus be ye parted now a two  
The rich againward cried though  
O Abraham sith it so is  
That laʒar may not do me this  
Which I have axed in this place  
I would pray another grace  
For I have yet of brethren five  
That with my father been alive  
together dwellen in one house  
To whom as thou art gracious  
I pray that thou wouldest send  
Laʒar so that he might wend  
To warn 'em how the world is went  
That afterward they be not shent  
Of such pains as I dry  
Loo this I pray/ & this I cry  
That they may hem self amend  
The patriarch anon send  
Of his prayer answer nay  
And said him how that every day  
His brethren might know & here  
Of moyses in earth here  
And of prophets other more  
What hem was best & he said no  
But if there might a man arise  
From death to life in such a wise  
To tell 'em how that it were  
He said then of pure fere  
They sholden than beware thereby  
Quod Abraham/ nay sikerly  
For if they now will not obey  
To such as teach 'em the weigh  
And all day preach & all day tell  
How that it stont of heaven & hell  
They will not than taken heed  
Though it befall so in deed  
That any deed man so arreared  
To been of him no better lered  
Than of another man on live  
If thou my son canst describe  
This tale as Cryst himself told  
Thou shalt have cause to be hold  
To see so great an evidence  
There of the sooth experience  
Hath showed openlyche at the eye  
That bodily delicacy  
Of him which giveth no alms  
Shall after fall in great distress  
And that was seen upon the rich  
For he ne would unto his lyche  
A cromme yeven of his breed  
Than afterward when he was deed  
A drop of water him was werned  
Thus may a man's wit be learned  
Of 'em that so delights taken  
When they with death been overtaken  
That erst was sweet is than sour  
But he that is governor  
Of worlds good if he be wise  
Within his herb he set no price  
Of all the world/ & yet he useth  
The good that he nothing refuseth  
As he which lord is of the things  
The ouches & the rich things  
The cloth of gold & the perry  
He taketh. & yet the delicacy  
He leaveth though he were all this  
The best meet that there is  
He eateth & drinketh the best drink  
And taketh none heed to think  
delicacy to put away  
As he which goth the right way  
Not only for to feed & cloth  
His body/ but his soul both  
But they that taken otherwise  
Her lusts been none of the wise  
And that whilom was showed eke  
If thou these old books seek  
As well by reason as by kind  
Of old ensamples as men find   
Hic loquitur de desicacia Newnis/ qui corporalibus delicijs magis adherens spiritualia gaudia minus obtinuit/  

tHat man that would him well avise  
delicacy is to despise  
When kind acordeth not with all  
Whereof ensample in special  
Of new whilom may be told  
Which against kind many fold  
His lusts took till at the last  
That god him would all overcast  
Of whom the chronic is so pleyne  
Me lust no more of him to say  
And nevertheless for gluttony  
Of bodily delicacy  
To know his stomach how it fir  
Of that no man to fore herd  
Which he within himself bethought  
A wonder subtile thing be wrought  
Three men upon election  
Of age and of complexion  
Lyche to himself by all way  
He took to wards him to play  
And eat and drank as well as he  
Thereof was no dyersyte  
For every day when that they eat  
Tofore his o●ne board they seat  
And of such meet as he was served  
All though they had it not deserved  
They token service of the same  
But afterward at thylk game  
Was in to woeful earnest turned  
For when they were thus sojourned  
Within a time at after meet  
Nero which had not foryete  
The lusts of his freel estate  
As he which all was delicate  
To know thilk experience  
The men let come in his presence  
And to that one the same tide  
A Courser that he should ride  
In to the field anon he bade  
Whereof this man was wonder glad  
And goth to prick and dance about  
That other while that he was out  
He layed upon his bed to sleep  
The third which he would keep  
Within his chambre fair and soft  
He goeth now up now down full oft  
Walking a pace that he ne slept  
Till he which on the Courser leapt  
Was comen fro the field again  
New than as books say  
These men died done take all three  
And slew 'em for he would see  
who stomach was best defied  
And when he hath the sooth tried  
He found that he which goth the pas  
Defied best of all was  
Which afterward he used ay  
And thus what thing unto his pay  
Was most pleasant he left none  
With any lust he was by-gone  
Whereof body might glade  
For he no abstinence made  
But most of all earthly things  
Of women unto the likings  
Nero set all his hole heart  
For lust should him not asterte  
When he the thirst of love him caught  
Where that him lust to take a draft  
He spareth neither wife ne maid  
That such another as men said  
In all this world was never yet  
He was so drunk in all his wit  
thorough sundry lusts which he took  
That ever while there is a book  
Of New men shall read and sing  
Unto the worlds knowledging  
My good son as thou hast herd  
For ever yet it hath so fir  
delicacy in loves cas  
Without reason it is and was  
For where that love his heart set  
Him thinketh/ it might be no bet  
And though it be not fully meet  
The lust of love is eure svete  
Loo thus together of felauship  
delicacy and dronkeship  
Whereof reason stant out of herre  
Have made full many a man to err  
In loves cause most of all  
For than how so that ever it fall  
Wit can no reason understand  
But late the governannce stand  
To will which than waxeth so wild  
That he can not himself shield  
Fro the peril but out of fere  
The way he secheth here and there  
Him retcheth not upon what side  
For offtime he goth beside  
And doth such thing without dread  
Whereof him aught well to dread  
But when that love assoted sore  
It passeth all men's lore  
What lust it is that he ordaineth  
There as no mannes might restraineth  
And of god taketh he none heed  
But laws without dread  
His purposes for he will achieve  
Against the points of believe  
He tempteth heaven & earth & hell  
Here afterward as I shall tell   
Dum stimulatur amor quicquid jubet ordo voluptas/ Audet et aggredi tur nulla timenda timens/ Omne quod astra quem herbarum sive potestas/ Seu vigor inferni singula temptat amans/ Quod nequit ipse deo mediant parare sinistrum/ Demonis hec magica credulus arte parat. Sic sibi non curat ad opus que recia tendit. Dummodo nudatam prendere posset avem/  
Hic tractat qualiter ebrietas et deticacia onus pridicicic contrarium insti tantes inter alia ad carnalis concupiscencie promocionem sacrilegio magicam requirunt  

WHo dare do thing which love ne dare/  
To love is every law unware/  
But to the laws of his best  
The fish. the fowl/ the man/ the be'st  
Of all the worlds kind loutith  
For love is he which no thing doubteth▪  
In man's heart where he sit  
He cometh not toward his wit  
The woe no more than the weal  
No more the heat than the chele  
No more the wet than the dry  
No more to live than to die  
So that tofore ne behind  
He seeth no thing but as the blind  
Without insight of his courage  
He doth mecuayles in his rage  
To what thing that he will him draw  
There is no god there is no law  
Of whom that he taketh heed  
But as baiard the blind stead  
Tille he fall in the ditch a mid  
He goth there no man will him bid  
He stant so farforth out of rule  
There is no wit that may him reule  
And thus to tell him the sooth  
Full many a thing he doth  
That were better to be laft  
Among the which is such craft  
That some men clepe sorcery  
Which is for to wynue his drewry  
With many a circumstance he useth  
There is no point which he refuseth  
The craft which Saturnus found  
To make prykes in the sound  
That Geamaunce cleped is  
Full oft he useth amiss  
And of the flood his Idromaunce  
And of the fire the romance  
With questions eachone of though  
He tempteth oft. & eke also  
Acremaunce in judgement  
To love he bringeth of his assent  
For these crafts as I find  
A man may do by weigh of kind  
Be so/ it be to good intent  
But he goth all another went  
For rather than he should fail  
With necromancy he would assail  
To make his incantation  
With hot subfumygation  
Thilk art which spatula is boat  
And used is of common rote  
Among painens which that craft eke  
Of which his author Thoseȝ the greek  
He wercheth one & one by row  
Rachel is not to him vnknowe  
Ne Solomon Candarye  
His idiot his entonye  
The figure and the how with all  
Of balachame and of Genball  
The sell and thereupon chymage  
Of the byth' for his advantage  
He taketh. and somewhat of Gy●ere  
Which helpend is to the matter  
Babilla with her sons seven  
Which heth renounced to the heaven  
With ceornes both square & round  
He grateth eft upon the ground  
Making his invocation  
And for full information  
The s●ole which hono●us  
Wr●te/ he pursueth/ and loo thus  
magic he useth for to win  
His love & spareth for no sin  
And over that of his soty  
Right as he seeth sorcery  
Of 'em that been magycyens  
Right so of the naturyens  
Upon the stars from above  
His weigh he secheth unto love  
As far as he hem understandeth  
In many a sundry wise he fondeth  
He maketh image he maketh seulpture  
He maketh writing/ he maketh figure  
He maketh his cala●lacions  
He maketh his demonstrations  
His hours of astronomy  
He keepeth as for that party  
Which longeth to the inspectyon  
Of love and his affection  
He would now in hell seek  
The devil himself for to beseech  
If that he wist for to speed  
To get of love his lusty meed  
Whereof that he hath his heart set  
He lead never to far bet  
Ne wite of other heaven more  
My sone if thou of such a lore  
Hast been or thy I read the leave   

Amans  

My holy father by your leave  
Of all that ye have spoken here  
Which t●uchith unto this matter  
To tell the sooth right as I ween  
I wot not one word what ye mean  
I will not say if that I couth  
That I nold in my lusty youth  
Binethe in hell & eke above  
To win with my lady love  
Done all that ever that I might  
For thereof have I none insight  
Where afterward that I become  
So that I win & overcome  
Her love which I covet  
My sone that goeth wonder strait  
For this I may well tell sooth  
There is noman which so doth  
For all the craft that he can cast  
That he ne buyeth it at the last  
For oft he that will beguile  
Is guiled with the same guile  
And thus the gylour is beguiled  
I find in a book compiled  
To this matter an old history  
Which cometh now to memory  
And is of great ensamplerye  
against the vice of sorcery  
Whereof none end may be good  
But whilom how thereof stood  
A tale which is good to know  
To the my son I shall beknow   
Nota hic contra istos ob amoris causam sortologos/ ubi narrat Exemplum quod cum Vlixes a subversione Troy repatriare nanigio voluisset ipsum in Insula Cilli ubi illa expertissima magna nomine Cyrces regnavit contigit applicuisse/ quem ut in sui amoris concupiscenciam exardesceret. Circe's 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 which at Troy were  
Vlixes at the siege there  
Was one by name in special  
Of whom yet the memorial  
Abideth/ for while there is a mouth  
For ever his name shall be couth  
He was a worthy knight and king  
And clerk knowing of every thing  
He was a great rethoryens  
He was a great magician  
Of tullius the Rethoryk  
Of king Zorastes the magic  
Of tholome the astronomy  
Of plato the philosophy  
Of danyel the sleepy dreams  
Of neptune eke the water streams  
Of Solomon the proverbis  
Of matter at the strength of herbs  
And the physic of hippocras  
And lyche unto pyctagoras  
Of surgery he knew the cures  
But somewhat of his adventures  
Which to my matter shall accord  
To the my son I will record  
This king of which thou hast herd say  
From Troy as he goth home again  
By ship he found the see diverse  
With many windy storm reverse  
But he thorough wisdom that he shapeth  
Full many great peril he escapeth  
Of which I think tell one  
How that maugre the needle & stone  
Wind drive he was all suddenly  
Upon the strands of Cylly  
Where that he must abide a while  
Two queens weren in that isle  
Calypha named and Cyrces'  
And when they herd how Vlixes  
Is landed thereupon the rive  
For him they senden also belive  
With him such as he would name  
And to the Court to hem he came  
The queens weren as two goddesses  
Of art magic sorceresses  
That what lord cometh to that rivage  
They make him love in such a rage  
That upon 'em assote so  
That they will have o●● that he go●  
Al that he hath of worlds good  
●lixes well this understood  
They couth moche he couth more  
They shape & cast against him sore  
And wrought many a subtile wile  
But yet they might him not ●egy  
But of the men of his navy  
They two forshope a great party  
May none of hem withstand her hests  
Some part they shopen in to beasts  
Some part they shopen in to fowls  
To bears tigers apes and oules  
Or else by some other way  
There might no thing 'em disobey  
Such craft they had above kind  
But that art couth they not find  
Of which Vlixes was deceived  
That he ne hath hem all waived  
And brought 'em in to such a rote  
That upon him they both assote  
And through the sciences of his art  
He took of 'em so well his part  
That he bigate Cyrces' with child  
He kept him sober & made him wild  
He set himself so above  
That with her good & with her love  
Who that thereof belief or loath  
Al quite in to his ship he goeth  
Cyrces' to sweet both sides  
He left & waited on the tides  
And straight thorough the salt foam  
He taketh his course & cometh home  
Where as he fond penelope  
A better wife there may none be  
And yet there been enough of good  
But who her goodlyship understood  
Fro first she wifehood took  
How many loves she forsook  
And how she bore her all about  
Theridamas whiles that her lord was out  
S●e might take great avaunt  
amongs all the remnant  
That she was one of all the rest  
Well might he set his heart in rest  
This king when he found her all in bele  
For as he couth in wisdom deal  
So couth she in womanhead  
And when she saw without dread  
Her lord upon his own ground  
That ●e was come safe and sonude  
In all the world ne might be  
A gladder woman than was she  
The fame which may not be hid  
thorough out the land is soon kid  
●ir king is come home again  
There may no man the full sayen  
How that they weren all glade  
So mech●●●oye of 'em they made  
T●● 〈…〉 every day ●e newed  
He was with gifts all be sewed  
The people was of him so glade  
T●●t ●●●ugh none other man him bade  
T●●●ge upon 'em self they set  
And as it were of pure debt  
T●●y y●ue her goods to the king  
This was a glad welhome coming  
Thus both Vlyxes what he would  
His wife was such as she should  
His people was to him subject  
As they should be without let  
But fortune is of such a sleight  
That when a man is most of might  
S●● maketh him rathest for to fall  
There no man wot what shall befall  
The haps over mann●● heed  
B●● hanged with a tender thread  
That proved was on Vlyxes  
For when he was most in his p●●s  
For 〈◊〉 soon 'gan to meek him were  
And set high wealth out of her  
Upon a day as he was merry  
As 〈…〉 there might him no thing  
〈…〉/ when night was come▪ he goth to  
●●dde/ with sl●pe & both his eyes fed  
And while he slept/ he met a sweven  
Him thought he saw a statue even  
Which brighter than son shen●  
A man it seemeth was it none  
But as it was in figure  
most lyche to man's creature  
But as of beauty henenlyche  
It was most to an angel lyche  
And thus between Angel and man  
Beholden it this king began  
And such a lust took of the sight  
That fain he would if that he might  
The form of that figure embrace  
And goth him forth toward the place  
Where he saw that image tho  
And taketh in his arms two  
And it embraceth him again  
And to the king thus 'gan it sayen  
Vlixes understood well th●s  
The token of our acquaintance is  
Here afterward to mochel tene  
The love that is us between  
Of that we now such joy make  
That one of us the death shall take  
When death cometh of destyne  
It may none other wise be  
Vlixes though began to pray  
That this figure would him say  
What wight he is that saith him so  
This wight upon a spear though  
A pencil white was well bigone  
Enbrowdred showed him anon  
Three fishes all of one colour  
In manner as it were a tour  
Upon the pencil were wrought  
Vlixes knew this token nought  
And prayed to wite in some party  
What thing it might ●ygnyfye  
A sign it is which answered  
Of an empire/ and forth it fir  
All suddenly when he that said  
Vlyxes out of sleep he brayed  
And that was right again the day  
That longer slepen he ne may  
Ayene a man hath knowledging  
Save of himself of all thing  
His own chance no man knoweth  
But as fortune it on him throweth  
Was yet never so wise a Clerk  
Which might know all god's work  
Ne the secret which god hath set  
Ayene a man may not be let  
Vlyxes though that he be wise  
With all his wit in his advice  
The more that he his sweven acounteth  
The less he wot what it amounteth  
For all his calculation  
He seeth none demonstration  
Al plainly for to know an end  
But nevertheless how so it wend  
He dread him of his own sone  
That maketh him well the more astone  
And shope thereof anon with all  
So that within a castle wall  
Thelamon his son he shut  
Till he might know the bet  
The sooth/ for there he ne knew  
Till that fortune him overthrew  
But nevertheless for sickerness  
Where that he might wite & guess  
A place strongest in his land  
There let he make of lime & sonde  
A strength where he would dwell  
Was never man yet herd tell  
Of such another as it was  
And for to strength him in that cas  
Of all his ●onde the sykerest  
Of seruanntes and of the worthiest  
To keep him within ward  
He charged 'em they sholden hard  
And make such an ordinance  
For love ne for acquaintance  
That were it early/ were it late  
They should beat in at the gate  
No maver man what so betid  
But it so were himself it bid  
But all that might him not auayl●  
For whom fortune will assail  
There may be no resistance  
Which might a man make defence  
That all shall be must fall algate  
This Cyrces' which I spoke of tate  
On whom Vlyxes hath bigete  
A child though he it have foryete  
When tym● came as it was won  
She was delivered of a son  
Which cleped is thelogonus  
The child when he was boar thus  
About his mother to full age  
That he can reason and language  
In good estate was draw forth  
And when he was so much w●●th  
To stand in a man's stead  
Circe's his mother hath him bid  
That he shall to his father go  
And told him all together though  
What man he was that him bega●  
And when ●lelogonus herd that  
Was ware & had full knowledging  
How that his father was a king  
He prayed his mother fair this  
To go where that his father is  
And she him granted that he shall  
And made 'em ready forth with all  
It was that time such usance  
That every man the cong●ysaunce  
Of his Country bare in his hand  
When he went in to strange land  
And thus was every man therefore  
Well know where that he was boar  
For espial or myst●o wings  
They died than such things  
That every man may other know  
S●o it bifelle in that throw  
Thelogonus as in this cas  
Of his Country the sign was  
Three fishes which he should bear  
Upon the pynon of a spear  
And when he was thus arrayed  
And had his harness all assayed  
That he was ready everydeal  
His mother bade him far weal  
And said him that he should s●ythe  
His father great a thousand ●ythe  
Thelogonus his mother ky●●  
And took his leave & where he wist  
His father was/ the way he name  
Till he unto Nachare came  
Which of that land the chief city  
Was cleped/ & there asketh he  
Where was the king/ & how he feared  
And when that he the sooth heard  
Where that the king Vlix●s was  
Alone upon his ho●s great paas  
He rood● him forth & in his hand  
He bore the signal of his land  
With fishes three as I have told  
And thus he went in to that hold  
Where that his own father dwelleth  
The cause why he came he telleth  
Unto the keepers of the gate  
And would have cemen in there ate  
But shortly they him said nay  
And as fair as ever he may  
Besought & told 'em of this  
How that the king his father is  
But they with proud words great  
began to menace and threte  
But he go fro the gate fast  
They would him take and set fast  
Fro words unto strokes thus  
They fell so that Thelogonus  
Was sore hurt & well nyhe deed  
But with his sharp spears heed  
He maketh defence how so it fall  
And won the gate upon 'em all  
And hath slain of the best five  
And they aseryeden as believe  
thorough out the castle all about  
On every side men came out  
Whereof the kings heart aflyght  
And he with all the haste that he might  
A spear caught/ & out he goeth  
As he that nyhe was wood & wrath  
He saw the yates full of blood  
Thelogonus & where he stood  
He saw also but he ne knew  
What man he was and to him threw  
His spear/ & he start out aside  
But destiny which should betide  
Befelle that ilk time so  
Thelogonus knew no thing though  
What man it was that to him cast  
And whiles his own spear last  
With all the sign thereupon  
He cast unto the king anon  
And smote him with a deadly wound  
Vlix●s fell anon to ground  
though every man the king the king  
Began to cry & of this thing  
Thelogonus which saw the caas  
On knee fell/ & said alas  
I have mine own father slain  
Now I would die wonder fayn●  
Now slay me who that ever will  
For certes it is right good skill  
He crieth he weepeth/ he said therefore  
Alas that ever was I bore  
That this unhappy destiny  
So woefully cometh in by me  
This king which yet hath life enough  
His heart again unto him drough  
And to that voice an ere he layed  
And understood all that he said  
And 'gan to speak & said on high  
Bring me this man & when he sigh  
Thelogonus his thought he set  
Upon the sweven which he met  
And asketh that he might see  
His spear/ on which the fishes three  
He saw upon a pencil wrought  
though wist he well/ it faileth nought  
And bad him that he tell should  
Fro whence he came & what he would  
Thelogonus in sorrow & woe  
So as he might told tho  
Unto Vlixes all the caas  
How that Cyrces' his mother was  
And so forth said him every deal  
How that his mother great him weal  
And in what wise she him sent  
though witted Vlixes what it meant  
And took gym in his arms soft  
And all bleeding kiss him oft  
And said son whiles I live  
This infortune I the forgive  
After his other son in hast  
He sent & he began him hasas  
And came unto his father ty●e  
But when he saw him in such plight  
He would have runnen upon that other  
Anon & slain his own brother  
Ne had been that Vlixes  
between hem made accord & pe●s  
And to his heir thelamacus  
He had that he Thelogonus  
With all his power should keep  
Till he were of his wounds deep  
All hole and than he should him y●●●  
Land where upon to live  
Thelamacus when he this herd  
Unto his fad●● he answered  
And said he would done his will  
So dwellen they together still  
These brethren and the father starveth  
Lo whereof sorcery serveth  
thorough sorcery his lust he won  
thorough sorcery his woe began  
thorough sorcery his love he cheese  
thorough sorcery his life he lose  
The child was get● in sorcery  
Which did all this felony  
Thing which was again kind wrought  
unkindly it was bought  
The child his own father slough  
That was unkindship enough  
For thy take heed how that it is  
So for to win love amiss  
Which endeth ●l his joy in woe  
For all this art I find also  
That hath be do● for loves sake  
Where thou might ensample take  
A great chronicle imperial  
Which ever in memorial  
Among the men how so it wend  
Shall dwell unto the worlds end   
Hic n●rr●t Exemplum quartter Nectanabus ab Egipt● in Macedoniam fugiti●●s Olimpiadem philippi regis ibidem tunc absentis uxorem 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 high creature of things  
Which is king of all kings  
Full many worlds chance  
L●te slide under his sufferance  
There wot noman the cause why  
But he which is all mighty  
And that proved whilom thus  
When that the king Nectanabus  
Which had Egypte for to lead  
But for he say before the deed  
thorough magic of his sorcery  
Whereof he couth a great party  
His enemies to him comende  
Fro whom he might not him defend  
Out of his own land he fled  
And in the wise as he him dread  
It fell for all his witchcraft  
So that Egypte was him bereft  
And he disguised fled away  
By ship/ & held the right weigh  
To Macedoyne where that he  
Ar●yueth at the chief city  
Three yeomen of his Chambre there  
All only for to serve him were  
The which he trusteth wonder weal  
For they were true as any steel  
And happeneth that they with him lad  
part of the best good he had  
They took lodging in the town  
After the disposicioun  
Where as him thought best to dwell  
He asketh than & herd tell  
How that the king was out go  
Upon a were he had tho  
But in that city than was  
The queen which Olympias  
Was hoot & with solemnity  
The feast of her nativity  
As it be fell was than hold  
And for her lust to biholde  
And prayed of the people about  
She shope her for to ride out  
And after meet all openly  
Anon were all men ready  
And that was in the month of may  
This lusty queen on good array  
Was set upon a mule white  
To seen it was a great delight  
The joy that the Eyte made  
With fresh things & with glad  
The noble t●une was all behonged  
And every wight was sore alonged  
To s●e this lusty lady ride  
There was great mirth on every side  
Where as passeth by the street  
Th●re was full many timber beat  
And many a maid carolling  
And thus through out that t●un playing  
This queen unto a pleyne road  
Where that she hoved and abode  
To see diverse g●me play  
The lusty folk Just and tourney  
And so forth every other man  
Which play couth/ ●is play bigan  
To please with this noble queen  
Nectanabus came to the green  
amongs other & drough him nigh  
But when that he this lady sigh  
And of her beauty heed took  
He ●●uthe not withdraw his look  
To see nought else in the field  
But stood/ & only her biheld  
Of his clothing & of his cheer  
He was all unlyche other there  
So that it happeneth at the last  
The queen upon him her eye cast  
And knew that he was strange anon  
But he biheld her ever in one  
Without blemishing of his cheer  
She took good ●ede of h●s manner  
And wondereth why he did so  
And bad men shield for him go  
He came & did her reverence  
And she asketh in silence  
From whom he came & what he would  
And he with sober words told  
And saith madame a Clerk I am  
To you and in message I came  
The which I may not tell here  
But if it like you to here  
It must be said all privily  
Where none shall be but ye and I  
Thus for the time he took his leave  
The day goth forth till it was eve  
That every man moat let his work  
And she thought ever upon this clerk  
What thing it is that he would men's  
And in this wise abode the queen  
It passeth over thylk night  
Till it was on the moro we light  
She send for him and he came  
With him his Astrolahe he name  
Which was of fine gold precious  
With points and circles marvelous  
And eke the heavenly figures  
wrought in a book full of peyntures  
He took this lady for to show  
And told of each of 'em by rue  
The course and the condition  
And she with great affection  
Sat still & herd what he would  
And thus when he seeth time he told  
And feigneth with his words wise  
A tale and saith in such a wise  
Madame but a while ago  
Where I was in Egypte tho  
And radde in school of this science  
It fell in to my conscience  
That I in to the temple went  
And there with all my hole intent  
As I my sacrifice deed  
One of the goddess hath me ●ed●  
That I you warn privily  
So that ye make you ready  
And that ye be no thing aghast  
For he such love hath to you cast  
That ye shall been his own dear  
And he shall be your bedfere  
Till ye conceive & be with child  
And with that word▪ she wax all mild  
And somedeal became for shame  
And axrth him that god's name  
Which so will done her company  
And he said amos of luby  
And she said that may I not leave  
But if I see a better preue  
Madame quod Nectanabus  
In token that it shall be thus  
This night for information  
Ye shall have a vision  
That Amos shall to you appear  
To she we and teach in what maner●  
The thing shall afterward befall  
Ye oughten well above all  
To make joy of such a lord  
And when ye be of one accord  
He shall a son of you beget  
Which with his sword shall win & get  
The wide world in length & breed  
Al earthly kings shall him dread  
And in such a wise I you behote  
The god of the earth he shall be hot  
If this be sooth though quoth the queen  
This night thou se●●st it shall be seen  
And if it fall in to my grace  
Of god Amos that I purchase  
To take of him so great worship  
I will do the such ladyship  
Whereof thou shalt for evermo  
Be rich/ & he thanked her tho  
And took his leave/ & forth he went  
She witted little what he meant  
For it was guile and sorcery  
All that she took for prophecy  
Nectanabus thorough out the day  
When he came home where he lay  
His chambre with himself took  
And overturneth many a book  
And thorough the craft of art mage  
Of wax he forgeth an image  
And looketh his equations  
And eke the constellations  
He looketh the conjunctions  
He looketh the receptions  
His signs his hour his ascendent  
And draws fortune of his assent  
The name of the queen Olimpias  
In thylk image written was  
A mids in the front above  
And thus to win his lust of love  
Nectanabus this work hath dight  
And when it came within night  
That every wight is fall a sleep  
He thought he would his time keep  
As he which hath his hour appointed  
And than first he hath anoyn●eed  
With sond●y herbs that figure  
And thereupon he 'gan conjure  
So that thorough his enchantment  
This lady which was Innocent  
And wist no thing of this guile  
Met as she slept thilk while  
How fro the heaven came a light  
Which all her chambre made light  
And as she looked to and fro  
She say her thought a dragon though  
who scherdes shinen as the son  
And hath his soft paas begun  
With all the cheer that he may  
Toward the head there she lay  
Till he came to the beds side  
And she lay still & no thing cried  
For he did all his things fair  
And was courteous and debonair  
And as he stood her fast by  
His form he thaunged suddenly  
And the figure of man he nome  
And to her in to her bed he come  
And such thing there of love he wrought  
Whereof so as her than thought  
thorough liking of this god Amos  
With child anon her womb ●roos  
And she was wonder glad with all  
Nectanabus which causeth all  
Of this metred the substance  
When he seeth time his nygromance  
He stint & no thing more said  
Of his carecte & she abreyde  
Out of her sleep and leaveth weal  
That it is sooth than every deal  
Of that this Clerk her had told  
And was the gladder many fold  
In hope of such a glad metrede  
Which after shall befall in deed  
She longeth sore after the day  
That she her sweven tell may  
To this gylour in privity  
Which knew it as well as she  
And nevertheless on the morrow soon  
She left all other things to done  
And for him sent & all the case  
She told him plainly as it was  
And said how than well she wist  
That she his words might tryst  
For she fond her avision  
Right after the condition  
Which he her had told tofore  
And prayed him heartily therefore  
That he her hold cowenaunt  
So forth of all the remnant  
That she may thorough his ordinance  
Toward the god do such pleasance  
That she waking might him keep  
In such wise as she met in sleep  
And he that couth guile enough  
When he this herd for joy he lough  
And said madame it shall be do  
But this I warn you thereto  
This night when that he cometh to play  
That there be no life in the way  
But I that shall at his liking  
Ordain so for his coming  
That ye ne shall of him fail  
For this madame I you conusaile  
That ye it keep so prive  
That no wight else but we three  
Have knowledging how that it is  
For else might it far amiss  
If ye did aught that should him grieve  
And thus he maketh her to believe  
And feigneth under guile faith  
But nevertheless all that he saith  
She troweth. and again the night  
She hath within her chambre dight  
Where as this gyloure fast by  
Upon this god shall privily  
Await as ye make her to ween  
And thus this noble gentle queen  
When she most trust was deceived  
The night came the chambre is waived  
Nectanabus hath take his place  
And when he saw time of space  
thorough deceit of his magic  
He put him out of man's like  
And of a dragon took he the form  
As he which would all conform  
To that she saw in sweven or this  
And thus to chambre comen he is  
The queen lay a bed and sigh  
And hopeth ever as he came nigh  
That he god of luby were  
So that she the less fere  
But for he would her more assure  
Yet eft he changed his figure  
And of a wether the likeness  
He took in figure of his noblesse  
With large horns for the nonce  
Of fine gold & precious stones  
A crown on his heed he bore  
And sodenlyche or she was ware  
As he which all guile can  
His form he turneth in to man  
And came to bed/ & she lay still  
Where as she suffered all his will  
And she which wend not misdo  
But nevertheless it happened so  
All though she were in part deceived  
Yet for all that she hath conceived  
The worthiest of all the kith  
Which was ever tofore or scythe  
Of conquest & of chivalry  
So that thorough guile & sorcery  
There was that noble knight begun  
Which all the world hath after won  
Thus fell the thing which fall should  
Nectanabus hath that he would  
With guile he hath his love sped  
With guile he came in to the bed  
With guile he goth him out again  
He was a shrewd chambyrlayne  
So to beguile a worthy queen  
And that on him was after seen  
But nevertheless the thing is do  
This falls god was soon go  
With his deceit & held him close  
Till morrow came that he aroos  
And tho when time of leisure was  
though queen told him all the cas  
As she that guile none supposeth  
And of two points she him opposeth  
One was if that this god no more  
Will come again and evermore  
How she shall stonden in accord  
With king philip her own lord  
When he cometh home & seethe her groan  
Madame he saith let me alone  
As for the god I undertake  
That when it liketh you to take  
His company at any throw  
If I a day tofore it know  
He shall be with you on the night  
And he his will of such a might  
To keep you from all blame  
For thy comfort you madame  
There shall none other cause be  
Thus took he leave/ & forth goth he  
And though began he for to muse  
How he the queen might excuse  
Toward the king of that is fall  
And fond a craft amongs all  
through which he hath a sefoul dasited  
With his magic & so enchanted  
That he flew forth when it was night  
Unto the kings tent right  
Where that he lay amids his host  
And when he was a sleep most  
With that the sefoull to him brought  
Another charm which he wrought  
At home within his chambre still  
The king he turneth at his will  
And maketh him for to dream & see  
The dragon and the privity  
Which was between him & the queen  
And over that he made him ween  
In sweven how that the god Amoo  
When he from the queen aroos  
Took forth a ring wherein a stone  
Was set & grave thereupon  
A sone in which when he came night  
A lion with a sword he sight  
With a prente as he though met  
Upon the queens womhe he set  
A seal & goth him forth his way  
With that the sweven went his way  
And though bygon the king a wake  
And sighed for his wives sake  
With that he lay within his tent  
And hath a greet wonder what it meant  
With that he hasted him to rise  
Anon and sent after the wise  
Among the which there was one  
A Clerk his name is Amphyone  
When he the kings sweven herd  
What it betokeneth he answered  
And said as sickerly as the life  
A god hath lain by thy wife  
And get a son which shall win  
The world & all that was within  
As the lion is king of beasts  
So shall the world obey his heestes  
Which with his sword shall all be won  
As far as shineth any son  
The king was doutif of this doom  
But nevertheless when that he come  
again in to his own land  
His wife with child great he found  
He might not himself steer  
That he ne made her heavy cheer  
But he which couth of all sorrow  
Nectanabus upon the morrow  
thorough the deceit of Nygromaunce  
Took of a dragon the semblance  
And where the king sat in his hall  
Came in ramping among 'em all  
With such a noise and such a roar  
That they aghast were all so sore  
As though they should die anon  
And nevertheless he grieveth none  
But goth toward the dais on high  
And when he queen nigh  
He stint his noise and his wise  
To her he proffered his service  
And layed his hand upon her barm  
And she with goodly cheer her arm  
About his neck againward laid  
And thus the queen with him pleyde  
In sight of all men about  
And at the last he 'gan to lout  
And obeisance unto her make  
And he that would his leave take  
And suddenly his lothly form  
In to an eagle he 'gan transform  
And flew and set him on a rail  
Whereof the king had great marvel  
For there he plumeth him & piketh  
As doth an hawk when him well  
liketh And after that himself he shaken  
Whereof that all the hall quoke  
As it a terremote were  
They saiden all god was there  
In such a rees and forth he fly  
The king which all this wonder sigh  
When he came to his chambre alone  
Unto the queen he made his moan  
And of forgiveness he her prayed  
For than he knew well as he said  
She was with child than with a god  
Than was the king without rod  
chastised & the queen excused  
Of that she had been accused  
And for the greater evidence  
Yet after that in the presence  
Of king philip and of other more  
When they rood in the fields though  
A fesaunte came before her cye  
The which anon as they her say  
fleeing let an egg down fall  
And it to brake among 'em all  
And as they token thereof keep  
They saw out of the shell creep  
A little serpent out of the ground  
Which rampeth all about round  
And in again it will have won  
But for the brenning of the son  
It might not/ & so he died  
And thereupon the clerks said  
As the serpent when it was out  
Went enuyroun the shell about  
And might not torn in again  
So shall it fall in certain  
This child the world shall enuyroune  
And above all to bear the Crown  
Him shall befall in his young age  
He shall desire in his courage  
When all the world is in his hand  
To turn again in to the land  
Where he was boar and in his weigh  
Home ward he shall with poison die  
The king which all this saw & herd  
Fro that day forth how so it fir  
His jealousy hath all foryete  
But he which hath the child begete  
Nectanabus in pryvete  
The time of his nativity  
Upon the constellation  
A waiteth and relation  
Maketh to the queen how she shall d●  
And every hour appointeth so  
That no minute thereof was lore  
So that in due time is boar  
This child & forth with thereupon  
There fell wonders many one  
Of terremote unyversell  
The son took colour of the steel  
And left his light/ the winds blue  
And many strengths overthrew  
The see his proper kind changed  
And all the world his form changed  
The thunder with his fiery beven  
So cruel was upon the heaven  
That every earthly creature  
though thought his life in adventure  
The tempest at the last seceth  
The child is kept his age encreceth  
And Alysaunder his name is hot  
To whom Calystre and Arystote  
To techen him philosophy  
Endenden and astronomy  
With other things which he couth  
Also to teach him in his youth  
Nectanabus took upon hand  
But every man may understand  
Of sorcery how that it wend  
It will himself prove at the end  
And namely for to beguile  
A lady which without guile  
Supposeth all that she heareth  
But often he that evil steereth  
His ship is dreynte therein a mid  
And in this case right so betid  
Nectavabus upon a night  
When it was fair & star bright  
This young lord lad upon high  
Above a tower where as he sigh  
The stars such as he acounteth  
He seeth what each of hem amounteth  
And though he knew of all thing  
Yet hath he no knowledging  
That shall unto himself befall  
When he hath told his words all  
This young lord than him opposeth  
And asketh if that he supposeth  
What death he shall himself die  
He seith or fortune is away  
And every star hath lost his won  
Or else of mine own son  
I shall be slain I may not i'll  
Thought Alysandre in privity  
Hereof this old dotard lieth  
And or that other aught aspyeth  
All sodenlyche his old bones  
He shoof over the wall for the nonce  
And saith him/ lie down there a part  
Whereof now serveth all thine art  
Thou knowest all other men's chance  
And of thyself hast ignorance  
That thou hast said amongs all  
Of thy person it is not befall  
Neccanabus which hath his death  
Yet whiles him lasteth life or breath  
To Alysander he spoke and said  
That he w●th wrong blame on him leid  
from point to point & all che cas  
He told how he high son was  
though he which sorry was enough  
Out of the ditch his father drough  
And told his mother how it feared  
In council/ & when she it herd  
And knew the tokens which he told  
She nyst what she say should  
But stood abashed as for the while  
Of his magic and of his guile  
She thought how she was deceived  
That she hath of a man conceived  
And wend a god it had be  
But nevertheless such degree  
So as she might her honour save  
She shope the body was begrave  
And thus Nectanabus about  
The sorcery which he wrought  
Though upon the creatures  
thorough his carectis and figures  
The mastery and the power had  
His creator to nought him lad  
again whose law his crafde he useth  
When he for lust his god refuseth  
And took him to the devils ●aft  
Lo what profit is him belaft  
That thing through which he wend have  
stand/ First him exiled out of land  
Which was his own/ & from a king  
Made him to be an underling  
And sithen to deceive a queen  
That turneth him to mochel ●●ne  
thorough lust of love he gate him hate  
That end couth he not abate  
His old sleights which he cast  
Young Alexander hyn overcast  
His father which him mysbigat  
He slew/ a great mishap was that  
But for one miss another miss  
Was yold/ and so full oft is  
Nectanabus his craft miswent  
And so it mysfell him or that he went  
I note what helpeth that clergy  
Which maketh a man to do folly  
And namelyche of Nygromaunce  
Which stont upon the mysereaunce   
Nota qualiter rex Zorastes statim cum ab utero matris sue nasceretur gaudio magno risit, in quo prenosticum doloris subsequentis signum figurabatur Nam et ipse detestabilis artis magica primus fuit inventor/ quem postea rex Surrie dira morte trucidavit. & sic opus operarium consumpsit  

aNd for to see more evidence  
Zorastes which that experience  
Of art magic first forth drough▪  
Anon as he was boar he lough  
Which token was of woe sewing  
For of his own contreving  
He found magic/ & taught it forth  
But all was him little worth  
For of surry a worthy king  
Him slew/ and that was his ending  
But yet through him this craft is used  
And he thorough all the world accused  
For it shall never well achieve  
They stont not right with the believe  
But lyche to wulle is evil spun  
Who loseth himself hath little won  
And the end proveth every thing  
Saul which that was of Jews king  
Upon pain of death forbid this art  
And yet he took thereof his part  
The phitonysse in Samary  
gave him council by sorcery  
Which after fell to much srowe  
For he was slain upon the morrow  
To con moche it helpeth  
But of to much no man yelpeth  
So for to look on every side  
Magyk may not well betide  
For thy my son I will the rede  
That thou of these ensamples dread  
That for no lust of earthly love  
Thou seek so to come above  
Whereof as in the worlds wonder  
Thou shalt ever be put under  
My good father grant mercy  
For ever I shall beware thereby  
Of love what so ever me befall  
Such sorcery above all  
Fro this day forth I will eschew  
That so ne will I not pursue  
My lust of love for to seche  
But this I would you beseech  
●●eside that me stant of love  
As I you herd speak above  
How Asysandre was betaught  
Of Arystotle and so well taught  
Of all that to a king belonged  
Whereof my heart sore longeth  
To wite what it would mean  
For by reason I would ween  
That if I herd of things strange  
Yet for a time it should change  
My pain & less me somedeal  
My good son thou shalt weal  
For wisdom how that ever it stand  
To him that can it understand  
Doth great preue in sundry wise  
But touching of so high a prise  
Which is not unto Venus know  
I may it not myself know  
Which of her court am all forth draw  
And can no thing but of her law  
But nevertheless to know more  
As well as thou/ me longeth sore  
And for it helpeth to commune  
Of every thing in common  
The school of the philophye  
Yet think I for to specify  
In books as it is comprehended  
Whereof thou mightest be amended  
For though I be not all cunning  
Upon the form of his writing  
Some part/ thereof yet I have herd  
In this matter how it hath fir   

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

Incipit liber Septimus  

I Genius the priest of love  
My sone as thou hast prayed above  
That I the school shall declare  
Of Aristotle and eke the fare  
Of Alysaundre how he was taught  
I am somdele thereof distraught  
For it is not the matter  
Of love why we sytcen here  
To shrive as Menus bad  
But nenertheles for it is glad  
So as thou seest for thine apprise  
To here of such things wise  
Whereof thou might the time bliss  
So as I can I shall the wysse  
For wisdom is at every throw  
Above all other thing to know  
In loves cause & else where  
For thy my son unto thine ere  
Though it be not in the Regystre  
Of Venus'/ yet of that Calystre  
And Aristotle whilom write  
To Alysander thou shalt wite  
But for the lores been dynerse  
I think first to the rehearse  
The nature of the philosophy  
Which Aristotle of his clergy  
wise and expert in the science  
Declared thilk intelligence  
As of the points in principal   

Whereof the first in special  
Is Theoryk/ which is grounded  
On him which all the world hath founded  
Which comprehended all that lore  
And for to looken overmore  
Next of science the second  
Is Rethoryk whose facounde  
Above all other is eloquent  
To tell a tale in judgement  
So well can no man speak as he   

The last science of the three  
Is practic whose office  
The virtue trieth fro the vice  
And teacheth upon good thews  
To slay the company of shrews  
Which stant in disposition  
Of man's free election  
Practyke informeth eke the rule  
How that a worthy king shall rule  
His realm both in were and peace  
Lo this done Aristotle's  
These three scyrncrs hath divided  
And the nature also decydeed  
Whereof that each of 'em shall serve   

The first which is conserve  
And kepar of the remnant  
And that which is most suffisant  
And chief of the philosophy  
If I thereof shall specify  
So as the philosopher told  
Now hearken/ & keep that thou it hold   
Prima creatorem dat scire sciencia summi. Qui capit agnoscit sufficit illud ei▪ Plura vires quandoque juuat nescire set illud/ Qd videt ex pediens sobrius ille sapit/  
Hic tractat de prima part philosophy que theorica dicitur/ cuius natura triplici dotata est sciencia/ scilicet Theologia/ Phisica et Mathematica/ Set primo illam partem Theoryce declarabit  

t F Theoryk principal  
The philosopher in special  
The propyrtees hath determined/  
And thylk which is enlumyned  
Of wisdom & of high prudence  
Abone all other in his science  
And stant expert upon three  
The first of which in his degree  
Is cleped in philosophy  
The science of theology  
That other named is physic  
The third is said Mathematyk  
Theologye is that science  
Which unto man giveth evidence  
Of thing which is not bodily  
Whereof men known readily  
The high almighty trinity  
Which is one god in unity  
Withouten end and beginning  
And creature of all thing  
Of heaven of earth/ and eke of hell  
Whereof as old books tell  
The philosopher in his reason  
Wrote upon his conclusion  
And of his writing in a clause  
He cleped god the first cause  
Which of himself this ilk good  
Withouten whom/ is nothing good  
Of which that every creature  
Hath his being & his nature  
After the being of the things  
There been the forms 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/  

Thing which began and end shall  
That thing to cleped temporal  
There is also by other weigh  
Thing which began & shall not die  
As souls that been spirituell  
Here being is perpetual  
But there is one above the son  
whose time was never begun  
And endless shall ever be  
That is the god/ whose majesty  
All other things shall govern  
And his being is sempyterne  
The god/ to whom all honour  
Belongeth/ he is creature  
And other been his creatures  
The god commanded the natures  
That they to him obeyen all  
Withouten him what so bifalle  
Here might is none/ & he may all  
The god was ener & ever shall  
And they begun of his assent  
The times all be present  
To god and to hem all vnknowe  
But what him liketh that they know  
Thus both an Angel and man  
The which of all that god hygan  
Be chief & obeyen to gods might  
And he stont endless up right  
To this science been prive  
The clerks of divinity  
The which to the people prechen  
The faith of holy church and techen  
Which in one caas of believe  
Stant more than they con prove  
By weigh of argument sensible  
But nevertheless it is credible  
And doth a man great meed have  
To him that thinketh himself to save  
Theology in such a wise  
Of high science and hyhe prise  
Above all other stant unlike  
And is the first of theoric   
Nota de secunda part Theoryce/ que Phisica dicitur▪  

Physic is after the second  
through which the philosopher hath fond  
To techen sundry knowbechynges  
Upon the lodelyche things  
Of man of be'st of earth/ of stone  
Of fish of fowl of everichone  
That been of deadly substance  
The nature and the circumstance  
thorough this science it is full soft  
Which vaileth not & which vaileth oft   
Nota de tercia part 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 point of Theoryk  
Which cleped is Mathematyk  
Divided is in soudry wise  
And stant upon diverse apprise  
The first of which is ars metryk  
And the second is said Music  
The third is eke gemetrye  
Also the fourth astronomy  
Of ars metryk the matter  
Is that of which a man may lere  
What Algarysme in number amounteth  
When that the wise man acompteth  
After the formuel property  
Of Algarysmes A/ b/ c  
By which mnltyplycation  
Is made and division  
Of sums by experience  
Of this art/ & this science▪   
Nota de Musica que secunda pars artis Mathematice dicitur  

The second of Mathematyk  
Which is the science of Music  
That teacheth upon armony  
A man to make melody  
By voice son and Instrumment  
thorough notes of acordement  
The which men pronounce aloft  
Now sharp notes & now soft  
Now high notes & now low  
As by gammuth a man may know  
Which teacheth the prolation  
Of note and the condition   
Nota de tercia specie artis Mathematice quam geometriam vocant  

Mathematik of his science  
Hath the third ntellygence  
Full of wisdom and of clergy  
And cloped is Geometye  
thorough which a man hath thylk sleight  
Of length of breed of depth & of height  
To know the proportion  
Of very calculation  
Of this science in this wise  
As these old philosophers devise  
Of all this worlds earth round  
How large/ how thick was the ground  
contrived by this experience  
The Cercle and the circumference  
Of every thing unto the heaven  
They setten point & measure even  
Mathematik above the earth  
Of high science above the ferth  
Which speaketh upon astronomy  
And teacheth of the stars hyhe  
Beginning up ward fro the moan  
But first as it was for to done  
This Aristotle's in other thing  
Unto this worthy young king  
The kind of every element  
Which stonden under the firmament  
How it is made/ and in what wise  
Fro point to point he can devise   
Quatuor omnipotens elementa creavit origo. Quatuor et venti partibus ora dabat/ Nostra q● quadruplici complexis sort creature/ 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 singulis proprietates singule attribuuntur  

tO fore the creantion  
Of any worlds station  
Of heaven of earth & eke of hells  
So as these old books tells  
As soon to fore the song is set  
And yet together knit  
Right so the high purveyance  
though had under his ordinance  
A great substance a great matere  
Of which he would in his manner  
This other thing make and form  
For yet withouten any storm  
Was that matter universal  
Which his ylem in special  
Of Ilem as I am informed  
These elements been made & formed  
Of ylem elements they hot  
After the school of Aristote  
Of which if more I shall rehearse  
Four elements there been diverse   
Nota de terra quod est primum elementum  

The first of hem earth men call  
Which is the lowest of them all  
And in his form is shape round  
Substancialle/ strong/ sad/ & sound  
As that which made is suffisant  
To bear all the remnant  
For as the point in a compass  
Stant even amids right so was  
This earth set & shall abide  
That it may swerver to no side   

Philosophus unumquodque naturaliter  
appetit suum censum  
And hath his Centre after the law  
Of kind to that Centre draw  
Desireth every worlds thing  
If there were no letting   
Nota de aqua quod est secundum elementum  

Above the earth keepeth his bound  
The water which is the second  
Of elements and all about  
It vywneth there without  
But as it showeth not for thy  
This subtile water mightily  
Though it be of himself soft  
The strength of earth passeth oft  
For right as veins been of blood  
In man right so the water in flood  
The earth of his course maketh diverse  
veins/ As well the hill as the pleynes  
And that a man may see at the eye  
For where the hills be most high  
There may men well streams find  
So proveth it by weigh of kind  
The water lighter than the land  
And over this now understoude   
Nota de aera quod est tercium elementum  

air is the third of element  
Of whose kind his asperiment  
Taketh every lives creature  
Which shall upon the earth endure  
For as the fish if it be dry  
Must in default of water die  
Right so without eyer on live  
No man ne be'st might prive  
The which is made of flesh & bone  
There is out take of all none   
Nota quod aer in tribus periferijs dividitur  

This air in periferijs three  
Divided is of such degree  
beneath is one/ and one amid  
And above is set the third  
Of which upon divisions  
There been diverse oppressions  
Of moist & eke of dry also  
Which by the son both two  
Ben draw and haled upon high  
And maken clouds in the sky  
As showed is at man's sight  
Thereof by day and eke by night  
After the time of the year  
Among us upon earth hear   

De prima aeris periferia  

In sundry wise things fall  
The first peryfery of all  
Engendereth mist and overmore  
The dews & the frosts hoar  
After thylk instertition  
In which they take inpression    

De secunda aeris periferia  

from the second as the looks sayn  
The most drops of the rein  
Descenden in to middle earth  
And tempereth it to seed and e●the  
And doth to spring grass & flower  
And oft also the great sho●re  
Out of such place it may be take  
That it the form shall forsake  
Of rain/ & in to snow be turned  
And eke it may be so sojourned  
In sundry places up alof●●  
●hat in to hail/ it turneth oft    

De tercia aeris periferia  

The third of air after the law  
thorough such matter as up is draw  
Of dry thing as it is oft  
Among the clouds upon loft  
And is so close it may not out  
Than is it chased sore about  
Till it to fire and leyte it fall  
And it breaketh the clouds all  
The which of so great noise craken  
That they the f●rfull noise maken  
The thunder stroke smite or it light  
And yet men seen the fire full right  
The thunder stroke or that men here  
So may it well be proved here  
In thing which showed is fro f●r●  
A man's eye is there ne●●  
Than is the second to man's ●●●  
And nethe●es it is great fere  
Both of the stroke & of the fire  
Of which is no recovyre  
In place where that they descend  
But if god would his grace send   
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 speaken over this  
In this part of the air it is  
That men full oft seen by night  
The fire in sundry form alight  
Sometime the fire drake it seemeth  
And the lewd people it deemeth  
Sometime it seemeth as it were  
After which that glideth there  
But it is nether of the two  
The philosopher telleth so  
And seith that of Impressions  
thorough diverse exaltations  
Upon the cause and the matter  
Men seen diverse form appear  
Of fire which hath sundry name  
Assub he said is thilk same  
The which in sundry place is found  
When it is down to the ground  
So as the fire it hath anheled  
Like unto slime which is congealed  
Of exaltations I find  
Fire kendeleth of the same kind  
But it is in another form  
Whereof I shall conform  
The figure unto that it is  
These old clerks tell this  
For it is like a goat skypping  
And for it is such seeming  
It is hot Capra saliens  
And these Astronomyens  
Another fire also by night  
Which showeth him to man's fight  
They clepe eges/ the which brenneth  
Like to the current fire it runneth  
Upon a cord as thou hast seen  
When it with powder was so beseen  
Of sulphur/ & three things more   

There is another fire also  
Which seemeth to a man's eye  
By nights time as though their f●y●  
A dragon brenning in the sky  
And that is cleped propyrly  
Baasy/ whereof men seen fallen oft  
●o where the fiery drake aloft  
Fleeth upon the eyer/ & so they semen  
But why the fires so semen  
Of sundry forms to behold  
The wise philosopher tol●  
So as the fore it hath ●en herd  
●o thus my son how it fir  
Of air the due property  
In sundry wise thou might see  
And how under the firmament  
It is ●ke the third element  
Which environed both the two  
The water and the sonde also   
Nota de igne quod est quartum elementum  

And for to tell over this  
Of elements the which the fourth is  
That is the fire in his degree  
The which enuyroneth the other three  
And is without moist all dry  
But list now what saith the clergy  
For upon 'em that I have said  
The creator hath set & layed  
The kind and the complexion  
Of all men's nation  
Four elements sundry there be  
Lyche unto which in that degree  
Among the men there been also  
Complexions four and no more  
Whereof the philosopher treateth  
That he no thing behind letteth  
And saith how that they been diverse  
So as I shall to the rehearse   
Nota hic avaliter secundum naturam quatuor elementorum quatuor in humano ●●rpore complexionis scilicet Melencolica/ Fleuma/ Sangnis et colera naturaliter constituuntur/ unde primo de melencolica dicendum est  

● E which natured every kind  
The mighty god so as I find  
Of man which is his creature  
Hath so divided the nature  
That none ty● other well acordeth  
And by this cause it so discordeth  
The life which feeleth the sickerness  
May stand upon no sickerness  
Of the earth which is cold & dry  
The kind of man Melencolye  
Is cleped/ & that is the first  
The most vngoodlyest & the wert  
For unto loves work on night  
Him lacketh both will and might  
No wonder is in lusty place  
Of love though he lose grace  
What man hath that complexion  
Is full of imagination  
Of deeds & of wrongful thought  
He fretyth himself all to nought  
The water which is moist & cold  
Maketh phlegm which is many fold    

De complexione Fleumatis  

Foryeteful slow and weary soon  
Of every thing which is to done  
He is of kind suffissant  
To hold love his covenant  
But to him lacketh appety●●  
Which longeth unto such delight  
What man that taketh his kind o● the ay●●  
He shall be light/ he shall be f●yre    

De complexione sanguinis  

first his complexion is blood  
Of all there is none so good  
Forth he hath both will & might  
To please and pay love his right  
Where he hath love undertake  
Wrong is if he be forsake  
The fire of his condition  
Appropreth the complexion  
Which in a m●n is cold hot  
Whoos propirt●●s been dry & hot  
It maketh a man to be engynous  
And swift of foot & ●ke irous  
Of conteke & ●ke full of hastiness  
He hath a right great business  
To think on love and little m●y  
Though he be hot well ● day  
On night when that he will assay  
He may full evil his debt pay   
Nota qualiter quatuor complexionis quatuor in homine hūacōnes diui●●m possident  

After the kind of the element  
Thus stant a man's kind went  
As touching his complexion  
Upon sundry division  
Of dry of moist/ of cold of heat  
And each of 'em his own seat  
appropered hath within a man  
And first to tell as I began   
Splen domus est melancholy  

The splen is to Melencolye  
Assigned for herborgery   
Pulmo domus est fleumatis  

The moist phlegm the which is cold  
Hath in the longs for his hold  
Ordained him a proper stead  
And dwelleth there as he is bid   
Epar domus est sanguivis  

To the sanguine complexion  
Nature of his inspection  
A proper house hath in the liver  
For his dwelling made deliver    

Fel domus colere  

The fourth colour with his het●  
By weigh of kind his proper seat  
Hath in the g●lle where he dwelleth  
So as the philosopher telleth   
Nota de stom●cho qui una cum alijs specialius deseruit  

Now over ●●●s is for to wite  
As it is in physic write  
Of liver/ long/ of gall/ of spleen  
They all unto the heart bene  
Seruanntes and each in his office  
Intendeth to do him service  
As which is lord above  
The liver maketh him for to love  
The longs give him weigh of speech  
The gall serveth to do wretch  
The spleen doth him to laugh & play  
When all uncleanness is away  
Loo thus hath each of 'em in deed  
To suffren hem and feed  
In time of recreation  
Nature hath increation  
The stomach for a common koke  
ordaineth so as seith the book  
The stomach/ Cook/ is for the hall  
And boileth meet for hem all  
To make 'em mighty for to serve  
The heart that he shall not starve  
For a king in his empire  
Above all other is lord & sire  
So is the heart principal  
To whom reason in special  
Is give as for the governance  
And thus nature his purveyance  
Hath for man to lyven here  
But god the which the soul de●●  
Hath form it in other wise  
That can no man plainly devise  
But as Clerks us inform  
That lyche to god it hath a form  
thorough which form and likeness  
The soul hath many an high noblesse  
appropered to his own kind  
But of hi● wit be made blind  
All onlyche of this ilk point  
That her abiding is conjoint  
For with the body for to dwell  
That one desireth toward the hell  
That other upward unto heaven  
So should they never stand in en●n  
But if the flesh be overcome  
And that the soul have holy nome  
The governance and that is seld  
While that the flesh may he weld  
All crthely thing which god began  
Wao only made to serve man  
But the soul all only made  
Him seluen for to serve and glade  
And other beasts that men find  
They serve unto her own kind  
But to reason the soul serveth  
Whereof the man his thank deserveth  
And get him with his works good  
The perdurable syves' food   
hIc loquitur ulterius de division terre. ●ue post delwium t●bus filijes Noah in tres parts seilicet Asiam/ aff●●cam & Europam dividebatur  

oF that matter it shall be told  
A tale liketh many fold  
The better if it be spoke plain  
Thus 〈…〉 I for to torn again  
And tell plainly therefore  
Of the earth/ whereof now tofore  
I spoke and of the waters eke  
So as these old clerks speak  
And set propyrly the bound  
After the form of mappamounde  
thorough which the greund in parties  
Departed is in three parties  
That is Asye/ africa/ Europe  
The which under the heaven cope  
Beg●ypeth all this earth round  
As serre as stretcheth any ground  
But after that the high wretch  
The water ways let out feche  
And over go the hills high  
Which every kind made die  
That upon middle earth stood  
Out take Noah/ & his blood  
His sone & his daughters three  
They were save/ & so was he  
Her names who that read right  
Sem/ Cam/ japhet/ the brethren height  
And when thylk almighty hand  
Withdre we the water fro the land  
And all the rage was away  
And earth was the man's weigh  
The sons three/ of which I told  
Right after that themself would  
This world depart they begun  
Asia the which lieth to the son  
Upon the march of Orient  
Was granted by a common assent  
To whom which was soon oldest  
For that party was the best  
And double as much as other two  
And was that time bounded so  
Where as the flood which men Nile calleth  
Departed fro his course & falleth  
In the see Alle●andryne  
There taketh Asye first sesyne  
Towards the west. & over this  
Of Cana him where the flood is  
In to the great see rennende  
from that in to the worlds end  
After Asy it is algates  
Till that men comen unto the gates  
Of paradies and there hoo  
And shortly for to speak it so  
Of Orient in general  
Within his bound Assy hath all●   
Nota hic de Africa et Europa  

And than upon that other side  
Westward as it fell thylk tide  
The brother which hight came  
Upon his part africa nam  
japhet Europe though took he  
Thus par●●d they the world in thr●  
But yet there been of lands feel  
In occident as for the chele  
In orient as for the heat  
Which of the people be forlete  
As land desert that is unable  
For it may not be arable   
Nota de mare quod magnum Occeanum diatur  

The water eke hath sundry bound  
After the land where it is found  
And taketh his name of thylk lands  
Where that it run on the strands  
But thilk see which no wane  
Is cleped the great ocean  
Out of which arise and come  
The high floods all and some  
Is none so little well spring  
Which there ne taketh his beginning  
Lyche a man that haileth brethe  
By weigh of kind so it goeth  
Out of the see/ and in again  
The water as the books say   
Nota hic secundum philosophum de quinto elemento quod omnia sub celo creata infra suum ambitum continet cui nomen orbis specialiter appropriatum est  

oF elements the propyrtees  
How that they stonden vy degrees  
As I have told now might thou here  
My good soon all the matter  
Of earth/ of water air and fire  
And for thou seist that thy desire  
Is for to wyten overmore  
The form of Aristotle's lore  
He seeth in his intendment  
That yet there is an element  
Above the four/ & is the fifth  
Set of the high gods gift  
The which that orbis cleped is  
And thereupon he telleth this  
That as the shell hole and sound  
Encloseth all about round  
What thing within an eye belongeth  
Right so this orbis underfongeth  
These elements everichone  
Which I have spoke of one & one  
But over this now take good heed  
My sone for I will proceed  
To speaken upon Mathematyst  
Which grounded is on Theoryk  
The science of astronomy  
I think for to specify  
Without which to tell pleyne  
All other science is in vain  
Toward the school of crthely things  
For as an eagle with his wings  
Fleeth above that all men find  
So doth this science in his kind   
Lege planetarum magis magis in feria reguntur/ Ista sed incedum regula fallit opus/ Vir mediant deo sapi●̄s dominabitur astris/ Fata nec inmerit● quod novitatis 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  

beneath upon this earth here  
Of all things the matter  
As tell us they that been learned  
Of thing above it stonte governed  
That is to seyen of the planets  
The cheles both and eke the hetes  
The chambre of the world also  
That we fortune clepe so  
Among the men's nation  
All is thorough constellation  
Whereof that some man hath the weal  
And some men have dyseses feel  
In love as well as other things  
The state of reams & of kings  
In time of peace/ in time of were  
It is conceived of the star  
And thns saith the naturyens  
Which is an Astronomyen  
But the divine seith other wise  
That if men were good and wise  
And pleasant unto the godhead  
They should not the stars dread  
For one man if him well befall  
Is more worth than they be all  
Towards him that weldeth all  
But yet the law orygenalle  
Which he bathe set in the natures  
More worchen in creatures  
That thereof may be none obstacle  
But if it stant upon miracle  
thorough prayer of some holy man  
And for thy so as I began  
To speak upon astronomy  
As it is write in the clergy  
To tell how the planets far  
Some part I think to declare  
My sone unto thy audience  
astronomy is the science  
Of wys●dom and of his cunning  
Which maketh a man have knowleching  
Of stars in the firmament  
figure ●●res● and mocment  
Of each of h●m in sundry place  
And what ●irwene hem is of space  
〈…〉 so the moan stant fast  
〈…〉 at the last  
〈…〉 with astronomy  
I 〈…〉 that 〈…〉 astrology  
●●● which in judgement acompteth  
T●● 〈…〉 what every star amounteth  
And 〈…〉 they causen many a wonder  
To the climates that stant under  
And for to tell it more pleyne  
T●●s● 〈◊〉 ●● philosophers say  
That 〈…〉 which I spoke of ere  
●● that which the earth a far  
〈…〉 t and fi●●●ament it call  
In which the stars stonden all  
Among the which in speaalle  
Plenctes seven principal  
There been that manues sight deemeth  
But thorough out as us seemeth  
And also there been signs twelve  
Which have these clerks by 'emself  
Compassed in the ●odyak  
In which they have her places take  
And as they stonden in degree  
Here cercles more or less be  
Made after the proportion  
Of the earth whose condition  
Is set to be fundament  
To sustain up the firmament  
And by this skill a man may know  
The more that they standen low  
The more been the circles lass  
That causeth why that some pass  
Her due course to fore another  
But now my lyeve dear brother  
As thou desivest for to wite  
What I find in the books write  
To tell the of planets seven  
How that they stand upon the heaven  
And in what point that they been in  
Take heed for I will begin  
So as the philosopher it taught  
To Alysander and he it reached  
Whereof that he was full betaught  
Of wisdom which was him betaught   
Nota hic de prima planeta que alnes inferior luna dicitur  

beneath all other stont the moan  
Which hath with the see to done  
Of stoodes high & ebbs low  
Upon his change it shall be know  
And every fish which hath a schelle  
Mo●e in his governance dwell  
To weigh & wane in his degree  
As by the moan a man may see  
And all that stont upon the ground  
Of his moisture it must be found  
All other stars as men find  
By shining of her own kind  
Out take only the moan light  
Which is not of himself bright  
But as he taketh it of the son  
And yet he hath not all full won  
His light that he nis somedeal dark  
But what the let is of that work  
In all majesty it telleth this  
The moans Cercle so low is  
Whereof the son out of stage  
He seeth him not with full visage  
For he with ground so shaded  
That the moan is somedeal faded  
And may not full shine clear  
But what man under his power  
Is bore/ he shall his places change  
And seche many lands strange  
And of his condition  
The moans disposition  
Upon the land of Almaigne  
Is set and eke upon britain  
Which now is cleped england  
For they travail in every land   
De secunda planeta que Mercurius diciture  

Of the planets the second  
Above the moan hath take his bond  
Mercury and his nature is this  
That under him who that bore is  
In book he shall be studious  
And in writing curious  
And sloth & lustles in travail  
In thing which else might avail  
He loveth ease he loveth rest  
So is he not the worthiest  
But yet with somedeal business  
His heart is set upon richesse  
And as in this condition  
The effect and disposition  
Of this planet of his chance  
Is most in Burgoyne & in France   
De tercia planeta que Venus dicitur  

Next to Mercury as will befall  
Stant the planets which men call  
Venus whose constellation  
Governeth all the nation  
Of loves whether they speed or none  
Of which I trow thou be one  
But whether ward thy haps wend  
Shall this planet she we at end  
As it hath do to many more  
To some we'll/ to some woe  
And nevertheless of this planet  
The most party is soft and sweet  
For who that thereof taketh his birth  
He shall desire joy and mirth  
gentle courteous and debonair  
To speak his words soft and fair  
Snche shall he be by weigh of kind  
And overall where he may find  
pleasance of love his heart loveth  
With all his might/ and there he wooeth  
He is so farforth amorous  
He note what thing is vycyo●●s  
Touching for that law  
There may no manner man withdraw  
The which Veneryen is boar  
By weigh of kind/ and therefore  
Venus of love the goddess  
Is cleped but of wantonness  
The climate of her lechery  
Is most commune in lombardy   
Nota de sole qui medio planetaram residens Astrorum principatum obtinet  

Next unto the planets of love  
The bright son stont above  
Which is the hynderer of the night  
And f●rthereth of the days light  
As he which is the worlds ●ye  
thorough whom the lusty company  
Of fowls by the morol●e sing  
The fresh flowers spread and spring  
The high tree the ground beshadeth  
And every man's heart gladeth  
For it is the heed planet  
Now that he sitteth in his seat  
Of what richesse and what nobleye  
These books tell and thus they say   
Nota de curru solis necnon de eius dem apparatu/  

oF gold glispering spole & wheel  
The son his cart hath fair & we'll/  
In which he sitteth & is coroned  
With bright stones environed  
Of which if that I speak shall  
There be tofore in special  
Set in the frounte of his corone  
H●● stones which no person  
Hath upon earth/ and the first is  
By name cleped Lycuthis  
That other two been cleped thus  
Astryces and Seramyus  
In his corone also behind  
By old books as I find  
There been of worthy stones three  
Set each of his degree  
Whereof a Crystal is that one  
Which that Coroune it set upon  
The second is an admaunt  
The third is noble and advenaunt  
Which cleped is ydryates  
And over this yet nevertheless  
●o●●n the sides of the work  
After the writing of the clerk  
There sit/ ●/ stone's ●●o  
The smaragdyne is one of though  
●os●●s and Elithropius  
And dendydes and jacinctus  
Loo thus the crown is beset  
Whereof it shineth well the bet  
And in such wise his light to spread  
Sit with his diadem on his heed  
The son shining in his cart  
And for to lead him swith & smart  
After the bright days law  
There been ordained for to draw  
Four horses his char & him with all  
Whereof the names tell I shall  
Ertheus the first is hot  
The which is tede shining hot  
The second acteos the bright  
Lamps the third horse height  
And philogeus is the ferth  
That bringeth light in to this earth  
And gone so swift upon the heaven  
In four & twenty hours even  
The cart with the bright son  
They draw so that over run  
They have under the circles high  
All middle earth in such an high  
And thus the son is overall  
The chief planet Imperial  
Above him/ and beneath him three  
And thus between twain runneth he  
As he that hath the middle place  
Among the seven & of the face  
Be glad all earthly creatures  
And taken after the natures  
Here ease and recreation  
And in his Constellation  
He that is boar in special  
Of good will & of liberal  
He shall ●e found in all place  
And also stonden in middle grace  
Toward the lords for to serve  
And great profit & thank deserve  
And over that it causeth yet  
A man to be subtile of wit  
To work in gold to be wise  
In every thing that is of prise  
But for to speaken in what Coost  
Of all this earth he reigneth most  
As for wisdom it is in grece  
Where is appropered thilk spece   
Nota de quinta planeta que mars dicitur  

Mars the planet batayllous  
Next to the son glorious  
Above stant & doth marvels  
Upon the fortune of battles  
The Conquerors by days old  
Were unto this planet hold  
But who that his nativity  
Hath taken upon the property  
Of Mart's disposition  
By weigh of constellation  
He shall be fers and full hastyf  
And desirous of were and strif  
But for to tell readily  
In what climate most continually  
That this planet hath his affect  
Said is that he hath his aspect  
Upon the holy land so cast  
That there is no peace steadfast   
Nota de sexta planeta que Iubiter dicitur  

Above mars upon the heaven  
The sixth planets of the seven  
Stant jubiter he delicate  
Which causeth peace and no debate  
For he is cleped that planet  
Which of his kind cold & heat  
Attempreth all that to him longeth  
And whom this planet underfongeth  
To stand upon his raiment  
He shall be meek and patient  
And fortunate to marchaundye  
And lusty to delicacy  
In every thing which he shall d●  
This jubiter is cause also  
Of the science of high works  
And in this wise tell clerks  
He is the planet of delyces  
But in Egypt of his offices  
He runneth most in special  
For there be lusts overalle  
Of all that to this life befalleth  
For there no stormy weather falleth  
Which might grieve man or be'st  
And ●●e the land is so honest  
That it is plenteous and pleyne  
There is no idle ground in vain  
And upon such felicity  
Stant jubiter in his degree   
De septima planeta que reliquis celcior Saturuus dictus est  

The highest and above all  
Stant the planet which men call  
Saturnus whose complexion  
Is cold and his condition  
Causeth malice and cruelty  
To him whose nativity  
Is set under his governance  
For all his works been grievance  
And enemy to man's hele  
In what degree that he shall deal  
His clement is the orient  
Where that he is most violent  
Of the planets by & by  
How that they stand upon the sky  
from point to point as thou might here  
Was Alysander made to lere  
But over this touching his lore  
Of thing that they him taught more  
Upon the scoles of Clergy  
Now hearken 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 which departed day fro night  
That one derk/ & that other light  
Of seven days made a wyke  
A month of four weeks eke  
He hath ordained in his law  
Of months xij & eke forth draw  
He hath also the long year  
And as he set of his power  
Accordaunt to the days seven  
Planets seven upon the heaven  
As thou to fore host heard devise  
To speak right in such a wise  
To every month by himself  
Upon the heaven of signs twelve  
He hath after his ordynalle  
Assigned one in special  
Whereof so as I shall rehearse  
The tides of the year diverse  
But plainly for to make it know  
How that the signs set arrow  
Each after other by degree  
In substance and in property  
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 which of the first nevertheless  
By name is cleped Aryes  
Which lyche a wether of stature  
Resembled is in his figure  
And as it is said in almageste  
Of stars twelve upon the best  
Bene set/ whereof in his degree  
The w●●e hath two/ the heed hath three  
The tail hath seven/ and in this wise  
As thou might hear me devise  
S●●nt Aryes which hot & dry  
〈…〉 of himself and in party  
〈…〉 s the receit & the house  
Of mighty mars the bataylouse  
And evermore ●ke as I find  
The creatonre of all kind  
V●on 〈◊〉 is si● ne first began  
The world when that he made man  
And of his constellation  
The very operation  
Availeth if a man therein  
The purposes of his work bigyn  
For than he hath of property  
Good speed and felicity  
The twelve months of the year  
Attytled under the power  
Of these twelve signs stand  
Whereof that thou shalt understand  
This Aryes one of the twelve  
Hath march attitled for himself  
When every bird shall cheese his make  
That every Adder and every, suake  
And every reptyle which may move  
His might assayeth for to prove  
To crepen out against the son  
When vere his season hath begun   
Secundum signum dicitur ●aur●●s cuiu● mensis est Apr●●●s Quo prius occulta● invenit herba vi● as/  

Caurus the second after this  
Of signs which figured is  
Unto a bowl is dry and cold  
And as it is in books told  
He is the house appertynaunt  
To Venus' somedeal discordant  
This bowl is eke with stars set  
through which he hath his horns knee  
Unto the tail of Aryes  
So is he not there sterreles  
Upon his breast eyghten  
He hath & eke as it is seen  
Upon his tail stant there other more  
His month assigned eke also  
Is aureel which of show●es  
ministereth weigh unto the flowers   
Tercium signum dicitur gemini c●●●us mensis mayus est Quo volucrum cantus gaudet de floribus cetis  

The third sign is gemyny  
Which is figured readily  
Lyche to the twins of one kyn●e  
That naked stonden/ and as I find  
They been with stars well I go  
The heed hath part of thilk two  
That shine upon the booles' tail  
So been they both of one paray●e  
But of the womle of geminy  
Ben five stars not for thy  
And eke upon the feet been tw●●  
And so these old books say  
That wise tholemeus wrote  
His proper month well I wot  
Assigned is the lusty may  
When every brydde upon his lay  
among the green leaves singeth  
And love of his poynture stingeth  
After the laws of nature  
The youth of every creature   
Quartum signum cancer dicitur cuius mensis iunius est/ Quo falcat pra●is pabula tonsor equis  

Cancer after the rule of space  
Of signs hold the first place  
Like to the crab he hath resemblance  
And hath unto his retynaunce  
Xuj stars whereof ten  
So as these old wise men  
Discr●ueth beareth on him tofore  
And in the middle two been bore  
And iiij he hath upon his end  
Thus goeth he stirred in his kind  
And of himself is moist & cold  
And he is the proper house & hold  
Which appertaineth to the moan  
And doth what longeth him to done  
The month of june unto this sign  
Thou shalt after the rule assign   
Quintum signum leo dicitur cuius mensis julius est  

The fifth sign is lo hot  
whose kind is shape both dry & hot  
In whom the son hath herbegage  
And the semblance of his image  
Is a lion which in bayllye  
Of stertes hath his purpartye  
The four which as cancer hath  
Upon his end lo hath  
Upon his heed & than next  
He hath eke four upon his breast  
And upon his tail behind  
In old books as we find  
His proper month is jule 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 lo virgo next  
Of signs cleped is the sext  
Whereof the figure is a maid  
And as the phylosophre said  
She is the wealth and the rising  
The lust the joy & the liking  
Unto mercury & sooth to say  
She is with stars well besaye  
Whereof lo hath lent her one  
Which set on high her heed upon  
Her womb hath v/ her feet also  
Have other five and ever more  
touching as of complexion  
By kindly disposition  
Of dry & cold this maiden is  
And for to tell over this  
Her month thou shalt understand  
When every field hath corn on hand  
And many a man his back hath plied  
Unto this sign is august aplyed   
Septimum signum libra dicitur cuius mensis septembris est, Vinea quo bachum pressa liquore colit  

After virgo to reckon even  
Libra sit in the number of heaven  
Which hath figure & resemblance  
Unto a man which a balance  
beareth in his hand as for to weigh  
In book as it may be say  
divers stars to him longeth  
Whereof he underfongeth  
First three & eke his womb hath two  
And down beneath viij other to  
The sign is hot & moist both  
The which things be not loath  
Unto Venus so that a loft  
She resteth in his house full oft  
And eke saturnus often hied  
Is in the sign and magnified  
His proper month is said septembre  
Which giveth men cause to remember  
If any sore be left behind  
Of thing which grieve may by kind   
Octau●m signum soorpio dicitur cuius mensis octobris est/ Floribus ●xclusis yemps qui ●auitor extat  

Among the signs upon height  
The sign which numbered is eight  
Is soorpyo which as fellow  
figured to a soorpyon  
But for all that nevertheless  
Is soorpyo yet not sterlesse  
For libra granteth him his end  
Of vin stars where he wend  
T●● which upon his heed assysed  
He beareth & three eke been devised  
Upon his womb stars three  
And v●● upon his tail hath he  
Which of kind is moist & cold  
And unbehovely many a fold  
He ba●meth venus and empe●reth  
But mars unto his house repeyreth  
But ware when they to guider dwellen  
His proper month is as men t●llen  
O●to● re which bringeth the kalende  
Of winter that cometh next suende   
Nonum signum sagittarius dicitur cu●us mensis novembris est. Qui mustum libulo linquit sua nomina vino  

Th● 〈◊〉 ●●●●ne in november also  
Which followeth after scorpio  
Is eleped sagittarius  
whose figure is marked thus  
A monster with a bow in hand  
On whom that sundry stars stand  
Thilk v●i● of which I spoke tofore  
The which upon the tail be lor●  
Of scorpyo the heed all fair  
Be spredden of the sagittayre  
And vii● of other stonden even  
Upon his womb & other seven  
There stonden upon his tail behind  
And he is hot & dry of kind  
To jubyter his house is free  
But to marcurye in his degree  
For they be not of one assent  
He wercheth great empeyrement  
This sign to his property  
A month which of his duty  
After the season that befalleth  
The plough ox in winter stalleth  
After fire in to the hall it bringeth  
And ●ke of which men singeth  
He turneth must in to the wine  
Than is the lard of the swine  
That is november which I mean  
When that the leef hath lost his green   
Decimum signum capricornius vicitur cuius mensis decembris est ipse diem navo nectem que giganti figurat  

The x sign dry and cold  
The which is capricornus cold  
Unto a ghoot hath resemblance  
For whose love & acquaintance  
Within his house to sorourne  
It liketh unto satourne  
But unto the moan it liketh nought  
For no profit is there wrought  
The sign as of his property  
Upon his heed hath stars three  
And eke upon his womb two  
And two upon his tail also  
december after the years form  
So as the books us inform  
●yth days short & nights long  
This ilk sign hath underfeng   
Vndecimun signum aquarius dicitur cuius mensis ●anuarius est/ Quo janus vultum dup●● convertit in annum  

Of two that satin upon the heaven  
Of signs in the number eleven  
Aquarius hath take his place  
And stant well in saturnus grace  
Which dwelleth in his berbegage  
But to the son he doth outrage  
This sign is berayly resembled  
Like to the man which hath assembled  
In either hand a water spout  
Whereof the streams rennen out  
He is of kind moist and hot  
And he that of the stars wot  
saith that he hath of stars two  
Upon his heed & been of ●ho  
That capricorn hath on his end  
And as the books maken mind  
That tholomeus made himself  
He hath eke on his womle twelve  
And two upon his end stand  
Thou shalt also understand  
though frosty cold river  
When comen is the new year  
That ●anus with double face  
In his chair hath take his place  
And looketh upon both sides  
Some deal toward the winter tides  
Some deal to ward the year suing  
That is the month belonging  
Unto this sign & of his dole  
Ye giveth the first prymerole   
Duo decimum signum psicis dicitue cuius mensis februarius est▪ Quo plwie torrens riparum concitat ampnes  

The xi● sign is last of all  
Of signs pisces men it call  
The which is as telleth the scripture  
beateth of two fishes the figure  
So is he cold and moist of kind  
And eke with stars as I find  
Beset in sundry wise as thus  
Two of his end aquarius  
Hath lent unto his heed & two  
This sign hath of his own also  
Upon his womb & over this  
Upon his end also there is  
A number of xx stars right  
Which is to seen wonder sight  
Toward this sign in to his house  
Cometh ●ubyter glorious  
And venus eke with him accordeth  
To dwellen as the book recordeth  
The month but to this sign ordaineth  
Is february which be rained  
And with land floods in his rage  
That fords letteth the passage  
Now hast thou heard the property  
Of signs but in this degree  
Albumazare yet over this  
saith so as the earth parted is  
In four right so been devised  
The signs twelve and stand assised  
That each of 'em in his party  
Hath his climate to ●ustefye  
Whereof the first regiment  
Toward the part of orryent  
From antioch and that country  
Governed is of signs three  
That is cancer virgo lo  
And toward thoc●●dent also  
From armeny as I am learned  
Of capricorn it stant governed  
Of piscis and aquarius  
And after 'em I find thus  
Southward fro alisaunder forth  
though signs which most ten worth  
In governance of that dayayre  
Librn they been and sagittayre  
With soorpyo which is conjoint  
With hem & stant upon the point  
Of constantinople the city  
So as the books tallen me  
The last of this division  
Stant outward septemtryon  
Where as by weigh of pourue●un●e  
Aryes hath the governance  
Forth with Taurus and geminy  
Thus been the signs properly  
Divided as it is ●hersed  
Whereof the lands been dyversed  
Loo thus my son as thou might here  
Was Alysander made to lere  
Of 'em that work for his lore  
But now to looken overmore  
Of other stars how they far  
I think hereafter for to declare  
So as king Alysander in youth  
Of 'em that such things couth  
Informed was tofore his eye  
By night upon the stars hyhe   
Hic tractat super doctrina Nectanabi/ dum ipse Iuuenem Allexandrum instruxit de illis praecipue quindecim stellis una eorum lapidibus et herbis ●ue ad artis Magice naturalis operaci onem specialius conveniunt  

upon sundry creation  
Stant sundry operation  
Some worth this some worth  
that/ The fire is hot in his estate  
And brenneth what he may attryne  
The water may the fire restrain  
The which is cold and moist also  
Of other thing it fareth also  
Upon the earth among us here  
And for to speak in this manner  
Upon the heaven as men may find  
There stars been of sundry kind  
And worchen many sundry things  
To be that been her underlings  
Among the which forth with all  
Nectanabus in special  
Which was an Astronomyen  
And eke a great magician  
And undertake hath thilk emprise  
To Alysander in his apprise  
As of magic naturele  
To know informed 'em somedeal  
Of certain stars what they mean  
Of which he seith th●● been fifteen  
And sonderly to everichone  
A grass belongeth and a stone  
Whereof men worchen many a wonder  
To set thing loath up and under   
Prima stella vocatur Alde●oran/ cuius carbunculus et herba anabulla est  

To tell right as he began  
The first star Alde●oran  
The clearest and the most of all  
By right name men it call  
Which is of condition  
To mars and of compleyion  
To Venus and hath thereupon  
Carbuncle his proper stone  
His herb is anabulla named  
Which is of great virtue proclaimed   
Secunda stella vocatur Clota seu pliades cuins lapis cristallum et herba funiculus est  

The second is not vertules  
Clota or else plyades  
Is hot and of the moans kind  
He is and also this I find  
He taketh of mars complexion  
And lyche to such condition  
His stone appropered is Cristalle  
And eke his herb in special  
The virtuous Fenel it is  
The thyrdde which cometh after this   
Tercia stella vocatur Algol▪ cuius lafoy pis Diamans et herba Eleborum nigrum est  

Is hot Algol the clear read  
Which of Saturn as I may t●de  
His kind taketh and eke of Io●e  
Complexion to his belove  
His proper stone is Dyamant  
Which is to him most acordaunt  
His herb which is him betake  
Is hot E●●●pum the black   
Quarta stella vocatur Alhaiot/ cuius lapis ●aphi●s et herba maribium est  

So as it falleth upon ●●tte  
The fourth star is Albaiotte  
Which in the wise as I said et  
Of saturn and of ●ubiter  
Hath take his kind and thereupon  
sapphire is his proper stone  
Ma●bium his herb also  
The which accordene to the two   

Quint● stella vocatut canis mator cu  
ius lapis ber●●●us et herba savina est  
And canis maior in his like  
The fifth star is of magic  
The whose kind is veneryens  
As seith this Astronomyen  
His proper stone is said beryl  
But for to work and to fulfil  
Thing which to this science falleth  
There is an herb which men calleth  
Saveyne/ and that he behoveth need  
To him that will his purpose speed   
Sexta stella vocatur canis minor cuius lapis Arc●ates et herba primula est  

The sixth sewing after this  
By name canis minor is  
The which star is mer●●ryall  
By weigh of kind and forth with all  
As it is written in the cart  
Complexion he taketh of mart  
His stone and herb as seith the school  
B●● Achat●s and prymerole   
Septima stella vocatur A●a●/ cuius lapis garg●●●●● & herba c●●idonia est  

The right star in special  
Of this science is Ariall  
Which sundry nature undersongeth  
The stone which proper unto him longeth/  
Gargonaza propyrly it height  
His herb also which he shall right  
Upon the working as I mean  
Is selidone fresh and green   
Octava stella vocatur Ala corui cuius lapis honochinus et herba lappacia est  

Star ala corui upon height  
Hath take his place in number of eight  
Which of his kind must perform  
The will of mart and of saturn  
To whom ●appacia the great  
Is herb but no beyete  
His stone is Honochinus hot  
thorough which men worchen great riot   
Nona stella vocatur Alaezel/ cuius lapis Smaragdis et herba salgea est  

The ninth star fair and we'll  
By name is hot Alaezele  
Which taketh his proper kind thus  
Both of mercury and of Venus  
His stone is green Emerawde  
To whom is given many a laud  
Soulge is his herb appertynaunt  
above all the remnant   
Decima stella Vocatur Almareth cuius lapis Iaspis est et herba plantago est/  

The tenth star is Almareth  
Which upon life and upon death  
thorough kind of jubiter & of mart  
He doth what longeth to his part  
His stone is ●asper and of plantain  
He hath his herb sovereign   
●●ndecima stella vocatur venenas cuius lapis adamans et herba ci●o●●a ●  

The ●●●euenth storre is venenas  
The whose nature is as it was  
Take of Venus and of the moan  
In thing which he hath for to done  
Of Adamaunt is that perry  
In which he worcheth his mastery  
Thilk herb also which him befalleth  
Cicorea the book it calleth   
Duodecima stella vocatur Alpheta cu ius lapis topasyon et hetha rosamarina est▪  

Alpheta in the number sit  
And is the twelft star yet  
Of Scorpio which is governed  
And taketh his kind as I am learned  
And hath his virtue in the stone  
Which cleped is Topasione  
His herb his proper rosemaryne  
Which shapen is for his covin   
Tercia decima stella vocatur cor scorpionis/ cuius lapis Sardis et herba as trilogie est  

Of these stars which I mean  
Cor Scorpionis is the thirteen  
The whose nature mart and jove  
Have given unto his behove  
His herb is astrology  
Which followeth his astronomy  
The stone which that this star alloweth/  
Is Sardys which to him loweth/   
Quart decima vocatur botercadent cuius lapis Crisolitus et herba saturea est  

The star which stant next to the last  
Nature of him this name cast  
And cleped him botercadent  
Which of his kind is obedient  
Unto Mercury and to Venus  
His stone is called Crisolitus  
His herb is cleped Satureye  
So as these old books say   
Quinta decima stella vocatur cauda scorpionis/ cuius lapis calcidonia et herba maiorana dicitur  

But now the last star of all  
The tail of scorpio men call  
Which to Mercury and to Saturn  
By weigh of kind moat return  
After the preparation  
Of due constellation  
The calcidome unto him longeth  
Which for his stone he underfongeth  
Of maioron his herb is founded  
Thus have I said how they be grounded  
Of every star in special  
Which hath his herb & stone with all  
As Hermes in his looks old  
Witness beareth of that I told   
Nota hic de auctoribus illis qui ad astronomy scienciam pre ceteris studi oflus intendentes libros super hoc distinctis nominibus composuerunt  

The science of astronomy  
Which principal is of clergy  
To deny between woe and we'll  
In things that been naturele  
They had a great travail on hand  
That made it first he understand  
And they also which evermore  
Her study set upon this lore  
They word gracious and wise  
And worthy for to bear a prise  
And whom it liketh for to wite  
Of 'em that this science write  
One of the first which it wrote  
After Noah it was Nembrote  
To his disciple Ychonyton  
And made a book forth therumpon  
The which magastre eleped was  
Another author in this cas  
Is Arachell the which men note  
Which a clerk know mote  
Dane tholome is not the least  
Which maketh the book of alma●●est  
And Affraganus doth the same  
whose book Cathenus by name  
Gebus and Alpetragus eke  
Of palmesta which men seek  
The books made/ & over this  
Full many a worthy clerk is  
That written upon the clergy  
The books of Aldemetry  
Pal nestry and eke also  
Which as belonging both two  
So as they been naturyens  
Unto these Astronomyens'  
Men say that Abraham was one  
But whether that he wrote or none  
That find I not and Moses  
Eke was another but Hermes  
Above all other in this science  
He had a great experience  
Thoaigh him were many a star assised/  
whose books been yet auctorysed  
I may not known all though  
That written in the time though  
Of this science/ but I find  
Of judgement by weigh of kind  
That in one point thry all accorden  
Of sterees which they recorden  
That men may see upon the heaven  
There been a thousand stars even  
And two and twenty to the sight  
Which been of 'em self so bright  
That men may dame what they be  
The nature and the property  
Now baste thou herd in such a wise  
These noble philosophers wise  
Informed this young king  
And made him have a knowledging  
Of thing which first the party  
Belongeth of philosophy  
Which Rethoryke cleped is  
As thou tofore hast herd or this  
But now to speak of the second  
Which Aristotle bath so fond  
‛ And teacheth how to speak fair  
Which is a thing full necessaire  
The counterpoise the balance  
Where lacketh other suffisance   
Compositi pulcra sermones verba placere/ Principio poterunt vera qʒ fine placent, Herba lapis sermo tria sunt virtute plato Vis tamen ex verbi 'pon dear plura facit  
Hic tractat de secunda part philosophy/ cuius nomen Rethorica facundos efficit/ loquitur eciam de eiusdem duabus speciebus/ scilicet gramatica logica quacum doctrina Rethorica sua verba perornat  

Above all earthly creatures  
The which maker of natures  
The world to man hath given alone  
So that the speech of his person  
Or for to lose or for to win  
The hearts thought which is within  
May show what it would mean  
And that is nowhere else seen  
Of kind with none other be'st  
So should he be the more honest  
To whom god hath so great gift  
And look well that he ne shift  
His words to nove wicked bse  
For word the teacher of vertuse  
Io cleped in philosophy  
Whereof touching this party  
Is rhetoric the science  
appropered to the reverence  
Of words that been reasonable  
And for this art shall be vailable  
With goodly words for to like  
It hath grammar/ it hath logic  
That serven both unto the speech  
Grammar hath first for to teach  
To speak upon congruyte  
logic hath eke in his degree  
between the truth and the falsehood  
The pleyne words for to shed  
So that no thing shall go beside  
That he the right shall not decide  
Whereof full many a great debate  
Reform is to good estate  
And peace sustained upon loft  
With easy words and with soft  
Where strength should let it fall  
The philosopher amongs all  
For they commenden this science  
Which hath the rule of eloquence  
In stone and grass virtue there is  
But yet the books tell this  
That word about all earthly things  
Is virtuous in his doings  
Where so it be evil or good  
For if the words seemen good  
And been well spoke at man's ere  
When that there is no truth there  
They done full oft full great deceit  
For when the word to the conceit  
Discordeth in so double wise  
Such rhetoric is to despise  
In every place and for to dread  
For Plyxes thus I read  
And in the book of Troy is found  
His eloquence and his fecund  
Of goodly words which he told  
Hath made that Antenor him sold  
The town which he with treason wan  
word hath beguiled many a man  
With word the wild be'st is daunted  
With word the serpent is enchanted  
Of word among the men of arms  
Been wounds heeled with the charms  
Words been virtuous and fine  
Where lacketh other medicine  
Of sorcery the carectes  
The words been of sundry sects  
Of evil and eke of good also  
The words maken friend and foo  
Of foo a friend and peace of were  
And were of peace and out of her  
The word the worlds cause entryketh  
And reconcileth whom him liketh  
The word under the cope of heaven  
Set every thing or odd or even  
With word the high god is pleased  
With word the worlds been appeased  
The soft word the loud stilleth  
Where lacketh good that word futfylloth  
To make amends for the wrong  
When words medlen with the song  
It doth pleasance well the more  
But for to look upon this lore  
How Tullius his rhetoric  
Compouneth there a man may pike  
How that he shall his words set  
How he shall lose how he shall knet  
And in what wise he shall pronounce  
His tale pleyne without frounce  
Whereof ensample if thou wilt seche  
Take heed and read whilom the speech   
Nota de eloquencia julij in causa Cateline contra Tilenum et alios tunc urbis roman continentes  

oF julius and Cithero  
Which consul was of rome though  
Of Caton eke and Tillene  
Behold the words hem bit ween  
When the treason of Catelyne  
Discovered was and the covin  
Of 'em that were of his assent  
Was know and spoke in parliament  
And asked how and in what wise  
Men should done 'em to jewyse  
Cillenus first his tale told  
And as he was to truth behold  
The common proufite for to save▪  
He said treason should have  
A cruel death▪ and thus they speak  
The consul both & Caton eke  
And saiden that for such a wrong  
There may no pain be to strong  
But julius with words wise  
His tale told all other wise  
As he which would his death respite  
And foundeth how he might excite  
The judges thorough his eloquence  
from death to torn the sentence  
And set her hearts to pity  
Now told they/ now could he  
They speaken plain after the law  
But he the words of his saw  
Coloured in another weigh  
Speaking/ and thus between the sway  
To trece upon this judgement  
Made each of 'em his argument  
Whereof the tales for to lere  
There may a man the school here  
Of rhetoric the eloquence  
Which is the second of science  
Touching to philosophy  
Whereof a man shall justify  
His words in disputation  
And knit upon conclusion  
His argument in such a form  
Which may the pleyne troth inform  
And the subtle cautel abate  
Which every true man shall debate   
Peacticat quemque statum pars tercia philosophy/ Ad regimen recte donec in orb vie/ Set quanto maior rex est/ tanto magis ipsum▪ Ex scola concernit qua sua regna regat/  
Hic tractat de tercia part philosophy 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 which theoric  
And the second rhetoric  
sciences of philosophy  
I have 'em told as in party  
So as the philosopher it told  
To Alysander and now I would  
Tell of the thirdde what it is  
The which practic cleped is  
practic stant upon three things  
To ward the governance of kings  
Whereof the first Etyke is named  
The whose science stant proclaimed  
To trehe of virtue thilk rule  
How that a king himself shall rule  
Of his moral condition  
With worthy disposition  
Of good living in his person  
Which is the chief in his corone  
It maketh a king also to learn  
How he his body shall govern  
How he shall wake how he shall sleep  
How that he shall his he'll keep  
In meet in drink in clothing eke  
There is no wisdom for to seek  
As for the rule of his person  
Which this science all one  
Ne teacheth as by weigh of kind  
That there nothing leave behind  
That other point which to practic  
Belongeth to Iconomyke  
Which teacheth thilk honest  
thorough which a king in his degree  
His wife and child shall rule & gy  
So farforth all the company  
Which in his household should abide  
And his estate on every side  
In such manner for to lead  
That he his household not myslede  
Practyke hath yet the third apprise  
Which teacheth how and in what wise  
thorough hyhe purveyed ordinance  
A king shall set in governannce  
His ream. and that is policy  
Which longeth unto regal  
In time of were/ in time of peace  
To worship and to god increase  
Of clerk of knight of Merchant  
And so forth of the remnant  
Of all the common people about  
Within borgh and eke without  
Of 'em that been artificers  
Which usen craft and mysters  
Whoos art is cleped Mathematyke  
And though they be not all like  
Yet nevertheless how so it fall  
One law moat govern 'em all  
Or that they lose or that they win  
After the state that they been in   

Loo thus the worthy young king  
Was fully laughed of every thing  
Which might give intendment  
Of good rule and of good regem●t  
Is such a worthy prince as he  
But of very necessity  
The philosopher him hath bitake  
five points which he hath undertake/  
Took and hold in observance  
afore the worthy governance  
Which longeth to his regal  
After the rule of policy   
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 praecipue 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 every man behoveth lore  
But to no man belongeth more  
Than to a king which hath to 〈◊〉/  
The people for his knyghthede  
He may hem both save and spill  
And for it stont upon his will  
It sit him well to be advised  
And the virtues which been assised  
Unto a kings regiment  
To take his intendment  
Whereof to tell as they stand  
Herafterward now will I fond  
Among the vertuce one is chief  
And that is truth which is lyef  
To god and eke to man also  
And for it hath been ever so  
Taught Aristotle as it is couth  
To A●●sandre as he well couth  
He should of truth thilk grace  
with all his heart embrace  
So that his heart be true and plain  
Toward the world and so certain  
That in him he no double speech  
For if men should truth seche  
And find it not within a king  
It were full unfitting thing  
The word is token of that within  
There shall a worthy king begin  
To keep his tongue and to be true  
So shall his price been ever new  
advise him every man tofore  
And be well aware or he be swore  
For afterward it is to late  
If that he would his word debate  
For as a king in special  
A●●ue all other in pryncipal  
Of his power so should he be  
most virtuous in his degree  
And that may be well signified  
By his crown and specified   
Not● super hijs que Corona Regis designatur  

The gold betokeneth excellence  
That men should done him reverence  
A● to her lyege sovereign  
The stones as the books sayn●  
Commended been in trouble wise  
first they been hard and thilk assize  
Betokeneth a king's constance  
So that there shall no variance  
Be found in his condttion  
And also by description  
The virtue which is in the stones  
A very sign is for the nonce  
Of that a king shall be honest  
And hold true his behest  
Of thing which longeth to knygthede  
The bright colour as I read  
which is in the stones shining  
Is in fignre betokening  
The chronic of his worlds fame  
which stant upon his good name  
The Ce●●le which is round about  
Is token of all the ●onde without  
Which stant under his hierarchy  
That he it well shall keep & guy  
And for that truth how it fall  
Is vertu sovereign oue●alle  
That longed unto regiment  
A tale which is evident  
Of truth in commendation  
Toward thine ●●formacion  
My sone hereafter thou shalt here  
Of a chronic in this ma●●r●   

As the chronic it doth wherce  
A soldan whi●●me was of pierce  
Which daryes height and y●aspis  
His father was and sooth it is  
Of high lineage and by discente  
The reign of thilk empire he hent  
That thorough wisdom & hy●e prudence  
More than by other reverence  
And for he was himself wise  
The wise men he held in prise  
And sought 'em out on every side  
That toward him they should abide  
Among the which three there were  
That must service unto him bear  
As they which in his chambre leyne  
And all his council herd and sayen  
Here names been of strange note  
Arphages was the first hot  
And Monachas was the second  
Zorababel as it is found  
In the chronic was the third  
This Sultan what so him betide  
To 'em he tri●t most of all●  
Whereof the cause is so bifalle  
This ●ord/ which hath conceits deep  
Upon a night when he should sleep  
As he which hath his wits disposed  
touching a point hem hath opposed   
Hic na●●at qualiter Darius filius Itaspis soldanus Percy a tribus suis cubicularibus/ qu●●um nomina A●phag●s/ Monachas et Zorobabel/ dicta sunt nomine questionis singillatim in terrogavit utrum rex aut mulier/ aut vinum maioris fortitudinis vim opti neret ipsis/ Vero varias opiniones respondentibus Zorobabel ultimis asseruit qd mu●●er sui amoris complacencia tam regis quam vini potenciam excellit/ addidit eciam pro finali conclusione dicens quod veritas super onnia vincit. cuius responsio ceteris laudabilior a●cepta●atur  

tHe kings question was this  
Of things which strongest is  
The win the woman or that king  
And that they should upon this thing  
Of her answer advised be  
He gave hem days fully three  
And hath bihote hem by his faith  
That who so best reason seith  
He shall receive a worthy meed  
Upon this thing they token heed  
And studied on disputation  
That they by diverse opinion  
Of arguments that they hold  
Arphages first his tale told  
And said how that the strength of kings  
Is mightiest of all things  
For king hath power over man  
And man is which reason can  
As he which is of his nature  
The most noble creature  
Of all though that god hath wrought  
And by that skill it seemeth nought  
He seith that any ●rthely thing  
May be so mighty as a king  
A king may spill a king may save  
A king may make a lord a knave  
And of a knave a lord also  
The power of a king standeth so  
That he the laws over passeth  
What he will make lass he it lasseth  
What he will make more he moreth  
He sleeth that no man it restoreth  
But he alone all other tameth  
Who him displeaseth he grameth  
And stant himself of law fire  
Loo this is a kings might seith he  
So as his reason can argue  
Is strongest and of most value  
But Monachas seith other wise  
That wine is of the more emprise  
And that he showeth by this weigh  
The wine full oft taketh away  
The reason fro the man's heart  
The win can make a crepul sterte  
And ●●●●lyuer man unwylde  
It maketh a blind man to behold  
And a bright eye sometime dark  
It maketh a lewd man a clerk  
And fro the clerks the clergy  
I● taketh away and cowardy  
It turneth in to hardiness  
Of Avarice it maketh largesse  
The wine maketh eke the good blood  
In which the soul which is good  
Hath chosen her a resting place  
While that the life her will embrace  
And by this skill Monachas  
Answered hath upon this was  
And seith that win by w●y of stind  
Is thing which may the hearts blind  
Well more than the regal  
zorobabel for his party  
Seid as him thought for the best  
That women been the mightiest  
The king and the vynour also  
Of women comen both two  
And eke he said how that manhood  
thorough strength unto womanhead  
Of love whether he will or none  
Obey shall▪ and therupon  
To show of women the mastery  
A tale which he saw 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  
Which daughter was 〈◊〉 the pal●is/  
Sitting upon his deys  
When he was hottest in his ire  
Toward the great of his empire  
Cirus the king ti●aunt she took  
And only by her goodly look  
She made him debonair and meek  
And by the chin and by the cheek  
She logged him right as her list  
That now she ●●ped & now she kyst  
And doth with him what ever her liketh/  
When that she loureth than he siketh/  
And when she gladeth he is glad  
And thus the king is overlad  
With her which his leman was  
Among the men is no solas  
If that there he no woman there  
For but if that the woman were  
This worlds joy were away  
This is truth that I you say  
To knighthood and to ●●●ldes same  
They make a man to dread shame  
And honour for to be desired  
thorough the beauty of hem is desired  
The dar●e which Cupid throweth  
Whereof the iolyf peynt groweth  
Which all the world ●oth vnderfo●●  
A woman is the manne●●ote  
His life/ his death his woe his we●●  
And this thing may be she wed we●●  
How that women been good & kind  
For in ensample thus I find   
Nota de fide●●tate coniugis quartter A●cesta vx●● Ameti ut maritum su● vivificaret seipsam m●●ti spontance subegit  

wHen that the duke Ametus●ay  
Seek in his ●ed that every day  
Men waiten when he should day  
Alcestis his▪ wife goth for to pray  
devoutly praying for to w●●●●  
with sacrifice unto Myn●●●e  
To wy●● answer of the goddess  
How that h●r lord of his sickness  
Whereof he was so ●o ●isene  
Recover might his hele ●y●ne  
Loo thus she cried ●●o thus she prayed  
Tille at the last a voys her said  
That if she would for his sake  
The malady suffer and take  
And die herself he shall live  
Of this answer Alceste hath give  
Unto minerve great thanking  
She that her death and his living  
She cheese with all her hole intent  
And thus acorded home she went  
In to the chambre and when she came  
Her household anon she name  
In both her arms and him kissed  
And spoke unto him what her list  
And thereupon within a throw  
She lay down seek all overthrow  
And died and he was hole in haste  
So may a ●●n by reason taste  
How next after the god above  
The truth of woman and the love  
In whom that all grace is found  
Is mightiest upon the ground  
And most behovely many fold  
Loo thus Zorobabel hath told  
The tale of his opinion  
But for final conclusion  
What strongest is of earthly things  
The win the women or the kings  
He seith that truth above 'em all●  
Is mightiest how ever it fall  
The truth how so ever it come  
May for nothing been overcome  
It may well suffer for a throw  
But at the last it shall be know  
The proverb is who that is true  
He shall his while never rue  
For how so that the cause wend  
The truth is shameless at the end  
But thing that i● troutheles  
It may not we● be shameless  
And shame hindereth every wight  
So privily there is no might  
Without truth in no degree  
And thus for truth of his degree  
Zorobabel was most commended  
Whereof the question was ended  
And received hath his meed  
For truth which to man's need  
Is most behovelyche over all  
For thy was truth in special  
The first point in observance  
Be take unto the governance  
Of Alysander as it is said  
For thereupon the ground was laid  
Of every kings regiment  
As thing which most convenient  
Is for to set a king in even  
Both in this world▪ and eke in heaven   
Absit avaricia 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 avaricia regis nomen magnificum extollatur sed et sui subicionum diviciarum habundancia i●cundiores efficiuntur  

nExt after truth the second  
In policy as it is found  
Which serveth to the worlds fame/  
In worship of a kings name  
Largesse it is whose privilege  
There may no avarice abrege  
The worlds good was first commune  
But afterward upon fortune  
Was thylk common proufite ceased  
But when the people stood increased  
As the lineage we●en great  
Anon for singular beyete  
With sacrify unto minerve  
To wite answer of the goddess  
How that her lord of his sickness  
Whereof he was so woe bysene  
Recover might his hele again  
Lo thus she cried/ lo thus she prayed  
Till at the last a voys her said  
That if she would for his sake  
The malady suffer and take  
And die herself he shall live  
Of this answer alcest hath give  
Unto minerve great thonking  
She that her death & his living  
These with all her hole intent  
And thus accorded home she went  
In to the chambre & when she came  
Her busbond anon she name  
In both her arms & him kissed  
And spoke unto him what her list  
And there upon within a throw  
The good wife was overthrow  
She died & he was hole in haste  
So may a man by reason taste  
How next after the god above  
The truth of woman & the love  
In whom that all grace is found  
Is mightiest upon the ground  
And most behovely many fold  
Lo thus Zorobabel hath told  
The tale of his opinion  
But for final conclusion  
What strongest is of earthly things  
The wine the women or the kings  
He saith that truth above 'em all  
Is mightiest how ever it fall  
The truth how so ener it come  
May for no thing been overcome  
It may well suffer for a throw  
But at the last it shall be know  
The proverhies is who that is true  
He shall his while never rue  
For how so that the cause wend  
The truth is shameless at end  
But thing that is trouthlesse  
It may not well be shameless  
And shame hindereth every wight  
So privily there is no might  
With out truth in no degree  
And thus for truth of his degree  
Zorobabel was most commended  
Whereof the question was ended  
And he received hath his meed  
For troth which to man's need  
Is most behovelyche over all  
For thy was truth in special  
The first point in observance  
Be take unto the governance  
Of alysaunder as it is said  
For there upon the ground was laid  
Of every kings regiment  
As thing which most convenient  
Is for to set a king in even  
Both in this world & eke in heaven   
Absit avaricia 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 avaricia regie nomen magnificum extollatur sz et sui subditi om nium dunciarum habundancia iocundi ores efficiuntur/  

next after truth the second  
In policy as it is found  
Which serveth to the worlds fame  
In worship of a kings name  
Largesse it is whose privilege  
There may no avarice abrege  
The worlds good was first commune  
But afterward upon fortune  
Was thilk common prouffyt ceased  
But When the people stood increased  
As the lineages wexen great  
Anon for singular byȝ●●e  
Drew every man to his party  
Whereof common the first envy  
With great debate & warees strong  
And last among the men so long  
Till no man wist who was who  
Ne which was friend ne which foo  
while at last in every land  
Within 'em self the people fond  
That it was good to make a king  
Which might appesen all this thing  
And give right to the lignages  
In parting of her heritage's  
And eke of all the other good  
And thus above 'em all stood  
The king upon his regal  
As he which hath to iustefye  
The worlds good for covetise  
So sit it well in all wise  
A king between more and less  
To set his heart upon largesse  
Toward himself & eke also  
Toward his people & if not so  
That is to say if that he be  
Toward his self large and free  
And of his people take and pill  
Largesse by no weigh of skill  
It may be said but avarice  
Which in a king is a great vice  
A king hehoveth eke to flee  
The upce of prodegalyte  
That he measure in expense  
So keep that of indigence  
He may be safe fro who that needeth  
In all his work the were he speedeth   
Nota super hoc qued aristotilus ad Alexandrium exemplificavit de exactionibus Regis chaldeorun/  

aS aristotle upon Chaldee  
ensample of great authority  
Unto alisaunder taught  
Of thilk folk that were unsaughte  
Toward her king for his pillage  
Whereof he had in his courage  
That he unto three points intend  
Where that he would his good dispend  
first should he look how that it stood  
That all were of his own good  
The yefts which he would give  
So might he the better leave  
And eke he must taken heed  
If there be cause of any need  
Which ought to be deffended  
Or that his goods been dispended  
He moat eke as it is befall  
Among other things all  
See the decertes of his men  
And after they been of ken  
And of estate and merit  
He shall hem largely acquit  
Or for the were or for the pease  
That none honour fall in dyscreast  
Which might torn in to defame  
But that he keep his good name  
So that he be not hold unkind  
For in chronicle a tale I find  
Which speaketh some deal of this matter  
Here afterward as thou shalt here   
Hic secundum gesta julij exemplum ponit qualiter Rex suorum militum quos probos agnoverit indigenciam largitatis sue beneficijs relevare tenetur/▪  

In room to pursue his right  
There was a worthy pour knight  
Which came alone for to say  
His cause when the court was pleyne  
Where julyus was in presence  
And for him lacketh of his dyspence  
There was with him none advocate  
To make plea for his estate  
But though him lack for to plead  
Him lacketh nought of manhood  
He witted well his purse was poor  
But yet he thought his right receiver  
And o penly poverty allayed  
To the emperor & thus he seyed  
O julyns lord of the law  
Beheld my council is withdraw  
For lack of gold to thine office  
After the law of justice  
Help that I had council here  
Upon the truth of my matter  
And julyus with that anon  
Assigned him a worthy one  
But he himself no word spáke  
This knight was wroth & fond lake  
In the emperor & said thus  
O thou unkind julyus  
When thou in thy battle were  
Upon aufrik & I was there  
My might for the rescue I did  
And that no man in my stead  
Thou wottest wounds there I had  
But for I find the so bad  
That the ne list speak one word  
Thine own mouth or of thy hoard  
To give a floreyn me to help  
How should I than me be yelp  
from this forth of my largesse  
When such a great unkindness  
Is found in such a lord as thou  
This julyus knew well enough  
That all was sooth which he him told  
And for he would not been hold  
Unkind he took his cause on hand  
And as it were of gods sonde  
He gave him good enough to spend  
For ever unto his lives end  
And thus should every worthy king  
Take of his knights knowledging  
When that he saw they had need  
For every service asketh meed  
But other which have not deserved  
thorough virtue but of ●apes served  
A king shall not deserve grace  
Though he be large in such a place   
Hic ponit exemplum de rege antigo no qualiter dona regia secundum mame et minus & equa discrecione moderanda sunt  

iT sitteth well every king to have  
digression when men him crave  
So that he may his gift wite  
Whereof I find a tale write  
How Civichus a power knight  
A some which was over might  
Prayed of his king antygonus  
The king answered to him thus  
And said how such a yefte passeth  
His power estate and than he lasseth  
And asketh but a little penny  
If that the king would give him any  
The king answered it is to small  
For him that is a lord ryalle  
To give a man so little thing  
It were unworship in a king  
By this ensample a king may lere  
That for to give is in manner  
For if a king his treasure lasseth  
Without honour & thankless passeth  
When he himself will so beguile  
I note who shall complain his while  
Ne who by right him shall relieve  
But nevertheless this I believe   
Nota hic qd regis status a suis fidelibʒ omni favore supportandus est  

The which with his own land  
Behoveth every man's hand  
To set upon necessity  
And eke his kings ryalte  
Mote every lyege man comfort  
With good & body to support  
When they see cause reasonable  
For who that is not entendable  
To hold up right his kings name  
Him aught for to be to blame   
Nota hic secundum aristotelem qua liter principum prodigalitas pauperta tem induat co●nne●●  

Of policy & ever more  
To speak in this matter more  
So as the phylosophre told  
A king after the rule is hold  
To modify & address  
His yefts upon such largesse   
Seneca sit alijs benefacito ut tibi non no●●gs  

That the measure not exceed  
For if a king shall in to need  
It causeth oft sendry things  
Which been ungodly to the kings  
What man will not himself measure  
Men secth full oft that measure  
Him hath forsake & so doth he  
That useth prodygalite  
Which is the mother of poverty  
Whereof the lands been desert  
And namely when that ilk vice  
Above a king stant in office  
And hath with hold of his party  
The cenetous flattery  
Which many a worthy king deceiveth  
Or he the fallace perceiveth  
Of 'em that serven to the gloze  
For they that can please & gloze  
Ben as men tell the norice  
Unto the fostering of the vice  
Whereof full oft nevertheless  
A king is blamed guiltless   
Nota qualiter principum curijs adula tores triplice gravitate offendunt  

A philosopher as thou shalt here  
Spoke to a king of this matter  
And said him well how that flaterours  
Coulpable were of three errors  
One was toward the gods on high  
That weren wrath of that they sigh  
The mischief which befall should  
Of that the falls flaterour told  
Toward the king another was  
When they by sleight & by fallas  
Of feigned words make him ween  
That black is whit & blue is green  
Touching of his condition  
For when he doth extortion  
With many another vice moo  
Men shul not find one of though  
To grudge or speak there again  
But holden up his oil & say  
That all is well what ever he doth  
And thus of falls they maken sooth  
So that the kings eye is blent  
And wot not how the world is went  
The third error is harm commune  
with which the people moat commune  
Of wrongs that they bringen in  
And thus they werchen triple sin  
That been flaterours about a king  
There might be no worse thing  
About a kings regalye  
Than is the vice of flattery  
And nevertheless it hath been used  
That it was never yet refused  
As for to speak of court ryalle  
For there it is most special  
And many long before bore  
But when this vice of hem is boar  
That should the virtuous forth bring  
And troth is turned in to losing  
It is as who saith against kind  
Whereof an old ensample as I find   
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 up ipse quodam die Dioginem philosophum vuper socium suum virum tam moribus quam probatissimum herbas ad olera sua collectas lavantem ex casu ad ripam invenerat/ Cui ait o diogene scito sicut et ego principi tuo placere scires huiusmodi herbas aut celligere aut non lavare indigeres O arisippe certe si tu olera tua lavare  
scires be in blan●icijs et adulacioni●us principi tuo servire non oporteret  

●Mouge these old tales wise  
Of philosophers in this wise  
I trde how whilom two there were  
And to the fool for to lere  
Unto athenis fro cartage  
Her friends when they were of age  
Hem sent & there they stoden long  
Till they such lore have underfang  
That in her time they surmount  
All other men that to account  
Of 'em two was great fame  
The first of hem his right name  
Was drogenes than hot  
In whom was found no riot  
His fellow arisippus' height  
Which moche could & might  
But at last sooth to sayne  
They both turned home again  
Unto cartage & soole let  
This dyogynes no beyete  
Of worlds good lass or more  
Ne sought for his long lore  
But took him only for to dwell  
At home & as the books tell  
His house was nigh to the river  
Beside a bridge as thou shalt here  
There dwelled he took his rest  
So as it thought him for the best  
To study in his philosophy  
As he which so would defy  
The worlds pomp on every side  
But arisippe his books a side  
Hath laid & to the court he went  
Where many a wile & many a went  
With flattery & words soft  
He cast & hath compasse● oft  
How he his prince might please  
And in this wise he gate him ●ase  
Of vain honour & worlds good  
The lands rule upon him stood  
The king of him was wonder glad  
And all was do what thing he bade  
Both in the court & eke with out  
With flattery he brought about  
His purposes of the worlds work  
Which was again the state of clerk  
So that the philosophy he left  
And to the riches himself up left  
●o thus had arisippe his will  
But dyogenes dwelled still  
At home & looked on his book  
He sought not the worlds croak  
For veyn honour ne for richesses  
But all his herds business  
He set to be virtuous  
And thus within his own house  
He liveth to the suffisance  
Of his having & fill perchance  
This dyogynes upon a day  
And that was in the month of many  
That when these herbs been wholesome  
And walked for to gather some  
In his garden in which his iolytes  
He thought to have & thus abouts  
When he hath gathered what him liketh  
He set him down than & piketh  
And wish his herbs in the flood  
Upon which his garden stood  
Nigh to the bridge as I told ere  
And happeneth while he sitteth there  
Came arisippes by the street  
With many horse & routs great  
And straight unto the bridge he road  
Where that he hoved & abode  
For as he cast his eye nigh  
His fellow dyogenes he sigh  
And what he did he saw also  
Whereof he said to him tho  
O diogenes god the speed  
It were certes little need  
To sit here & wortes pike  
If thou thy prince couldst like  
So as I am in my degree  
O arisippe again quod he  
If that thou couldst so as I  
Thy wortes pike truly  
It were as little need or less  
That thou that so worldly would compass  
With flattery for to serve  
Whereof thou thinkest to dysserue  
Thy princes thank & to purchase  
How thou might stand in his grace  
For getting of a little good  
If thou would take in to thy mood  
Reason thou might by reason dame  
That so thy prince for to queme  
Is not to reason accordant  
But it is greatly discordaunte  
Unto the sooles of athene  
●o thus answered diogene  
again the clerks flattery  
But men seen the assemplarye  
Of arisippe is well received  
And thilk of dyogene is waived  
office in court & gold in coffer  
Is now men say the philosopher  
Which hath the worship in the hall  
But flattery passeth all  
In chaumbre when the court ●uaūceth  
For upon thilk lot it chanceth  
To be beloved now a day  
I note if it be ye or nay  
How dante the poet answered  
To a flaterour/ the tale I heard  
Upon a strife between them two  
He said him there been many more  
Of thy servants than of mine  
For the poet of his covin  
Hath none that will him cloth & feed  
But a flatour may rule & lead  
A king with all his land about  
So stant the wise man in doubt  
Of 'em that to folly draw  
For such is now the common law  
And as commune boece it telleth  
And where that flattery dwelleth  
In any land under the son  
There is full many thing begun  
Which were better to be left  
That hath he showed now & eft  
But if a prince would him rule  
Of the romans after the rule  
In thilk time it was used  
This vice should be refused  
Whereof the points been assoted  
But where the plain troth is noted  
There may a prince well conceive  
That he himself deceive  
Of that he heareth words pleyne  
Of him that nought by reason pleyne  
That warned is or him be woe  
And that was fully pre●yd though  
When rome was the worlds chief  
●he sooth sayer though was leef  
Which would not the truth spare  
But with his word plaint & bare  
To th'emperor his sothes told  
As in cronic is yet withhold  
Here afterward as thou shalt here  
According unto this matere   
Hic narrant super eodem qualiter nuper Romanorum Imperator cum ipso triumphator in hosts a bello rome rediret/ Tres sibi laudes in signum sui triumphi praecipue debebantur primo quatuor equi abbissimi currum in quo sedebat veherent Secundo tunica iovis pro tunc indueretur Tercio sui captivi prope currum ad viriusque latus cathenati deambularent Set ne tanti honoris adulacio eius animum in superbiam extolleret quidam scurra linguosus juxta ipsum in curru sedebat qui quasi contumatis vocibus improperando Notheos hoc est noscete ipsum quia & hody fortunata sibi prospera sunt cras forte versa rota mutabilis adversabitur  

O see this old ensaumplerye  
That whilom was no flattery  
Toward the princes well I find  
Whereof so as cometh to mind  
My sone a tale unto thine ere  
While that the worthy princes were  
At rome I think for to tell  
For when the chances so byfellen  
That any emperor as though  
Victory upon his foo  
And so came forth to rome again  
Of triple honour he was certain  
Whereof that he was magnified  
The first as it is specefyed  
Was when he came that ilk tied  
The char in which he should ride  
Four whit steeds should it draw  
Of jupiter by thilk law  
The cote he should were also  
His prisoners eke should go  
endlong the char on either hand  
And all the noblesse of the land  
To fore & ●after with him come  
Riding & brought him to rome  
In token of his chivalry  
And for none other flattery  
And that was she wed forth with all  
Where he sat in his char ryalle  
Beside him was a rybaud set  
Which had his word so beset  
To th'emperor in all his glory  
He said take in thy memory  
For all this pomp & all this pride  
let no justice go a side  
But know thyself what so befall  
For men seen oft-times fall  
Things which men wend siker stand  
Though thou victory have in hand  
Fortune may not stand alway  
The which perchance another day  
May turn & thou might over throw  
There lasteth no thing but a throw  
With these words & with moo  
This ribald which sat with him the  
To th'emperor his tale told  
And evermore after what be would  
Or were it evil or were it good  
So plainly as the troth stood  
He spareth not but be speaketh out  
And so might every man about  
The day of that solemnity  
His tale tell as well as he  
To th'emperor all openly  
And all was this cause why  
That while he stood in that noblesse  
He should his vanity repress  
With such words as he heard  
Lo now how thilk time it feared  
Toward so high a worthy lord  
For this I find eke of record  
Which the chronicle hath authorized  
What emperor 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 ut sic futuram mortem commemorans vani tates huius seculi transitonas facilius reprimeret  

tHe first day of his corone  
Where he was in his ryal throne  
And held his feast in the palace  
Sitting upon his high deys  
With all the lust that may be get  
When he was gladdest at his meet  
And every mynstral had played  
And every gestour had said  
What moste was pleasant to his ere  
at last came in there  
His masons for they shullen crave  
Where that he would be begrave  
And what stone his sepulture  
They sholden make & what scripture  
He would ordain there upon  
though was there flatrrye none  
The worthy prince to beiape  
The king was otherwyso shape  
With good council & other wise  
They were 'em self than wise  
And understoden well & known  
When such soft winds hlewen  
Of flaterxe in to her ere  
They setten nought her hearts there  
But when they heard words feigned  
The pleyne truth it hath disdained  
Of 'em that weren so discrete  
So took the flatterer no beyete  
Of him that was his prince tho  
And for to prove that it is so  
A tale which I find in deed  
In a chronicle of rome I read   
Hic inter alia gesta cesaris narrat unum exemplum praecipue 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 upon his ryal throne  
Where that he sat in his person  
And was highest in all his prise  
A man which would make him wise  
Fyldoun kneeling in his presence  
And did him such a reverence  
As though he high god were  
Men had great marvel there  
Of the worship which he deed  
This man aroos fro thilk stead  
And forth withal the same tide  
He goeth him up & by his side  
He set him down as there a peer  
And said if thou that sittest here  
Art god which all things might  
Than I have do worship a right  
As to the god & otherwise  
If thou he not of thilk assize  
But art a man such as am I  
Than may I sit the fast by  
For we be both of one kind  
Cesar answered & said o blind  
Thou art a fool it is well seen  
Upon thyself if thou ween  
If I be a god thou dost amiss  
To sit where thou seest that god is  
And I be a man also  
Thou hast a great folly do  
When thou to such one as shall die  
The worship of thy god alweye  
Hast yeven so unworthily  
Thus may I prove readily  
Thou art not wise & that herd  
How wisely that the king answered  
It was to hem a new lore  
Whereof they dreaden him the more  
And brought no thing to his ere  
But if it truth & reason were  
So been there many in such a wise  
That feign words to be wise  
And all is very flattery  
To him which can it well aspyr   
Nota qualiter ista circa principem adultores potius a curia expelli quam ad regie magestatis munera acceptan policia suadente delerent  

tHe kind flatour can not love  
But for to bring himself above  
For how that ever his master far  
So that himself stand out of care  
He retcheth nought & thus oft  
deceiveth with words soft  
The kings that been Innocent  
Where as for thastement  
The wise phylosophre seyed  
What king that so his treasure laid  
Upon such folk he hath the less  
And yet no doth he no largesse  
●nt harmeth with his own hand  
Himself & eke his own land  
And that by many a sundry weigh  
Whereof if that a man shall say  
As for to speak in general  
Where such thing falleth over all  
That any king himself mysrule  
The phylosophre upon this rule  
In speaal a cause set  
Which is & ever hath be the bet  
In governance about a king  
Upon 〈◊〉 myselyef of the thing  
And that he saith is sla●●ye  
Whereof to fore as in party  
What that vice is I have declared  
For who that hath his wit bywared  
Upon a flatterer to believe  
When that he weeneth best achieve  
His god word it is most fro  
And for to preven it is so  
examples there been many one  
Of which if thou wilt know one  
It is behovely for to here  
What whilom fell in this matere   
hIc loquitur ulterius 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 avit blandiaas oue adulantis ȝedechye adhesit Rex Sir●e benedab in campo bellator ipsum divino judicio devictum interfecit  

among the kings in the bible  
I find a tale & is credible  
Of one that whilom achab height  
Which had all Israel to right  
But who that could gloze soft  
And ●latre which he set on loft  
In arete estate and made 'em rich  
But they that written words lyche  
To truth & would it not forbear  
For hem was none estate to be●●  
The country of such took none here  
Till at last upon a need  
That benadab the king of surry  
Of Israel a great party  
Which ramoth coloath was hot  
Hath seced & of that ●yote  
He took council in sundry wise  
But not of 'em that weren wise  
And nethelesse upon this caas  
To strength him for josaphas  
Which then was king of judee  
He send for to come as he  
Which thorough friendship & alliance  
Was next to him of acquaintance  
For joram son of josaphath  
Achabbes daughter wedded hath  
Which height fair goodelye  
And thus came in to samerye  
King josaphath & he found there  
The king achab & when they were  
To guider speaking of this thing  
This josaphath saith to the king  
How that he would gladly here  
Some true prophet in this matter  
That he his council might give  
To what point it shall be drive  
And in that time so befell  
That there was such one in Israel  
Which set him all to flattery  
And he was cleped sedechye  
And after him achab hath sent  
And he at his commandment  
To him came & by a sleight  
He hath upon his heed on height  
Two large horns set of bras  
And he which a flaterour was  
And goeth rampyn● as a lion  
And cast his horns up & down  
And bad men been of good espeyre  
For as the horns persen the eyre  
He saith withouten resistance  
So witted he well of his science  
That benadab is discomfit  
When sedechye upon this plight  
Hath told this tale unto this lord  
Anon they were of one accord  
Prophets false many m●  
To bear up oil and although  
affirmed that which he hath told  
Whereof the king achab was bold  
And gave hem yefts all about  
But josaphath was in great doubt  
He held fantasme all that he heard  
praying achab how so it feared  
If there were any other man  
The which of prophecy can  
To here him speak or that théy gone  
Quod achab than there is one  
A brothel which mycheas height  
But he ne cometh in my sight  
For he hath long in prison leyen  
Him liked never yet to say  
A goodly word to my pleasance  
And nevertheless at thine instance  
He shall come out & than he may  
Say as he hath said many a day  
For yet he said never weal  
though josaphath 'gan some deal  
To gladden him in hope of truth  
And bade him withouten sloth  
That men him should f●tte anon  
And they that were fro him gone  
When that they came where he was  
They tolden unto mycheas  
The manner how that sedechye  
Declared hath his prophecy  
And thereupon they pray him fair  
That he will say no contrary  
Whereof the king may be dysplese●  
For so shall every man be esed  
And he may help himself also  
Mycheas upon truth though  
His heart set & to hem saith  
All that belongeth unto his faith  
And of none other feigned thing  
That will he tell unto the king  
As far as god hath give him grace  
Thus came this prophet in to the place  
Where he the kings will herd  
And he thereto anon answered  
Unto him in this wise  
My lyege lord for my fernyse  
With truth stand hath ever yet  
Thou hast me with pason aquyt  
But for all that I shall not gloze  
Of truth after as I suppose  
And as touching of this battle  
Thou shalt not of the sooth sail  
For if it like the to here  
As I am taught in that matter  
Thou might it understand soon  
But what is afterward to done  
advise the of this I say  
I was tofore the throne on hay  
Where all the world me thought stood  
And there I heard & understood  
The voice of god with words clear  
Axing & said in this manner  
In what wise may I best beguile  
This king achab & for a while  
And upon this point they speak fast  
though said a spirit at last  
I undertake this emprise  
And god him asketh in what wise  
I shall qd he deceive and lie  
With flattering prophecy  
In such mouths as he leaveth  
And he which all thing achieveth  
Bad him go forth and do right so  
And over this I say also  
This noble people of Israel  
Disperses as sheep upon an hill  
Without a kepar vnarayed  
And as they went about & strayed  
I heard a voys unto 'em sayn  
Goeth home in to your house again  
Till I for you have fetter ordained  
Quoth sedechye thou hast feigned  
This tale in angering of the king  
And in a wrath upon this thing  
He smote mychee upon the cheek  
The king him hath rebuked eke  
And every man upon him cried  
Thus was he shent on every side  
again in to prison lad  
For so the king himself bad  
The truth might not be herd  
But afterward as it hath feared  
The deed proveth his intent  
Achab to the battle went  
Where benadab for all his shield  
Him slew so that upon the field  
His people goeth about astray  
But god which all thing may  
So doth that they no mischief have  
Her king was deed & they be save  
And home again in goddess peace  
They went & all was found lees  
That s●●●chye hath said tofore  
So sit it well a king therefore  
To love them that true mean  
For at last it will be seen  
That flattery is no thing worth  
But now to my matter forth  
As for to speaken over more  
After the philosophers lore  
The third point of policy  
I think for to specify   
Propter transgressores leges statuuntur in o●be/ Vt vn●āt justi regis honore v●●▪/ Lex sine justicia populum sub principis umbra/ Deviat ut rectum nemo videbit it●r  
Hic tractat de tercia principum legie policia que justicia nominata est ●●●us condicio legibus incorupta univiave qd suum est cquo pondere distribuit  

wHat is a land there men be none  
What been the men that are alone  
Without a kings governance  
What is a king in his legiance  
Where that there is no law in land  
What is to take law on hand  
But if the judges been true  
These old worlds with the new  
Who that will take in evidence  
There may he see experience  
What thing it is to keep law  
Thorough which wrongs be withdraw  
And rightwiseness stand commended  
Whereof the regnes been amended  
For where the law may commune  
The lords forth with the common  
Each hath his proper duty  
And eke the knights ryalte  
Of both his worship, underfongeth  
To his estate as it belongeth  
Which of his worthiness  
Hath to govern rightwiseness  
As he which shall the law guide  
And nevertheless upon some side  
His power stant above the law  
To give both and to draw  
The forset of the man's life  
But things which are excessyf  
again the law he shall not do  
For love ne for hate also   
Imperatoriam magestatem non solum armis sʒ eciam legibus oportet esse armatam  

b The mights of a king be great  
But yet a worthy king shall ●et●  
Of wrong to done all that he might  
For he which shall the people right  
It sitteth well to his regal  
That he himself first justify  
Toward god in his degree  
For his estate is else free  
Toward all other in his person  
Save only to the god alone  
Which will himself a king chastise  
Where that none other may suffice  
So were it good to taken heed  
That first a king his own deed  
Between the virtue and the vice  
Redress & than his justice  
So set in even the balance  
Towards other in governance  
That to the power & to the rich  
His laws might stand in lyche  
He shall except no person  
But for he may not all him one  
In sundry place to justice  
He shall of his ryal office  
With wise consideration  
Ordain his disputation  
Of such judges as been learned  
So that his people be governed  
By 'em that true been & wise  
For if the law of covetise  
Be set upon judges hand  
Woe is the people of thilk land  
For wrong may not himself hide  
But alas on that other side  
If law stand with the right  
The people is glad & stonte up right  
Where as the law is movable  
The common people stant reasonable  
And if the law torn a miss  
The people also mystorned is   
Nota hic justicia maximinj imperatoris qui cum alicuius province custoden sibi constituere volebat primo de sui nominis sama proclamacione facta ipsius condicionem diligencius investi gabat  

aNd in ensample of this matter  
Of maxymyn a man may here  
Of Rome Which was emperor  
That when he made a governor  
By weigh of substytution  
Of province or of region  
He would first acquire his name  
And let it openly proclaim  
What man he were or evil or good  
And upon that his name stood  
Inclined to virtue or to vice  
So would he set him in office  
Or else put him all a weigh  
Thus held the law the right weigh  
Which fond no let of covetise  
The world stood than upon that wise  
By ensample thou might read  
And hold in thy mind I read   
Hic ponit exemplum de judicibus incorruptis & narrat qualiter Gaius Fabricius nuper Rome consul aurum a sampnitibus sibi oblatum remit dicens qd nobilius est aurum possidentes domino subvigare quam ex auri cupidi tate dominij libertacem am●●tere  

IN a chronic I find thus  
How that gayus fabricius  
Which whilom was consul of rome  
By whom the laws go & come  
When the sampnytes to him brought  
A some of gold & him besought  
To done him favour in the law  
Toward the gold he 'gan him draw  
Whereof in all men's look  
A part in to his hand he took  
Which to his mouth in all haste  
He put it for to smell and taste  
And to his eye & to his lere  
But he ne foude no comfort there  
And than he began it to despise  
And told unto 'em in this wise  
I note what is with gold to thrive  
When none of all my wits five  
find savour ne delight therein  
So it is but a nice sin  
Of gold to be covetous  
But he is rich and glorious  
Which hath in his subjection  
though men which in pocessyon  
Ben rich of gold & by this skill  
For he may all day when he will  
Or be him lief or be him loath  
justice done upon 'em both  
Lo thus he said & with that word  
He threw tofore him upon a board  
The gold out of his hand anon  
And said them that he would none  
So that he kept his liberty  
To do justice and equity  
With lucre of such richesse  
There been now few of such I guess  
For it Was thilk time used  
That every judge was refused  
Which was not friend to common right  
But they that wolden stand up right  
For truth only to justice  
preferred were in thilk office  
To dame & judge common law  
Which now men say is all with draw  
To sett● a law and keep it nought  
There is no common profit sought  
But abeve all nethelees  
The law which is made for peace  
Is good to keep for the best  
For that setteth all men in rest   
Hic n●rrat de justicia nuper conrar ●i imperatoris cuius tempore alicuius reverencia person aliqua seu precum in●●ruencione quacunque vel auri redempcione legum statuta commutari seu r●d●●i nullatenus potuerunt  

tHe rightful emperor conrad  
To keep peace such a law made  
That none within the city  
In disturbance of unity  
Durst once moven a matter  
For in his time as thou might hear  
What point that was for law set  
It shield for no good be let  
To what person that it were  
And this brought in the common fere  
Why any man the law dread  
For there was none which favour had   
Nota exemplum de constancia judicis vbT narrat de carunidotiro rome nuper consule avi cum sui statuti legem nes ciens offendisset Romani que super he penam sibi remittere noluissent ipē propria manu ubi nullns alius in ipsum unidex fuit sui criminis vindic tam ex●cutus est  

sO as these old looks say  
I find write where a roman  
Which consul was of pretoyre  
whose name was caromydot●yre  
He set a law for the peace  
That every man be Wepenlees  
That came in to the council house  
And else as malicious  
He shall been of the law deed  
To that statute & to that rede  
Accorden all it shall be so  
For certain cause which was though  
Now here what fell hereafter soon  
This consul had for to done  
And was in to the fields riden  
And they him long abiden  
That lords of the cowceyl were  
And bade him come and he came there  
With sword y gird and had foryete  
Till he was in the cowceyl seat  
Was none of hom that made speech  
Till he himself it would seche  
And fond out the default himself  
And said unto the twelve  
Which of the senate weren wise  
I have deserved the juyse  
In haste that it were I do  
And they him saiden all no  
For well they wist it was no vice  
When he ne thought no malice  
But only of a little sloth  
And thus they leften as for ruth  
To do justice upon his guilt  
For that he should not be spylte  
And when in the manner how  
They would him save he made a vow  
With manful heart & thus he said  
That room should never abrayed  
His heirs when he was of daw  
That her ancestor broke the law  
For thy that they weren ware  
forthwith the same sword he ●are  
The statute of his law he kept  
So that all rome his death be wept   
Nota ●d fals● judices mortis pen● pu●iendi sunt/ narrat enim qualiter cambices Rex persarum quemdam judicem coruptum excori●●● vivum fecit eius que pelle cathedram iudicialem ope●●●● constituit ●ta qd filius suus supe● pat●s pellem poste● pro tribunali sessurus judicij equitatem euiden●ius me ●oraretu:  

●N other places also I read  
Where that a judge his own deed  
Ne will not venge his law broke  
The king it hath himself y wroke  
The great king which cambises  
Was ho●e a juge lawless  
He fond and to remembrance  
He did upon him such vengeance  
Out of his skin he was befloyne  
All quick & in that wise slain  
So that his skin was shape all met●  
And nailed upon the same set●  
Where that his son should sit  
Auyse him if ●e would flit  
The law of covetise  
There saw he ready his juyse  
Thus in default of other juge  
The king moat other while inge  
To holden up the right law  
And for to speak of the old daw  
To take ensample of that was though  
I find a tale written also  
How that a worthy prince is hol●●  
The laws of his land to held  
First for the high god's sake  
And for that hy● is betake  
The people for to guide & lead  
Which is the charge of his kynghe●●   
Hic ponit exemplum de principi●u● illis qui non solum legem statuentes illam conservant. Set ●t comune bonum adaugeant propriam fatultate in diminuunt/ Et narrat qd cum liguri us atheum princeps in omni prosperitatis habundancia dives & vnanimes congruis legibus stare fecisse volens ad utilitatem reipub●●e leges illas firmius obs●ruari pe●●gri prof●●ssi se fuixit set prius juramentum solemn a leges suis sub hac forma exegit qd ipsi usque in reditum suum leges suas milla●enus infringerent quibus miratis pere g●●nacionem suam in exiliū●bsque redditu perpetuo delegavit  

IN a chronicle I read thus  
Of the rightful lygurgyus  
Which of athenes' prince was  
How he the law in every was  
Whereof he should his people rule  
Hath set upon so good a rule  
In all this world that cite none  
Of law was so well begun  
Forthwith the truth of governance  
There was among 'em no distannce  
But every man hath his increases  
There was without were peace  
Without envy love stood  
Richesse upon the common good  
And not upon the singular  
Ordained was & the power  
Of hom that weren in estate  
Was safe whereof upon debate  
There stood no thing so that in rest  
Might every man his herre rest  
And when this noble rightful king  
Saw how it feared of all this thing  
Whereof the people stood in ease  
He which for ever would please  
The high god whose thank he sought  
A wonder thing than he bethought●  
And shope how that it might be  
How that his law in the cite  
Might afterward for ever last  
And there upon his wit he cast  
What thing him were best to say  
That his purposes might attain  
A parliament & thus he set  
His wisdom ●here that he be set  
In audience of great & small  
And in this wise he told a tale  
God wot & so ye woten all  
Here afterward how so it fall  
Yet to now my will hath be  
To do justice and equity  
In ferdering of the common profit  
Such hath been ever my delight  
But of one thing I am beknow  
The wh●les my will is that ye know  
The l●●e which I took on hand  
Was all to guider of gods sonde  
And no ●ynge of mine own wit  
So moat it need endure yet  
And shall do longer if ye will  
For I will trlle you the skill  
The god mercurius & no man  
He hath me taught all that I can  
Of such laws as I made  
Whereof that ye been all glade  
It was the god & no thing I  
Which did all this & now for thy  
He hath commanded of his grace  
That I shall come in to a place  
Which far out in an isle  
Where I moto tarry for a while  
Which him to speak as he hath bid  
For as be saith in thilk stead  
He shall me such things tell  
That ever while the world shall dwell  
A●●nes shall the better fare  
But first or that I thither fare  
For that I would that my law  
amongs you ne be withdraw  
The while that I shall be out  
For thy to setten out of doubt  
Both you & me thus will I pray  
That ye me would assure & say  
With such an oath as I will take  
That each of you shall undertake  
My laws for to keep & hold  
They saiden all that they would  
And there upon they swear their oath  
That fro that time that he goeth  
Till he to 'em be come again  
They shullen his law well & plain  
In every point keep & fulfil  
Thus hath lygurius his will  
And took his leave & forth he went  
But here now well to what intent  
Of rightwiseness he did so  
For after that he was a go  
He shope him never to be found  
So that athens which was found  
Never after should be releced  
Ne thilk good law seced  
Which was for commune prouffyt sought  
The king his own estate ne wrought  
To do profit to the common  
He took of exile the fortune  
And left of privily thilk office  
Only for love & for justice  
For which he thought if that he might  
For ever after his death to right  
The cite which was him betake  
Whereof men ought ensample take  
With 'em which under governance  
The good laws to advance  
And who that would take keep  
The laws have for to keep  
Of 'em that first the laws found  
As far as lasteth any ground  
Of land her names yet be know  
And if it like the to know  
Some of their names how they stand  
Now hearken & thou shalt understand   
Hic ad eorum laudem qui iusticie causa leges statuerunt aliquorum nomina specialius commemorat  

oF every benefete the merit  
The god himself it will acquit  
And eke full oft it falleth so  
The world it will acquit also  
But that may not be even such  
To god he giveth the heaven rich  
The world giveth only but a name  
Which stant upon the good fame  
Of 'em that done the good deed  
And in this wise double meed  
receiven that done well here  
Whereof if that thou list to here  
After the fame as it is blow  
There might thou well the sooth know  
How thilk honest business  
Of 'em that first of rightwiseness  
among the men the laws made  
May never upon this earth fade  
For ever while there is a tongue  
Her name shall be red & song  
And hole in the cronic writ  
So that the men shullen wite  
To speak good as they well oughten  
Of 'em that first the laws sosughten  
In fordering of the worlds peace  
Unto thebrewes was moyses  
The first & the Egypciens  
Mercurius & to troiens  
First was ne wma pompilius  
To athens ligurius  
gave first the law unto gregoys  
Foroneus hath thilk voice  
And romulus of romans  
For such men as been villains  
The law in such a wise ordaineth  
That what man the law plaineth  
By so the juge stand up right  
He shall be served of his right  
And so farforth it is befall  
That law is commune among us all  
God lean it mo●e well be hold  
As every king thereto is hold  
For thing which is of kings set  
With kings ought it not to be let  
What king of law taketh no keep  
By law he may no royalme keep  
Do law away what is a king  
Where is the right of any thing  
If that there be no law in land  
This aught a king well understand  
As he which is to law sworn  
That if the law be forlorn  
Withouten execusyoun  
Hit maketh a land torn up so dou n  
Which is unto the king & slander  
For thy unto king alexander  
The wise philosopher had  
That he himself first be lad  
Of law & than forth with all  
To do justyse in general  
That all the wide land about  
The justice of his law doubt  
And than shall he stand in rest  
For thereto law is one the best  
Above all other earthly thing  
To make a liege dread his king  
But how a king shall get him love  
Toward the high god above  
And eke a man in earth  
This next point which is the ferthe  
Of Aristotle'S lore it teacheth  
Whereof who the fool secheth  
What policy that it is  
The book rehearseth after this   
Nil racionis habens ubi 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 needeth not that I debate  
The prince which praised is algate  
And hath been ever & ever shall  
Whereof to speak in special  
It is the virtue of pity  
Through which the high majesty  
Was stirred when his sone alyght  
And in pity the world to right  
Took of the maid flesh & blood  
pity was cause of thilk good  
Whereof that we been all save  
Well ought a man pity to have  
And the virtue to set in price  
When he himself which is all wise  
Hath showed why it shall be praised  
pity may not be counterpoised  
Of tyranny with no poise  
For pity maketh a man courtesy  
Both in his word & in his deed  
It sit well every liege to dread  
His king & to his hest obey  
And right so by the same weigh  
It sit a king to be piteous  
Toward his people & gracious  
Upon the rule of governance  
So that he work no vengeawce  
Which may be cleped cruelty  
justice which doth equity  
Is dreadful for he no man spareth  
But in the l●nde where pity fareth  
The king may never fail of love▪  
For pity through the grace above  
So as the phylosophre affirmeth  
His reign in good estate confirmeth  
The apostle james in this wise  
S●yth what man that should do juice  
And hath not pity forth with all  
The doom of him which deemeth all  
He may himself full sore dread  
That him shall lack upon the need  
To find pity when he would  
For who that pity will behold  
It is a point of Christ's love  
And for to looken overmore  
It is behovely as we find  
To reason & to law of kind  
Tassyodre in his aprise telleth  
The royalme is safe where pite dwelleth  
And tullyus this tale avoweth  
And saith what king to pite boweth  
And with pity stonte overcome  
He hath that shield of grace nome  
Which unto kings giveth victory●  
Of alisannder in his history  
I read how a worthy knight  
Of sudden wrath & not of right  
forjudged bath & he appealeth  
And with that word the king quareleth  
And said none is above me  
That wot I well my lord ad he  
Fro thy lordship appeal I nought  
But fro thy wrath in all my thought  
To thy pity stant mine appeal  
The king which understood him weal  
Of pure pity gave him grace  
And eke I read in another place   
Constantinus imperator ait vere se dominum esse▪ comprobat qui servum pietatis se facit  

Thus said whilom constantyne  
What emperor that is incline  
To pity for to be servant  
Of all the worlds remanant  
He is worthy to been a lord  
In old books of record   
Trai●nus ait qd cum ipse subditos suos solite pietatis favore magis quam austeritatis rigore regere corum que be nevolenciam pocius quam timorem penes se attractare proponebat  

tHis find I writ of ensaumplayr  
trajan the worthy debonayr  
By whom that room stood governed  
Upon a time as he was learned  
Of that he was to famulyer  
He said unto that counsellor  
That for to be an emperor  
His will was not for vain honour  
Ne yet for reddour of justice  
But if he might in his office  
His lord & his people please  
Him thought it were a great ease  
With love her hearts to him draw  
Than with the dread of any law  
For when a thing is done for doubt  
Full oft it cometh the were about  
But where a king is piteous  
He is the more gracious  
That mickle thirst him shall leiyde  
Which elliss should torn a side   
Qualiter judeus predester cum pa ● gave equitante itineravit per desertum et ipsum de fide sua interrogavit  

tO do pite support & grace  
The phi●●sophre upon a place  
In his writing of days old  
A tale of great ensaumble told  
Unto the king of macedoyne  
How between cayr & babyloyne  
When comen is the summer heat  
It happened two men for to meet  
As they should entre in to a paas  
Where that the wilderness was  
And as they went forth spekende  
Under the large woods end  
That one man asketh of that other  
What man art thou my lyef brother  
Which is thy creance & thy faith   

I am a paynim that other saith  
And by the law which I use  
I shall not in my faith refuse  
To loven all men alike  
The pour both & eke the rich  
When they be glad I shall be glad  
And sorry when they been bestead  
So shall I live in unity  
With every man in his degree  
For right as to myself I would  
Right so toward all other I should  
Be gracious & debonayr  
Thus have I told the soft & f●y●  
My faith my law & my creance  
And if the list for acquaintance  
Now tell what manner man thou art  
And he answered upon his part  
I am a jew/ & by my law  
I shall to no man be fellow  
To keep him troth in word ne dde  
But if he be without dread  
A very jew right as am I  
For else I may truly  
bereave him both life & good  
The paynim herd & understood  
And thought it was a wonder law  
And thus upon their sundry saw  
Talking both forth they went  
The day was hot the son brent  
The paynim road upon an ass  
And of his cattle more & lass  
With him a rich truss he lad  
The jew which all untruth had  
And went upon his feet beside  
Bethought him how he might ride  
And with his words sly & wise  
Unto the paynim in this wise  
He said/ o now it shall be seen  
What it is thou woltest mean  
For if thy law be certain  
As thou hast told I darwel say  
Thou wilt behold my distress  
Which am so full of weariness  
That I ne may uneath go  
And let me ride a mile or two  
So that I may my body ease  
The paynim would him not displease  
Of that he spoke but in pity  
It list him for to know & see  
The pleynte which that other made  
And for he would his heart glade  
He light & made him no thing strange  
Thus was there made a new change  
The paynim the jew a loft  
Was set/ upon his ass soft  
So goon they forth carpend fast  
On this/ on that/ till on the last  
The paynim might go no more  
And prayed unto the jew therefore  
To suffer him ride a little while  
The jew which thought him to beguile  
Anon road forth the great paas  
And to the paynim in this case  
He said thou hast do thy right  
Of that thou hadst me behyght  
To do succour upon my need  
And that accordeth to the deed  
As thou art to the law hold  
And in such wise as I the told  
I think also for my party  
Upon the law of Iewrye  
To werche & do my duty  
Thine ass shall go forth with me  
With all thy good which I have seized  
And that I wot thou art diseased  
I am right glad & not myspayed  
And when he hath these words said  
In all haste he road away  
The p●●nym wot none other weigh  
But on the ground he kneeleth even  
His hands up unto the heaven  
And said/ o high soothfastness  
That lovest all rightwiseness  
Unto thy doom lord I appeal  
Behold & dame my quarrel  
With humble heart I the beseech  
The mercy both & the wretch  
I set all in thy judgement  
And thus upon his marrement  
This paynim hath made his prayer  
And then he was with dreary cheer  
And goeth him forth & in his gate  
●e cast his eye about algate  
The jew if that he might see  
But for a time it may not be  
Till at last again the night  
So as god would he went a right  
As he which held the high weigh  
And thenne he saw in a valley  
Where that the jew liggend was  
All bloody deed upon the grass  
Which strangled was of a leon  
And as he boked up & down  
He fond his ass fast by  
Forthwith his harness readily  
All hool & sound as he it left  
When that the jew it him byrefte  
Whereof he thanked god knelende  
●o thus a man may know at end  
How the piteous pity deserveth  
For what man that to pity serveth  
As aristotle it beareth witness  
God shall his foemen so repress  
That they shall ay stand underfote  
pity men say is thilk rote  
Whereof the virtues springen all  
What infortune that befall  
In any land/ lack of pity  
Is cause of thilk adversity  
And that alday may show at eye  
Who that the world discreetly syhe  
Good is that every man therefore  
Take heed of that is said tofore  
For of this tale & other enough  
These noble princes whilom drowe  
Her evidence and her apprise  
As men may find in many wise  
Who that these old books read  
And though they been in earth deed  
Her good name may not die  
For pity which they would obey  
To do the deeds of mercy  
And who this tale readily  
Remember as aristotle it told  
He may the will of god behold  
Upon the point as it was ended  
Whereof the pity stood commended  
Which is to charity fellow  
As they that keepen both one law   
Nota hic de pietate principis erga populum ubi narrat quod ●odius rex athevis contra dorences bellum gere re deberet consulto prius appoline responsum accepit quod unum de duobus v●●e●●cet seipsum preli● interfeci et populum salvari 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 pity for to speak plain  
Which is with mercy well besayn  
Fuf oft himself he would pain  
To keep another fro the pain  
For charity the mother is  
Of pity which no thing a miss  
Can suffer if he it may amend  
It sitteth to every man lyvende  
To be pytons but none so wel●  
As to a king which on the wheel  
Fortune hath set above all  
For in a king if so befall  
That his pity be farm & stable  
To all the land it is vailable  
Only thorough the grace of his person  
For the pity of him alone  
May all the large royalme save  
So sit it well a king to have  
pity/ of this valere told  
And said how that by days old  
Godrus which was in his degree  
King of athens the city  
A were he had against dorrence  
And for to take his evidence  
What shall lefalle of the battle  
He thought he should himself council  
With Apollo in whom he trust  
Through whose answer thus he wist  
Of two points that he might cheese  
Or that he would his body lose  
And in battle himself die  
Or else the second weigh  
To seen his people discomfit  
But he which pity hath persyte  
Upon the point of his believe  
The people thought to relieve  
And cheese himself to be deed  
Where is now such another heed  
Which would for the limbs die  
And nevertheless in some parteye  
It ought a kings heart steer  
That he his lyege men forbear  
And eke toward his enemies  
Full oft he may deserve prize  
To take of pity remembrance  
Where that he might do vengeance  
For when he hath the victory  
And than he draw in to memory  
To do pity in stead of wretch  
He may not fail of thilk speech  
Whereof ariseth the worlds fame  
To give a prince a worthy name   
Hic ponit exemplum de victoriosi principis pietate erga adversarios suos/ Et narrat qd come pompeiu● Roma norum Imperator regem armonie adversarium suum in bello victum cepisset captum quam vinculis alligatum Rome tenuisset tirannidis iracundie stumilos post ponens pietatis mansuetudinem 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 voluntate coronatum restituit  

iRede whilom that pompey  
to whom that room must obey  
A were had in jeopardy  
against the king of ermonye  
Which of long time had him grieved  
But at last it was achieved  
That this king discomfit had  
And forth with him to rome lad  
As prisoner where many a day  
In sorry plight & power he lay  
The crown of his heed deposed  
Within walls fast enclosed  
And with full great humylete  
He suffereth his adversity  
Pompey saw his patience  
And took pity with conscience  
So that upon his high deys  
Tofore all room in his palace  
As he that would upon him rue  
let give him his corone new  
And his estate full & plain  
And restored of his reign again  
And said it was more goodly thing  
To make than to undone a king  
To him which power had of both  
Thus they weren long wroth  
Accorden hem to final pres  
And yet justice nethelees  
Was kept & in no thing offended  
Whereof pompey was commended  
There may no king himself excuse  
But if justice be kept & use  
Which for to esch we cruelty  
He moat attempre with pity  
Of cruelty the felony  
Engendered is of tyranny  
again to whose condition  
God himself the champion  
whose strength may no man withstand  
For ever yet it hath so stand  
That god a tyrant over lad  
But where pity the reign lad  
There might no fortune last  
Which was grievous at last  
The god himself it hath redressed  
pity is thilk v●rtu blessed  
Which never let his master fall  
But cruelty though it so befall  
That it may rain for a throlbe  
God would it should be overthrow  
Whereof ensamples been enough  
Of 'em that thilk mer●ll drowe   
Hic loquitur contra illos qui tiranni 〈◊〉 potestate principatum optinentes ini ●uitatis sue mal●cia gloriatur/ Et narrat exemplum qualiter leoncins tiramnus pium iuscinianum non solum ● sloo imꝑa●orie magestatis fraudulentur expulit sed ut ipē inhabilis ad reg num in aspectu plebis efficiretur ●aso et labris absasis ipm tiramnice mutilavit deus tamen qui super omian pius est tibe ●io suꝑueniente via cum adiutorio Terbel Bulgarie regis iustianinum inter fecto leoncio ad Imperium restitui mice ricorditer proturavit  

F cruelty I read thus  
When the tyrant leoncyus  
Was to th'empire of rome arrived  
Fro which he hath the strength prived  
Of the pyt●us justynian  
As he which was a cruel man  
His nose of & lips both  
He ●ut for he would him both  
Unto the people & make him unable  
But he which is all merciable  
The high god ordaineth so  
That he within a time also  
When he was strongest in his ire  
Was shoven out of his empire  
Tiberius the power had  
And room after his power he lad  
And for leonce in such a wise  
ordaineth that he took juice  
Of nose & lips both two  
For that he did another so  
Which more worthy was than he  
Lo which a fall hath cruelty  
And pity was set up again  
For after that the books s●yn  
Terbellis king of bulgarye  
With help of his chivalry  
justynyan hath unprisonned  
And to th'empire again 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 crine illud exigente vsque ad sui interitus expiracionem iudicia●iter torquebatur  

I●● a chronicle I find also  
Of siculus which was eke so  
A cruel king like the tempest  
To whom no pity might areste  
He was the first as books s●ye  
Upon the see which fond galley  
And ●ete 'em make for the were  
As he which was all out of herre  
from pity and misericord  
For thereto could he not accord  
But whom he might s●een he slough  
And thereof was he glad enough  
He had of council many one  
among the which there was one  
By name which brillus height  
And he bythought him how he might  
Unto the tyrannt do liking  
And by his own ymagening  
let forge & make a ton of bras  
And on the side cast there was  
A door where a man may in  
And he his pain shall begin  
Of fire which that men putten under  
And all this did he for a wonder  
That when a man for pain cried  
The bull of brass which gapeth wide  
It shall seem as though it were  
All belewing in a man's ere  
And not the crying of a man  
But he which all sleights can  
The devil that lieth in hell fast  
Him that this made hath overcast  
That for a trespass which he deed  
He was put in the same stead  
And was himself the first of all  
Which was in to the pain fall  
That he for other men ordaineth  
There was no man that him complaineth  
Of tyranny & cruelty  
By this ensample a king may see  
himself & eke his council both  
How they be to mankind both  
And to the god abominable  
ensamples that been covenable  
I find of other princes moo  
As thou shalt here of time ago   
Nota hic de diomisio tiramno qui mire crude●●●atis severitate eciam hospites suos ad deuorādum equis suis tribuit cui hercules tandem super venientes victum impium in impietate sua pari morte conclusit  

The great tyrant dyonys  
Which man's life set at no pries  
Unto his horse full o●te he give  
The men in stead of corn & chafe  
So that the h●rs of thilk stood  
Devoureden the maunes blood  
Till fortune atte last came  
That hercules him ouercame●  
And he right in the same wise  
Of this tyrant took the juice  
As he till other hath do  
The same death he died also  
That no pity him hath succoured  
Till he was of his life devoured   
Nota hic de consimile lichaontis tiramnia qui carnes hoim hoimbȝ in suo hospicio ad vescendum dedit cuius formam condicioni similem qualiter coequams ipm in lupum transformavit  

oF lychaan also I find  
How he again the law of kind  
His host slew in to meet  
And made her bodies to be e●e  
With other men within his house  
But jupiter the glorious  
Which was moved of this thing  
Vengeance upon this cruel king  
So took that he fro man's form  
In to a wolf he let transform  
And thus the cruelty was kid  
Which of long time he had hid  
A wolf he was than openly  
By whose nature privily  
He had in his condition  
And unto this conclusion  
That tyrant is to dyspryse  
I find ensample in sundry wife  
And namelyche of 'em full oft  
To whom fortune hath set aloft  
Upon the wars for to win  
But how so that the wrong begin  
Of tyranny it may not last  
But such as they done at last  
To other men such on 'em falleth  
For again such pity calleth  
Vengeance to the god above  
For who that hath no tender love  
In saving of a man's life  
He shall be found so gyltyfe  
That when he would mercy crave  
In time of need he shall none have   
Nota qualiter beo homībgh stratis ꝑcit  

Of the nature thus I find  
The fires lion in his kind  
Which goeth ramping after his pray  
If ●e a man find in his way  
He will him slay if he withstand  
But if the man could understand  
To fall anon tofore his face  
In sign of mercy and of grace  
The lion shall of his nature  
Restrain his ire in such measure  
As though it were a beast y tamed  
And torn away halfyng ashamed  
That be the man shall no thing grieve  
How should than a prince achieve  
Th● worlds grace if that he would  
D●●●r●ye a m●n when he is yold  
And stant upon his mercy all  
But for to speaken in special  
There have be such & such there be  
tyrants whose hearts ne pity  
May to no point of mercy ply  
That they upon her tyranny  
Ne gladden 'em the men to slay  
And as the ractes of the see  
Been unpytous in the tempest  
Right so may no pity rest  
Of cruelty the great ultrage  
Which the tyrant in his courage  
Engendereth hath whereof I find  
A tale now which cometh to mind   
Hic loquitur contra tiramnos illos qui cum in bello vicere possunt huamni 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 marsegittarun regine in bello captus quam a diu quesivit severitatem ꝓ severitate final●t invenit nam & ipan quoddm has de sanguine ꝑsarun plenum ante se offerre decrevit in quo capud tiranni vsque ad mortem mergens dixit/ O tiramnarun crude●ssime semper esuriens sanguinem sicisti ecceiam ad saturitatem sanguinem bibe  

I Rede in old books thus  
There was a due which spertachus  
Men cleped & was a wetrour  
A cruel man a conqueror  
With strong power which he lad  
For this condition he had  
That where him happeneth the victory  
His lust & all his glory  
Was for to slay & not to save  
Of ransom would he no good have  
For saving of a man's life  
But all goeth to the sword & knife  
So beef him was man's blood  
And nevertheless thus it stod●  
So as fortune about went  
He fell right heir as by dissent  
To pers & was crowned king  
And when the worship of this 〈◊〉 king  
Was fall & he was king of pers  
If that they weren first divers  
Hath shape for upon a tide  
When he was highest in his pride  
In his rancour & in his heat  
again the queen of mersagete  
Which thamaris that time height  
He made were all that he might.  
And she which would her land defend  
Her owue son again him send  
Which the defence hath undertake  
But he discomfit was & take  
And when this king him had in hand  
He would no mercy understand  
But did him slay in his presence  
The king of his violence  
When it came to the moders ere  
She send a●one ay wide where  
To such friends as she had  
A great power till that she lad  
In sundry wise & though she cast  
How she this king may overcaste  
And at last accorded was  
That in the danger of a pace  
thorough which this tyrant should pass  
She shope his power to compass  
By strength of men by such a weigh  
That he shall not escape away  
And when she had thus ordained  
She hath her own body feigned  
For fere as though she would flee  
Out of her land & when that he  
Hath herd how that this lady fled  
So fast after the chase he sped  
That he was found out of array  
For it betid upon a day  
In to the paas when he was fall  
The enbusshementes to break all  
And him beclypte on every side  
That i'll ne might he not a side  
So that there were deed & take  
Two hundred thousand for his sake  
That weren with him of his host  
And thus was laid the great boost  
Of him & of his tyranny  
Hit helpeth not mercy for to cry  
To him which whilom did none  
For he unto the queen anon  
Was brought & when that she him sye  
This word she spoke & laid on high  
O man which out of man's kind  
Reason of man hath left behind  
And lived worse than a best  
Whom pity might not areste  
The man's blood to shed & spylle  
Thou hadst never yet thy fill  
But now the last time is come  
That thy malice is overcome  
And thou till other haste miss do  
Now shall be do to the right so  
though bade this lady that men should  
A vessel bring in which she would  
See the vengeance of his juice  
Which she began anon devise  
And took the princes which she lad  
By whom his chief council he had  
And while hem left any breathe  
She made 'em bleed to the death  
In to the vessel where it stood  
And when it was fulfilled of blood  
She cast the tyrant therein  
And said to thus might thou win  
The lustres of thine appetite  
In blood was whilom thy delight  
Thou shalt now drink all thy fill  
And thus only of gods will  
He which that would himself siraunge  
To pity fond mercy so strange  
That he without grace is boar  
So may it well shelbe therefore  
That cruelty hath no good end  
But pity how so that it wend  
Maketh that god is merciable  
If there be cause reasonable  
Why that a king shall be piteous  
But else if he be doubtous  
To sleen in cause of rightwiseness  
It may be said no pytousnesse  
But it is pusillanymyte  
Which every prince should flee  
For if pity measure exceed  
Kynghode may not alway proceed  
To do justice upon right  
For it belongeth to a knight  
As gladly for to fight as rest  
To set his liege people in rest  
When that the war upon 'em falleth  
For them he moat as it befalleth  
Of his knighthood as a lion  
Be to the people a champion  
Without uny pity feigned  
For if manhood be restrained  
Or be it peace or be it were  
justice goeth out of her  
So that knighthood is set behind  
Of Aristotle'S lore ● find  
A king shall make good visage  
That no man know of his courage  
But all honour & worthiness  
For if a king shall upon guess  
Without v●r●y cause dread  
He may be like to that I read  
And though that it be like a fable  
The ensample Is good & reasonable   
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 old days fell  
I read whilom that an hell  
Vp●n the lo●des of arc●●de  
A wonder dreadful noise made  
For so it fell that ilk day  
This hill on his childing lay  
And when the th●● wes on him come  
His ●oyse like the day of doom  
Was fearful in man's thought  
Of things which that they see nought  
But well they herden all about  
The ●oyse of which they were in doubt  
As they that wenden to be lore  
Of thing which thenne was vubore  
The near this hill was upon chance  
To taken his deliverance  
The more unbuxumlyche he cried  
Every man fled a side  
For dread & left his own holbs  
And at last it was a molbs  
The which was lore & to notice  
Bytake & though they held 'em nice  
For they withouten cause dread  
Thus if a king his heart lad  
With every thing that he shall here  
Full oft he should change his cheer  
And upon fantasy dread  
When that there is no cause of dread   
Nota hic secundum oracium de magnanimo ●a●●de & pusillanime thersite  

Orace to his prince told  
That him were l●uer that he would  
Upon knyghthede achilles sew  
In time of war than eschew  
So as thersites did at troy  
A chill all his hole joy  
Set upon arms for to fight  
Thersytes sought all that he myggt  
Unarmed for to stand and rest  
But of the two it was the best  
That achilles upon the need  
Hath do whereof that his knyghthede  
Is yet commended over all  
King solomon in special  
Saith as there is a time of peace  
So is a time nethelees  
Of were of which a prince algate  
Shall for the common right debate  
And for his own worship eke  
But it behoveth not to seek  
Only the were for worship  
But to the right of his lordship  
Which he is hold to defend  
might every worthy prince intend  
Between the symplyesse of pity  
And the fool hast of cruelty  
Where stant the hardiness  
Thereupon a king his heart address  
When it is time for to forsake  
And when time is also to take  
The godly wars upon hand  
That he shall for no dread wonde  
If rightwiseness be withal  
For god is mighty over all  
To further every man's truth  
But it le thorough his own sloth  
And namely the kings need  
It may not fail for to speed  
For he stant one for hem all  
So moat it well the better fall  
And well the more god favoureth  
When he the common right succoureth  
And for to▪ see the sooth in deed  
Behold the bible & thou might read  
Of great ensamples many one  
Whereof that I will tell 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 cooperant divina victoriose infugam convertit  

uPon a time as it befell  
Against Jude of Israelle  
When sundry kings come were  
I● purpoos & to destroy the●e  
The people which god kept tho  
And stood m thilk days so  
That gedeon which should lead  
The god's folk took him to read  
And send m all the land about  
Till be assembled hath a rout  
With thirty thousand of defence  
To fight & make resistance  
again the which he would assail  
And nevertheless that one battle  
Of three that were enemies  
Was double more than was all his  
Whereof that gedeon him dread  
That he so little people had  
But he which all thing may help  
Where that there lacketh man's help  
To gedeon his angel sent  
And bad or that he further went  
Al openly that he do cry  
That every man in his party  
Which would after his own will  
In his delight abide still  
At home in any manner wise  
For purchase or for covetise  
For lust of love & lack of he●te  
He should not about start  
But hold him still in peace  
Whereof upon the morrow he lees  
Well xx thousand men & more  
Which after the cry been go  
Thus was with him but only left  
The third part & yet god eft  
His angel send & said this  
To gedeon if it so is  
That I thine help shall undertake  
Thou shalt yet less pexle take  
By whom my will is that thou speed  
For thy to morrow take good heed  
Unto the flood when ye be come  
What man that hath the water nome  
Upon his hand & lappeth so  
To thy part cheese out all ●●o  
And him which weary is to swink  
Upon his Womb & lieth to drink  
Forsake & put 'em all albeye  
For I am mighty all weigh  
Where as me lice my help to sew  
In good men though they be few  
This gedeon a waiteth well ●  
Upon the morrow & every delle  
As god him bade right so he deed  
And thus they laften in that stead  
With him three hundred & no moo  
The remanant was all a go  
Whereof that gedeon marveleth  
And thereupon with god counseleth  
Pleyning as farforth as he dare  
And god that would ●e were ware  
That he shall speed upon his right  
Hath bede him go the same night  
And took a man to him to here  
What shall be spoke in this matter  
Among the heathen enemies  
So may he be the more wise  
What afterward him shall befall  
This gedeon emonges all  
Phara to whom he tryst most  
By night took toward thilk host  
Which lodged was in a valley  
To here what they wolden say  
Upon his foot & as he feared  
Two sareʒyns speaking he heard  
Quod one arede my sweven a right  
Which I met in my sweven to night  
Me thought I saw a barley cake  
Which fro the hill his weigh hath take  
And came rolling down at ones  
And as it were for the nonce  
Forth in his course as it ran  
The kings tent of madyan  
Of amalech of amareye  
Of amon & of jebuseye  
And many another tent more  
With great joy as me thought though  
It threw to ground & overcaste  
And all his host so sore aghast  
That I work for pure dread  
This sweven can I well arede  
Qd the other sareʒyn anon  
The barley cake is Gedeon  
Which fro the hill down suddenly  
Shall come & set such a skrye  
Upon the kings & us both  
That it shall to us all loath  
For in such dread he shall us bring  
That if we hadden flight of wing  
The weigh of foot in despair  
We shul leave & flee in the air  
For there shall no thing him withstand  
When gedeon hath understand  
This tale he thanked god of all  
And privily again he stalle  
So that no life him bathe perceived  
And than he hath fully conceived  
That he shall speed & there upon  
The night sewing he shope to gone  
This multitude to assail  
Now shalt thou here a great marvel  
With what wisdom that he wrought  
The little people which he brought  
Was none of 'em that he ne hath  
A pot of earth which he hath  
A light brenning in a cresset  
And each of 'em eke a trumpet  
Bare in his hand eke beside  
And thus upon the nights tide  
Du● gedeon when it was dark  
ordaineth him unto his work  
And parted than his folk in three  
And chargeth than that they ne i'll  
And taught 'em how they should askrye  
All in one wise par company  
And what word they should eke speak  
And how they should her pots break  
Each one with other when they heard  
That he himself so first feared  
For when they came in to the stead  
He bade 'em do right as he deed  
And thus stalking forth a pa●s  
This noble duke when time was  
His pot he broke & loud escried  
And though they broke on every side  
The trump was not tho to seek  
He blewe & so they blewen eke  
With such a noise among 'em all  
As though the heaven should fall▪  
The hill unto her voys auswerde  
This host in the valley it heard  
And saith how that the hill a light  
So what of hearing & of sight  
They caught such a sudden fere  
That none of 'em be left there  
The tents holy they forsook  
That they none other good took  
But only with her body bore  
They fled as doth the wild hare  
And ever upon the hill they blewe  
Till that they saw time & knew  
That they be fled upon the rage  
And when they wist th●ir advantage  
They fell anon unto the chase  
Thus might thou see how gods grace  
Unto the good availeth  
But, else offtime it faileth  
To such as be not well disposed  
This tale needeth not to be glossed  
For it is openly showed  
That god to hem that been well thewed  
Hath give & granted the victory  
So that thensaumple of this hystarye  
Is good for every king to hold  
First in himself that he behold  
If he be good of his living  
And that the folk which he shall bring  
Be good also for than he may  
Be glad of many Turrian merry day  
In what that ever he hath to done  
For he which sit above the moan  
In all thing may spill & speed  
In every caas & every need  
His good king so well he dresseth  
That all his foo men he represseth  
So that there may no man him dear  
And also well he can forbear  
And suffer a wicked king to fall  
In hands of his soon all   
Hic dicit qd ubi et quando causa & tempus requirunt princeps illos sub potestate sua quos iusticie adversarios suo● agnoverit occidere de iure tenetur Et narrat exemplum qualiter pro eo qd saul regem agag in bello devincit juxta samuelis consilium occidere nolu it ipse divino judicio non sosum a regno israel privatus set & heredes sui pro perpetuo exhereditati sunt  

n owe furthermore if I shall say  
Of my matter & torn again  
To speak of justice & pity  
After the rule of ryalte  
This may a king well understand  
●enyghthode moat be take on hand  
When that it stonte upon the need  
He shall no rightful cause dread  
No more of were than of peace  
If he will stand blameless  
For such a cause a king may have  
Better it is to slay than save  
Whereof thou might ensample find  
The high maker of mankind  
By samuel to saul bade  
That he shall no thing be adread  
again king agag for to fight  
For this the godhead him behyght  
That agag shall be overcome  
And when it is so farforth come  
That saul him hath discomfit  
The god bade make no respite  
That he ne should him slay anon  
But saul let it over gone  
And did not the god's hest  
For agag made a great behest  
Of ransom which he would gyu  
King saul suffereth him to live  
And feigneth pity forth withal  
But he which saw & knew all  
The high god of that he feigneth  
To samuel upon him plaineth  
And send him word for that he l●f●e  
Of agag that ne by refte  
The life he shall not only die  
Himself but fro his regal  
He shall be put for ever more  
Nought but eke his eyre also  
That it shall never come again  
Thus might thou see the sooth plain   
Hic narrat vl●erius super eodem qualiter david in extremis justice caus● ut Ioab occideretur absque ulla remissione filio suo Salamoni iniunxit  

tHat of to moche & of to ly●●  
Upon the princes stant the wy●●  
But ever it was a kings right  
●o do the deeds of a knight  
For in the hands of a king  
The death & life is all o thing  
After the laws of justice  
To sl●en it is a deadly vice  
But if a man the death deserve  
And if a king the life preserve  
Of him which ought for to die  
He showeth not the ensaumplerye  
Which in the bible is evident  
How ●●●yd in his testament  
When he no longer might leave  
Unto his son in cherge hath give  
That he joab shield slay algace  
And when david was gone his gate  
The young wise salamone  
Hi●●●ders hest did anon  
And slew joab in such a wise  
That they that herden the juice  
Ever after dredden him the more  
And god was eke well paid therefore  
That he so would his heart ply  
The laws for to iustefye  
And yet he kept forth with all  
●yt● a● a prince shall  
That he ne tyranny wrought  
He fond the wisdom which he sought  
And was so rightful nethelees  
That all his life ●e s●ode in peace  
That he no deadly wars had  
For every man his wisdom dread  
And as he was himself wise  
Right so the worthy men of prise  
He hath of his council withhold  
For that is every princes hold  
To make of such his retinue  
Which wise been & renew  
The fools for there is no thing  
That may be better about a king  
Than the oc●ceyl which is the substance  
Of all a bynges' governance   
Hic dicit qd pepulum sibi commissu bene re●ere super omnia principi laudabilius est Et narrat in exemplum qualiter pro eo qd solomon ut populum bene regeret ab altissimo sapienciam specialius postulavit omma bona pariter cum illa sibi habundancius adverunt  

iN solomon a man may see  
What thing of most necessity  
Unto a worthy king belongeth  
When he his kingdom underfengeth  
God bade him cheese what he would  
And said him that he have should  
What he would ask of a thing  
And he which was a noble king  
For there upon his bone prayed  
To god & in this wise said  
O thing by whom that I shall regne  
Yeve me wisdom that in my regne  
Forth with the people which I have  
To thine honour may keep & save  
When solomon with love hath taxed  
The god of that which he hath axed  
Was right well paid & granted soon  
Not all only that he his bone  
Shall have of that but of richesses  
Of bele of peace & of high nobleness  
For with wisdom's at his axynges  
Which stant● above all earthly things   
Hic dicit secundum Salamonem qd regie magestatis imperium ante omiam sano consilio dirigendum est  

Vt what king will his reign save  
First him behoveth for to have  
After thy god & his believe  
Snche council which is to believe  
Fulfilled of troth & rightwiseness  
But above all in his nobleness  
between the reddour & pity  
A king shall do such equity  
And set the balance in even  
So that the high god in heaven  
And all the people of his nobleye  
Long unto his name say  
For most above all earthly good  
Where that a king himself is good  
It heleth for in other weigh  
If so be that a king forsueye   
Quidquid delirant reges plectuntur achivi  

Vl of be it hath be sayne  
The common people is overleyn  
And hath the kings sin about  
All though the people agylte nought  
Of that the king his god mysserueth  
The people taketh that he deserveth  
Here in this world but elliss where  
I note how he shall stand there  
For thy good is a king to trust  
First to himself as he ne wist  
None other help but god alone  
So shall the rule of his person  
Within himself thorough providence  
be of the better conscience  
And for to find ensample of this  
A tale I find & soothe it is   
Hic de lucio imperatore exemplum ponit qualiter princeps sui nominis famam a secretis consiliarijs sapienter investigare debet et siquid in ea sinistrum invenerit provisa discrecione ad dexteram convertat  

iN a chronicle it telleth thus  
The king of rome lucyus  
Within his chambre upon a night  
The stevard of his house a knight  
Forthwith his chamberlain also  
To council had both two  
And stooden by the chymne  
To guider speaking all three  
And happeth that the kings fool  
Sat by the fire upon a stole  
As he that with his babble played  
But yet he heard all that they said  
And therefore took they no heed  
A king hem asketh what to read  
Of such matter as came to mouth  
And they him told as they couth  
When all was spoke of that they meant  
The king with all his hole intent  
Thenne atte last hem asketh this  
What king men tell that he is  
Among the folk touching his name  
Or be it pris or be it blame  
Right after that they heard say  
He bade 'em for to tell it plain  
That they no peynte of sooth forbear  
By thilk faith that they him bear  
The steward first upon this thing  
Gafe his answer unto the king  
And thought gloze in this matter  
And said as far as he can here  
His name is good & honourable  
Thus was the steward favourable  
That he the troth p●yne ne told  
The king than asketh as he should  
The chamberlain of his advice  
And he that was subtle & wise  
And somedeal thought upon his faith  
Him told how all the people saith  
That if his council were true  
They wist than well & knew  
That of himself he should be  
A worthy king in his degree  
And thus the council he accuseth  
In party & the king excuseth  
The fool which heard of all this case  
That time as gods will was  
Se●th that they saiden not enough  
And hem to scorn both lough  
And to the king he said though  
Sir king if it were so  
Of wisdom in thine own mode  
That thou thyself were good  
Thy council should not be bad  
The king thereof marvel had  
When that a fool so wisely spacke  
And of himself fond out the lack  
Within his own conscience  
And thus he feeleth evidence  
Which was of god's grace inspired  
Maketh that good council was desired  
He put away the vicious  
And took to him the virtuous  
The wrongful laws been amended  
The lands good is well dispended  
The people was no more oppressed  
And thus stood every thing redressed  
For where a king is proper wise  
And hath such as himself is  
Of his council it may not fail  
But every thing shall avail  
The vices than goeth away  
And every thing holdeth his way  
Whereof the high god is pleased  
And all the lands folk esed  
For if the common people cry  
And that a king list not to ply  
To here what the clamour would  
And otherwise than he should  
D●s●ayneth for to done 'em grace  
It hath be seen in many place  
There hath be fall great contrary  
And that I find 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 sermovibus renuncians dicta iunenum preelegit de duodecim tribus israel a domino sud decem penitus ami sit & sic cum duabus tautummodo il●usus postea regnavit  

aFter the ●eth of salamone  
When this wise king was gone  
●n● roboas in his person  
Re●ryue should the corone  
The people upon a parliament  
Auysed were of one assent  
And all unto the king they preyden  
With common voys & thus if 〈◊〉 seydel  
Our hege lord we the beseech  
That thou receive our humble speech  
And grant us which the reason will  
Or of thy grace or of thy skill  
Thy father while he was on live  
And might both grant & prive  
Upon the works which he had  
The common people strait lad  
When he the temple made new  
Thing which men never tofore knew  
He brought up than of his t●llage  
And all was under the usage  
Of works which he made tho  
But now it is befall so  
That all is made right as he seyed  
And he was rich when he died  
So that it is no more need  
If thou thereof wilt taken heed  
To pillen of the people more  
Which long hath be grieved sore  
And in this wise we the say  
With tender heart we the prey  
That thou relese thilk det●●  
Which upon us thy father set  
And if the like to done so  
We been thy men for ever more  
To gone & comen at thine he●●e  
The king which heard this request  
Saith that he will been advised  
And hath thereof a time assysed  
And in the which ●s he him thought  
Upon this thing council he sought  
And first the wise knights old  
To whom that he his tale told  
Counceyllen him in this manner  
That he with love & with glad cheer  
Foryeve & grant all that is axed  
Of that his father had taxed  
For so he may his reign achieve  
With thing which shall him little grieve  
The king hem herd & over passeth  
And with this other his wit compasseth  
That young were & no thing wise  
And they that these old men despise  
And saiden sit it shall be shame  
For ever unto thy worthy name  
If thou ne keep not thy right  
While thou art in thy young might  
Which that thine old father gate  
But say unto the people plate  
That while thou livest in thy land  
The lest finger of thine hand  
It shall be stronger over all  
Than was thy father body all  
And thus also shall be thy tale  
If he hem smote with rods small  
With scorpions thou shalt hem smite  
And where thy father took a light  
Thou thinkest to take mychel more  
Thus shalt thou make 'em dread sore  
The great heart of thy courage  
So for to hold 'em in servage  
This young king him hath conformed  
To done as he was last informed  
Which was to him undoing  
For when it came to the speaking  
He hath the young council hold  
That he the same words told  
Of all the people in audience  
And when they heard the sentence  
Of his malice & the menace  
Anon tofore his own face  
They have him entirely refused  
And with full great reprove accused  
So they began for to rave  
That he himself was fain to save  
For as the wild wode rage  
Of winds maketh the see savage  
And that was calm bringeth to wawe  
So for default & grace of law  
This people is stired all at ones  
And forth they go out of his wones  
So that of the lineage twelve  
Two tribus only by 'em self  
With him abiden & no moo  
So were they for ever moo  
Of no return without espryre  
Departed fro the rightful heir  
Al Israel with common voice  
A king upon her own choice  
Among hem self anon they make  
And have her young lord forsake  
A polber knight jeroboas  
They took & left roboas  
Which rightful heir was by dissent  
Thus the young cause went  
For that the council was not good  
The reign fro the rightful blood  
Ever afterward divided was  
So may it proven by this case  
That young counsel which is to warm  
Or men be ware doth oft harm  
Old age for the council serveth  
And lusty youngth his thank deserveth  
Upon the travail which he doth  
And both for to say a sooth  
By sundry cause for to have  
If that he will his wygne save  
A king behoveth every day  
That one can & that other may  
Be so the king both rule  
Or else all goeth out of rule   
Nota questionem cuiusdam philosophi utrum regno conveniencius foret principem optare sapientem quam cum sano consilio ipsum eligere insipientem  

aNd upon this matter also  
A question between the two  
Thus written in book I fond  
Whether it be better for the land  
A king himself to be wise  
And so to bear his own prise  
And that his council be not good  
Or other●●kse if it so stood  
A king if he be vicious  
And his council be virtuous  
It is answered in such a wise  
That better it is that they be wise  
By whom the council should gone  
For they be many & he but one  
And rather shall an only man  
With f●ls council for aught he can  
From his wysdem be made to fall  
Than he alone should hem all  
from vices unto virtues change  
For t●●t is well the more strange  
For thy the ●onde may well be glad  
Wh●s king with good counsel is lad  
Which set him unto rightwiseness  
So that his high worthiness  
Between the reddeur & pity  
D●th mercy forth with equity  
A king is holden over all  
To pity and in special  
To ●●m where he is most behold  
Thy should his pite most behold  
That b●n the ●●ges of the ●onde  
For they been ever under his hand  
A f●●r the go●des ordinance  
To stand under his governance   
Nota ad●u● praecipue de principis ●●ga suos subditos debita pietate legitur ●nim ovabter anthonius a scipion● exemplificatus dixit quod mallet unum de populo sibi commisso virum sa●uare ●uam centum ex hostibus a●enigenis in be●lo perdere  

oF the emperor anthonyus  
I find h●w he said thus  
That liefer him were for to save  
One of his lieg●s than to have  
Of enemies an hundred deed  
As thus he learned as I read  
Of Cypyo which had be  
Consul of Rome & thus to see  
Dru●rs ensamples how they stand  
A king which hath ● charge on hand  
The common people to govern  
If that he will be may well learn  
Is none so good to the pleasance  
Of god as is good gouerna●●●e  
And every governance is due  
The pity thus I may argue  
That pity is the foundemente  
Of every kings reygnement  
If it be meddled with justice  
They two remeu●n all vice  
And be of virtue most vailable  
To make a kings royalme stable  
Lo thus the four points tofore  
In governance as they be boar  
Of troth first & of laregsse  
Of pity forth with rightwiseness  
I have 'em told & over this  
The first point so as it is  
Set of the rule of policy  
Whereof a king shall modify  
The fleshly lusts of nature  
Now think I tell of such measure  
That both kind shall be served  
And eke the law of god observed   
Corporis et mentis regem decet omnis honestas/ Nominis ut famam nulla libido r●at/ Omne qd est hominis effe minat illa voluptas/ Sat n●si magnanimi cordis ut 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 desireth feel  
That needeth not by weigh of kind  
For when a man may ready find  
His own wife what should he s●che  
In strange places to beseech  
To borrow another man's plough  
When he hath great good yvough  
Affayted at his own hest  
And is to him well more honest  
Than other thing which unknown  
For thy should every good man know  
And think how that in marriage  
His troth plight lieth in mortgage  
Which if he break it is falsehood  
And that discordeth to manhood  
And namely toward the great  
Whereof the books all treat  
So as the phylosophre teacheth  
To alysaunder & him bytecheth  
The lore how that he shall measure  
His body so that no measure  
Of fleshly lust he shall exceed  
And thus forth I shall proceed  
The first point as I said ere  
Is chastity which seld where  
Cometh now a days in to place  
But nevertheless but it be grace  
Above all other in special  
Is none that chaste may been all  
But yet a knights high estate  
Which of his order as a prelate  
Shall be anointed & scifyed  
He moat be more magnified  
For dignity of his corone  
Than should another low person  
Which is not of so high emprise  
Therefore a prince▪ him should advise  
Or that he fall in such riot  
And namely that he ne assote  
To change for the womanhead  
The worthiness of his manhood   
Nota de doctriva aristotiles quasi ter princeps ut animi sui iocundita t●●● provocet mulieres formosas c●●bro aspicere debet caveat tamen ne mens vo luptuosa torpesceus ex carnis fragilita te in vicium dilabatur  

F aristotle I have well radde  
How he to alysaunder bad  
That for to gladden his courage  
He should beholden the visage  
Of women when that they been fair  
But yet he set an exaumplayre  
His body so to guide & rule  
That he ne pass mote the rule  
Whereof that he himself beguile  
For in the women is no guile  
Of that a man himself bywapeth  
When he his own wit by iapeth  
I can the woman well excuse  
But what man will upon him muse  
After the foolish impression  
Of his imagination  
Within himself the fire he bloweth  
Where of the woman no thing knoweth  
So may she no thing be to Wit  
For if a man himself excite  
To drench & will it not forbear  
The water shall no blame bear  
What may the gold though men covet  
If that a man will live strait  
The woman hath him no thing bound  
If he his own heart wound  
She may not let the folly  
And though so fill of company  
That he might any thing purchase  
Yet maketh a man the first chase  
The woman fleeth & he purseweth  
So that by the weigh of skill it sueth  
The man is cause how so befall  
That he full oft sith is fall  
Where that he may not well arise  
And nevertheless full many wise  
Befooled hath 'em self or this  
As now a days yet it is  
among the men & ever was  
The s●ronge is febelest in this case  
It sit a man by were of kind  
To love but it is not kind  
A man for love his wit to lose  
For if the month of juyle shall frese  
And that december shall be hot  
The year mystorneth well I wow  
To seen a man fro his estate  
thorough his soty eff●mynate  
And leave that a man shall do  
It is ●s hose above the shoe  
To man which ought not to be used  
But yet the world hath oft accused  
Full great princes of this deed  
How they for love hem self myslede  
Whereof manhood stood behind  
Of old ensamples as I find   
Hic ponit exemplum qualiter pro ●o ●d Sardanapallus assiriorun 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 old gests tell thus  
That whilom Sordanapallus  
Which held all hole in his empire  
The great kingdom of assyre  
Was thorough the sloth of his courage  
Fall in to the ilk fiery rage  
Of love which the man assoteth  
Where of himself so ryot●th  
And waxeth so farforth womannysshe  
That again kind as a fish  
A bide would upon the land  
In women such a lust he fond  
That he dwelled ever in chambre still  
And only wrought after the will  
Of women so as he was bid  
That seldom when in other stead  
If that he would wenden out  
To seen how that it stod● about  
But there he kissed & there he played  
They taughten him a lace to ●●ayed  
And weave a purse & to enfyle  
A pearl and fill thilk while  
One barbar●s the prince of meed  
Seeth the king in womanhead  
Was fall fro chivalry  
And gate him help & company  
And wrought so that at last  
This king out of his reign he cast  
Which was undone for ever moo  
And yet men speaken of him so  
That it is shame for to here  
For thy to love is in manner   
Nota qualiter david amans muli●re● propter hoc probitat●m armorum non minus excercuit  

king david had many a love  
But nethelesse alweye above  
knighthood he kept in such a wise  
That for no fleshly covetise  
Of lust to lig in lady arms  
He left not the lust of arms  
For where a prince his lus●●s sueth  
That he the were not purseweth  
when it is time to been armed  
His country stante full oft harmed  
When the enemies be wax bold  
That they defence none behold  
Full many a land hath so be lore  
As men may read oft time tofore  
Of 'em that so her ●ases sosughten  
Which after they full dear 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 adver 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 subiugavit  

tO much ease is no thing worth  
For it setteth every vice forth  
And every virtue put a back  
Whereof price turneth in to lack  
As in a cronic I may rehearse  
Which telleth how the king of pers●  
That cyrus height a were had  
A against the people which he dradde  
Of a court which lyddoes height  
But yet for aught that he do might  
As in battle upon the were  
And had o● hem alway the were  
And when he saw & wist it weal  
That he by strength won no deal  
Thenne atte last he cast a wile  
This worthy people to beguile  
And took with 'em a feigned p●e●  
Which should last endelees  
So as he said in words wise  
But he thought all in otherwise  
For it betided upon the caas  
When that this people in rest was  
They token ease many fold  
And worlds ●se as it is told  
By way of kind is the nurse  
Of every lust which toucheth vice  
Thus when they were in lusts fall  
The wars been forgeten all  
Was none which would the worship  
Of arme● but in idleship  
They putten business away  
And took 'em to dance and play  
But most above all other things  
They token 'em to the likings  
Of fleshly lusts that chastity  
received was in no degree  
But every man doth what him list  
And when the king of pers it wist  
That they unto folly entenden  
With his power when they lest wenden  
More suddenly than doth the thunder  
He came & put 'em under  
And thus hath lechery lore  
The land which had be tofore  
The best of 'em that were tho  
And in the bible I find also   
Nota hic qualiter facta belli luxus infortunate 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 devicti in magna multituine gladio ●●aderunt  

a Tale like unto this thing  
How amalech the payen king  
When that he might by no weyr  
Defend his land & put albeyr  
The very people of Israel  
This saracen as it befell  
Through the council of balaam  
A rout of fair women nam  
That lusty were & young of age  
And bad hem go to the lineage  
Of these ebrewes & forth they went  
With eyen grey & brolbes bent  
And well arrayed every eachone  
And when they comen were anon  
Among the breathes was none in sight  
But catch who that catch might  
And each of 'em his sustes sought  
Which after they full dear bought  
For grace anon began to fail  
That when they ●●men to battle  
Than after that in se●y plight  
They were take and discomfit  
So that within a little throw  
The might of hem was overthrow  
That whilom were wont to stand  
Till ph●nces the cause on hand  
Hath take this vengeance last  
But than it cased at last  
For god was poyed of that he deed  
For where be fond upon a stead  
A 〈◊〉 which mysferred so  
〈…〉 te hem both two  
〈…〉ge in men's eye  
〈…〉 which hem sye  
Ensaumyled 'em upon the deed  
And ●ra●ed unto the godhead  
Her old sins for to amend  
And he which would his mercy send  
M●s●o●ed 'em to new grace  
This may it show in sundry place  
Of chas●yte how that cleanness  
Accords to worthiness  
Of men of arms over all  
But most of all in special  
This verta a ●yng ●ylongeth  
For upon his fortune it hongeth  
Of that his bond shall speed or spill  
For thy but if a king his will  
from ●ustes of his flesh restrain  
against himself he maketh a train  
In to the which if that he slide  
Him were better go beside  
For every man may understand  
How for a time that it stand  
It is a sorry lust to like  
Wh●s end maketh a man to sick  
And turneth joys in to sorrow  
The ●r●ght son by the morrow  
Beshyveth not the dark night  
The lusey youth of man's might  
In age but it stand we●e  
Mystorneth all the last whe●e   
Hic boquitur qualiter principum irre gulat● voluptas eos et semita recta multociens deviare compellit/ Et narrat exemplum de salamone qui ex sue carnis concupiscencia victus mu●ierum blandimentis in sui scandalum deos a●●enos colore presumebat  

tHat every worthy prince is hold  
Within himself him self behold  
To see the state of his person  
And think how there be joys none  
Upon this earth made to last  
And how the flesh shall at last  
The lusts of his life forsake  
Him ought a great ensample take  
Of solomon whose appetite  
Was holy set upon delight  
To take of women the pleasance  
So that upon his ignorance  
The wide world marveleth yet  
That he which all men's wit  
In thilk time hath overpassed  
With fleshly lusts was so cassed  
That he which had under law  
The people of god himself withdraw  
He hath fro god in such a wise  
That he worship & sacrifice  
For sundry love in sundry stead  
Unto the false god's deed  
This was the wise ecclesiaste  
The fame of whom shall ever last  
That he the mighty god forsook  
again the law when he took  
His wives & his concubines  
Of 'em that were saracens  
For which he did idolatry  
For this I read of his sotie  
O she of sydone so him lad  
That he kneeling his father spread  
So strat●h●n with great humblesse  
Which of her bond was the goddess  
And she that was of moabyte  
So farforth made him to delight  
thorough lust which all his wit devout  
r/ That he chamos her god honour  
honoureth/ And other amonyt also  
With love him hath assoted so  
Her god moloche that with incense  
He sacreth & doth reverence  
In such a wise as she him bad  
Thus was the wisest overladde  
With blind lusts which he sought  
But he it afterward about   
Nota hic qualit achias propheta in fig nun qd regna pest mortem sabomonis ob eius peccatum a suo herede dimuneretur pallu●● suum in duodecim partes scidit unde decem parts jeroboe filio nabul qui regnaturus postea successit precep to dei tribuit  

fOr achyas solevytes  
Which was prophet or his deces  
While he was in his lusts all  
Betokeneth what shall after fall  
For on a day when that he met  
jeroboam the knight he great  
And bade him that he should abide  
To here what him shall betide  
And forth with all achyas caste  
His mantle of & also fast  
He cut it in to py●ces twelve  
Whereof two parties toward himself  
He kept & all the remanant  
As ●od hath set his covenant  
He took unto joroboas  
Of nabal which the sone was  
And of the ●ynges court a knight  
And said him such is god's might  
As thou hast seen departed here  
My mantle in such manner  
After the death of solomon  
God hath ordained thereupon  
This reign than he shall divide  
Which time thou shalt eke abide  
And upon that division  
Thy reign as in proportion  
As thou hast of my mantle take  
Thou shalt receive I undertake  
And thus the son shall abye  
The lusts and the lechery  
Of him which now his father is  
So for to taken heed of this  
It sit a king well to be chaste  
For else he may lighlly waste  
Himself & eke his reign both  
And that aught every king to both  
O which one sin violent  
Whereof a king was shent  
That the vengeannce of his person  
Was not Enough to take alone  
But afterward when he was passed  
It hath his heritage ●assed  
As I more openly tofore  
The tale told & thus tofore  
The phylosophre upon this thing  
Writ & counseyld to a king  
That he the forfeit of luxure  
Shall tempre and rule of such measure  
Which be to kind suffyciaunte  
And eke to reason accordaunte  
So that the lusts ignorance  
By cause of mysgovernance  
thorough which that he be overthrow  
As he that will no reason know  
For but if a man's wit be swerved  
When kind is dulyche served  
It ought of reason to suffice  
For if it fill him otherwise  
He may the lusts sore dread  
For of anthony thus I read  
Which of severus was the sone  
That he his life of commune won  
gave holy unto thylle vice  
And oft time he was so nice  
Whereof nature hath her complained  
Unto the god which hath disdeyved  
The works which anthony wrought  
Of lusts which he full sore about  
For god his forfete hath so wroke  
That in cronike it is yet spoke  
But for to took r●men ●r●unce  
Of special mysg●uernaunce  
thorough c●uetyse and ●niustyce  
Forth with the remnant of vice  
And namesye of lechery  
I find write a great party  
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 ● oim vicierun vari●ta● repleti tam in h●●ēs quam in muli●res innumera sc●le ra ꝓpetravint set specialif super hijs oue contra gabinos fraudulenter operati sunt tractare intendit  

SO as these old gests say  
The proud tyrauntee roman  
T●rquynus which was thenne king  
And wrought many a wrongful thing  
Of sones he had many one  
Emenge the which arrows was one  
●y●e to his father of manners  
So that within few years  
With treason and with tyranny  
They won of land a great party  
And token heed of no justice  
Which dew was to her office  
Upon the rule of governance  
But all that ever was pleasance  
Unto the fleshes lust they took  
And fell so that they undertook  
A were which was not achieved  
But oft time he had 'em grieved  
A●eyn the folk which than height  
The gabyens & all by night  
Thus arrows when he was at home  
In room a pryup place he nome  
Within a chambered & beat himself  
And made him wounds x or twelve  
Upon the back as he was sce●  
And so forth with his hurts green  
In all the haste that he may  
He road & came that other day  
Unto gabye the city  
And in he went & when that he  
Was know anon the yates was shut  
The lords all upon him set  
With drawn swords in hand  
And arrows would hem not withstand  
And said I am here at your will  
As lecf it is that ye me spill  
As if mine own father deed  
And forth within that same stead  
He prayed 'em that they would see  
And told 'em in what degree  
His father & his brethren both  
Which he said weren wroth  
Him had beaten & reviled  
And out of rome for ever exyl●d  
And thus he made 'em to believe  
And said if that he might a●heue  
His purposes it shall well be yold  
By so that they him help would  
When that the lords heard say  
How woeful he was besayn  
They took pity of his grieve  
And yet it was 'em wonder ●eue  
That rome him had exiled so  
This Gabyens by coun●●yl though  
Upon the gods made him swear  
That he should to hen● truth bear  
And strength hem with all his might  
And they also him hath b●hyght  
To helpen hem in his ouar●le  
They shopen then for his h●le  
That he was bathed & anoint  
Till that he was in lusty point  
And what he would than he had  
That he all hole the city lad  
Right as he would himself devise  
And than he thought him in the whse  
He might his tyranny show  
And took to his council a shrew  
Whom to his father forth he sent  
And in his message he though went  
And prayed his father for to say  
By his advice he find a weigh  
How they might the cite win  
While he stood so well therein  
And when the messenger was come  
To rome & hath in council nome  
The king it fell perchance so  
That they were in a garden though  
This messenger forth with the king  
And when he had told the thing  
In what manner that it stood  
And that turquynus understood  
By the message how that it feared  
Anon he took in hand a yard  
And in the garden as they gone  
The lily crops one and one  
Where that they were sprungen out  
He smote of as they stood about  
And said unto the messengere  
Lo this thing which I do now here  
Shall be in stead of thine answer  
And in this wise as I me bear  
Thou shall unto my sone tell  
And he no longer would dwell  
But took his leave & goeth with all  
Unto his lord & told him all  
How that his father had do  
When arrows heard him tell so  
Anon he wist what it mente  
And thereto set all his intent  
Till he thorough fraud & treachery  
The princes heeds of gabye  
Hath smitten of & all was won  
His father came tofore the son  
In to the town with the romeyns  
And took & slew the cyteseyns  
Without reason or pyce  
That he no spareth no degree  
And for the speed of this conquest  
He let do make a rich feste  
With a solemn sacrifice  
In phoebus temple & in this wise  
When the romans assembled were  
In presence of 'em all there  
Upon the altar when all was dygkt  
And that the fires were a light  
From under the altar suddenly  
An hideous serpent openly  
Came out & hath deuoured● all  
The sacrifice & eke with all  
The fires quaint & forth anon  
So as he came so is he gone  
In to the deep ground again  
And every man began to s●yn  
A lord what may this signify  
And thereupon they pray & cry  
To phoebus that they might know  
The cause & he the same throw  
With ghastly voys that all it heard  
The romans in this wise answered  
And said how for the wickedness  
Of pride & of unrightwiseness  
That tarquyne & his son hath do  
The sacrifice is wasted so  
Which might not been axceptable  
Upon such sin abominable  
And over that yet he hem wysseth  
And saith which of 'em first kisseth  
His mother he shall take wretch  
Upon the wrong & of that speech  
They been within her hearts glad  
Though they no semblance made  
There was a knight which buitus height  
And he with all the haste he might  
To ground fell & there kissed  
But none of 'em the cause wist  
But wend that he had sporned  
Perchance & so was turned  
But brutus all another mente  
For he knew well in his intent  
How th'earth of every man's kind  
Is mother but they weren blind  
And saw not so far as he  
But when they leften the city  
And comen home to rome again  
Than every man which was romeyn  
And mother hath to her he bend  
And kiss & each of 'em wend  
To be the first upon the chance  
Of torquyne for to do vengeance  
So as they herden phelus say  
But every time hath his certain  
So must it needs then abide  
Till afterward upon a tide   
Hic narrat qd cum tarquinus in obsidione civitatis ardee ut eam destru eret intentus fuit Arrous filius eius romam secreto adiens in domo collatini hespitatus est ubi de nocte illam castis simam dominam secret lucreciam yma ginata fraud vi oppressit unde illa pre dolore mortua ipse cum tarquino patri suo tota clamante Roma impꝑm exilium delegati sunt  

tArquinus made unskilfully  
A were which was fast by  
again a town with walls strong  
Which ardea was cleped long  
And cast a siege there about  
That there may no man pass out  
So it befell upon a night  
arrows which had his souper dight  
A part of the chivalry  
With him to sowpe in company  
Hath bede & when they comen were  
And set at sowper there  
among her other words glad  
arrows a great speaking made  
Who had though the best wife  
Of rome & there began a strife  
For arrows saith he hath the best  
So jangle they withouten rest  
Till at last one collatyne  
A worthy knight & was cousin  
To arrows said him in this wise  
It is qd he of none emprise  
To speak a word but of the deed  
Thereof it is to take heed  
Anon for thy this same tide  
Lepe on thy horse & let us ride  
So may we know both two  
unwarely what our wives do  
And that shall be a true assay  
This arrows saith not one's nay  
On horseback anon they leapt  
In such manner & no thing slept  
Riding forth till that they come  
All privily within rome  
In strange place & down they light  
They took a chambre out of sight  
They been disguised for a throw  
So that no life should 'em know  
And to that palace first they sought  
To see what thing this lady wrought  
Of which arrows made a vaunt  
And they her saw all glad semblant  
All full of mirths & of boards  
But among all other words  
She spoke not of her husband  
And when they had all understand  
Of thilk place what hem list  
They gone 'em forth that none it witted  
Beside thilk gate of bras  
Collacea which cleped was  
Where collatyn hath his dwelling  
There founden they at home sitting  
Lncrece his wife all environed  
With women which were abandoned  
To werche & she wrought also with all  
And bade 'em haste & saith it shall  
Before my husbands were  
Which with his sword & his spear  
Lieth at siege in great disease  
And if it should him not displease  
Now would god I had him here  
For certes till that I may here  
Some good tiding of his estate  
My heart is ever upon debate  
For so as all men witness  
He is of such an hardiness  
That he▪ can not himself spare  
And that is all my most care  
When they the walls should assail  
But if my wishes might avail  
I would it were a groundeles pit  
By so the siege were unknytte  
And I my husband sye  
With that the water in her eye  
Aroos that she ne might stop  
And as men seen the dew bedroppe  
The leaves & the flowers eke  
Right so upon her whit cheek  
The woeful salt teeris fell  
When collatyn hath heard her tell  
The meaning of her true heart  
A none with that to her he start  
And said loo my good dear  
Now is he come to yond here  
That ye most boven as ye say  
And she with goodly cheer again  
Byclypte him in her arms small  
And the colour which erst was pale  
To beauty than was restored  
So that it might not be mored  
The kings son which was nigh  
And of this lady heard & sigh  
The things as they been befall  
The reason of his wits all  
Hath lost for love upon his part  
Came than & his fiery dart  
With such a wound him hath smite  
That he must needs feel & wite▪  
Of thilk blind malady  
To which no cure of surgery  
Can help but yet nethelees  
At thilk time he, held his peace  
That he no countenance made  
But openly with words glade  
So as he could in his manner  
He spoke & made friendly cheer  
Till it was time for to go  
And collatyne with him also  
His leave took so that by night  
With all the haste that they might  
They riden to the siege again  
But arous was so woe byseyn  
With thoughts which upon him run  
That he all by the broad son  
To bed goeth not for to rest  
But for to think upon the best  
And the fairest forth with all  
That ever he saw or ever shall  
So as him thought in his courage  
Where he portreyed her image  
first the features of her face  
In which nature had all grace  
Of womanly beauty bysette  
So that it might not be bet  
And how her yellow here was tressed  
And her attire so well addressed  
And how she wept all this he thought  
And how she spoke & how she wrought  
That he foryeten hath no deal  
But all it acheth him so weal  
That in word or in deed  
her lacked nought of womanhead  
And thus this tyrannish knight  
Was suppled but not half a right  
For he none other heed took  
But that he might by some croak  
All though it were again her will  
The lusts of his flesh fulfil  
Which love was not reasonable  
For where honour is removable  
It ought well to been advised  
But he which hath his lust assysed  
With meddled love & tyranny  
Hath found upon his treachery  
A weigh which he thinketh to hold  
And saith fortune unto the bold  
Is favourable for to help  
And thus within himself to yelp  
As he which was a wild man  
Upon his treason he began  
And up he start & forth he went  
On horseback but his intent  
There knew no wyglt & he name  
The next day till he came  
Unto cellocea the gate  
Of rome & it was somedeal late  
Right even upon the son set  
As he which had shape his net  
Her Innocence to berrappe  
And as it should so mishap  
As pryu●lye as ever he might  
He road & of his horse alight  
Tofere cellatynes Inn  
And all frendeliche he goeth him in  
As he that was cousin of house  
As she which is the good sponse  
Lucrece when that she him sigh  
With goodly cheer drew him nigh  
And she which all honour supposeth  
And him so as she dare opposeth  
How it stood of her busbond  
And he though did her understand  
With tales feigned in his wise  
Right as he would himself devise  
Whereof he might her heart glade  
That she the better cheer made  
When she the glad words heard  
How that her busbond feared  
And thus the truth was deceived  
With shy treason which was perayved  
To her which meant all good  
For as the festes than stood  
His souper was right well arrayed  
But yet he hath no word assayed  
To speak of love in no degree  
But with covert subtlety  
His friendly speeches he affayteth  
As the tiger his time awaiteth  
In hope for to catch his ●raye  
When that the herds were away  
When they have souped in the hall  
He saith that sleep is on him fall  
And prayeth he moat go to bed  
And he with all haste sped  
So as her thought it was to done  
That every thing was ready soon  
She brought him to his chambre though  
Ann took her live & forth is go  
In to her own chambre by  
And she that wend certainly  
Had had a friend & had a foo  
Whereof fell after much woe  
This tyrant though he lie soft  
Out of his bed he rose full oft  
And goeth about & laid his ere  
To hearken till that all were  
To bed goon & sleeped fast  
And than upon himself he cast  
A mantle & his sword all naked  
He took in hand & she unwaked  
A bed lay but what she met  
God wot for he the door unshut  
So prive lie that none it heard  
The soft paas & forth he feared  
Unto the bed where that she slept  
All suddenly & in he crept  
And her in both his arms took  
With that this worthy wife awoke  
Which for tenderness of womanhead  
Her voice hath lost for pure dread  
That one word speak she ne dare  
And eke he bade her to be ware  
For if she made noise or cry  
He said his sword lay fast buy  
To slay her & her folk about  
And thus he brought her in doubt  
That like a lamb when it is ceased  
In wolves mowth so was she seized  
Lucrece which he naked fond  
Whereof she swooned in his hand  
And as who saith lay deed oppressed  
And he which all him had addressed  
To lust took than what him list  
And goeth his were that none it witted  
In to his own chambre again  
And cleped out his chamberlain  
And made him ready for to ride  
And thus this lecherous pride  
To horse leapt & forth he road  
And she which in her bed abode  
When that she wist he was a gone  
She cleped after light anon  
And up aroos long or the day  
And kissed away her fresh array  
As she which hath the world fors●●  
And took upon the clothes black  
And ever upon contynueng  
Right as men see a well spring  
With eyen full of woeful treas  
Her here hanging about her ears  
She wept & no man wist why  
For yet among full pytouslye  
She prayed that they nolden dretche  
Her husband for to fetch  
forthwith her father eke also  
Thus they comen both two  
And brutus came with collatyne  
Which to lucrece was cousin  
And in they wenten all three  
To chambre where they might see  
The woofullest upon this mould  
Which wept as she to water should  
This chambre door anon was stoke  
Or they have aught unto her spoke  
They see her clothes all disguised  
And how she hath herself despised  
Her here hanging unkempt about  
But nevertheless she 'gan to lout  
And kneel unto her husband  
And he would fain have understand  
The cause why she fared so  
With soft words asketh though  
What may you he my good sweet  
And she which thought herself unmeet  
And the lest worth of women all  
Her woeful cheer let down fall  
For shame & could unneaths look  
And they thereof good heed took  
And prayden her in all weigh  
That she ne spare for to say  
Unto her friends what her aileth  
Why she so sore herself bewaileth  
And what the sooth would mean  
And she which hath her sorrow green  
her woe to tell then assayeth  
But tender shame her word delayeth  
That sundry times as she mente  
To speak upon the point she stente  
And they her bidden ever in one  
To tell forth & there upon  
When that she saw she most need  
Her tale between shame & dread  
She told not without pain  
And he which would her wo● restrain  
Her husband a sorry man  
Comforteth her all that he can  
And swore & eke her father both  
That they with her be not wroth  
Of that is do against her will  
And prayden her to be still  
For they to her have all foryeve  
But she which thought not to leave  
Of 'em will no forgiveness  
And said of thilk unkindness  
Which was to her body wrought  
All were it so she might it nought  
Here afterward the world ne shall  
reproven her & forth with all  
Or any man thereof be ware  
A naked knife the which she bore  
Within her mantle privily  
Between her hands suddenly  
She took & thorough her heart it throng  
And fell to ground & ever among  
When that she fell so as she might  
Her clothes with her hand she right  
That no man downward fro the knes  
Should any thing of her see  
Thus lay this wife honestly  
All though she died woofullye  
though was no sorrow for to seek  
Her husband & her father eke  
A swoon upon the body fell  
There may no man's tongue tell  
In which anguish that they were  
But brutus which was with 'em there  
Toward himself his heart he kept  
And to success anon he lep●●  
The bloody sword & pulleth out  
And swear the gods all about  
That he thereof shall do venge●unce  
And she though made a countenance  
H●● bodily eye and at lost  
In th●● king as it were up cast  
And so he held him in the wise  
While she to book may suffice  
And brutus with a manly heart  
Her husband hath made up sterte  
forthwith her father eke also  
In all haste & said than th●  
That they anon without let  
A bear for the body fet●●  
●uc●●ce & there upon bleeding  
He l●y●d & so forth without crying  
He goeth unto the market place  
Of rome & in a little space  
thorough cry the city was assembled  
And every man's heart trembled  
When they the sooth heard of the ca●s  
And there upon the council was  
Take of the great & of the small  
And brutus told 'em all the tale  
And thus came in to remembrance  
Of sin of the contynnaunce  
Which arrows had do tofore  
And eke long time or he were low  
●f that his father had do  
The ●●ronge came in to the place th●  
Of that the common clamour told  
The new shame of sins old  
And all the town began to cry  
away away the tyranny  
Of lechery & of covetise  
And at last in such a wise  
The father in the same while  
Forthwith the son they exile  
And taken better governance  
But yet another remembrance  
That rightwiseness & lechery  
Accorden not in company  
With him that hath the law on hand  
That may a man well understand  
As by a tale thou shalt wy●e  
Of old ensample as it is write   
Hic ponit exemplum super eod●m ●ua●●ter huius virginen● dux ex●●●●tus remanc●●m unicam fikam pulcherimam habens cum quodam neb●●i vi●● nomine ●●cio ut i●●m in uxorem du●●ret fina●●ter concord●uit/ Set interim apius claudius tune ●●n perator virginis formesitatem ut 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 presence exiled 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 viventem  

aT Rome when apyus  
whose other name was claudius  
Was goverrnour of the city  
There fell a wonder to see  
Touching a gentle maid as thus  
Whom lyvyus vyrgyneus  
Begeten had upon his wife  
Men saiden that so fair a life  
As she was not in all the town  
This fame goeth up and down  
And to claudius came in his ere  
Whereof his thought anon was there  
Which all his heart hath set a fire  
That he began the flo●●e desire  
Which longeth unto mayden●●de  
And sent if that he might speed  
The blind lusts of his will  
But that thing he might not fulfil  
For he stood upon marriage  
A knight of full great signage  
Ilyaus which than height  
Accords in her faders sight  
Was that he should his daughter wed  
But or the cause were fully sped  
Her father which in romanye  
The leader of the chivalry  
In governance hath undertake  
Upon a were which was take  
Goeth out with all the strength he had  
Of men of arms which he had  
So was the marriage left  
And stood upon accord till eft  
The king which heard tell of this  
How that this maid ordained is  
To marriage thought another  
And had thilk time a brother  
Which marcus claudius was hot  
And was a man of great riot  
Right as the king himself was  
They two to guider upon this caas  
In counsel founden out this weigh  
That marcus claudius shall say  
How she by weigh of covenant  
To his service apurtenaunte  
Was hool & to none other man  
And there upon he saith he can  
In every point witness take  
Sy that s●e seal it not forsake  
When that they had shape so  
After the law which was though  
While that her father was absent  
She was somned and assent  
To come in presence of the king  
And stood in answer of this thing  
Her friends wisten all weal  
That it was falsehood every deal  
And comen to the king and saiden  
●pon the common law and prayden  
So as this noble worthy knight  
Her father for the common right  
In thylk time as was be fall  
Lay for the profit of them all  
Upon the wild fields armed  
That he should not be harmed  
Ne shamed while that he were out  
And thus they preyden all about  
For all the clamour that he heard  
The king upon his lust answered  
And gave hem only days two  
Of respite for he went though  
That in so storte a time appear  
Her father might in no mannered  
But as thereof he was deceived  
For lyvyus had all conceived  
The purposes of the king tofore  
And thought to be there therefore  
In all haste he came riding  
And left upon the field ligging  
His ooste till that he came again  
And thus this worthy captain  
Appeared ready at his day  
Where all that ever reason may  
By law in audience he doth  
So that his daughter upon sooth  
Of that marcus her had accused  
He hath tofore the court excused  
The king which saw his purpose fail  
And that ●o sleight might avail  
In cumbered of his lusts blind  
To law turned out of kind  
And half in wrath as though it were  
In presence of 'em all there  
deceived of concupiscence  
gave for his brother the sentence  
And bade him that he should cese  
His daughter & make him well at ease  
But all within his own intent  
He wist how that the cause went  
Of that his brother hath the wite  
He was himself for to wite  
But thus this maiden had wrong  
Which was upon the king along  
But again him was none appeal  
And that his father wist weal  
Whereof upon the tyranny  
That for the lust of lechery  
His daughter should be deceived  
And that illicius was waived  
Vntaily fro the marriage  
Right as a lion fro the rage  
Which of no dread set no count  
And note what pity should amount  
A naked s●e●de he ●ulled out  
The which amongs all the rout  
He th●●ste thorough his daughter side  
And all aloud thus he cried  
Lo take her there the wrongful king  
For me is liefer upon this thing  
To be ●●e father of a maid  
Though she be d●de than men said  
That in her life she were shamed  
And I thereof were evil named  
though bade the king men should a●●ste  
His body but of thilk hest  
Like to the chased wild h●re  
The hounds when he feeleth sore  
To proveth & goeth forth his weigh  
In such a wise for to say  
This worthy knight with sword in hand  
His weigh made & they him wonde  
That none of 'em his strokes kept  
And thus upon his horse bylepte  
And with his sword dropping of blood  
Which within his daughter stood  
He came there as the power was  
Of rome & told 'em all the caas  
And said 'em that they might here  
Upon the wrong of this matter  
That better it were to redress  
At home the great vnright●isnesse  
Than for to war in strange place  
And left at home her own grace  
For thus stant● every man's life  
In i●partye for his wife  
Or for his daughter if they be  
Passing another in beute  
Of this marvel which they sy●  
So apurtenaunte afore her eye  
Of that the king hath him mysbor●  
Her oaths they have all sw●t●  
That they will stand by the right  
And thus of one accord up right  
To rome at ones home ag●●n  
They torn & shortly for to say  
This tyranny came to mouth  
And every man saith what he couth  
So that the privy treachery  
Set was upon lechery  
Came openly to man's ere  
And that brought in the common fire  
That every man perylle dread  
Of him that so hem everladde  
For thy or it were worse fall  
thorough common council of h●m all  
They have her wrong king deposed  
And hem in whom it was supposed  
The council stood of his leading  
By law unto the d●me they bring  
Where they re●●yuen the penance  
That longeth to such governance  
And thus the unchaste was chastised  
Whereof they might been advised  
That should afterward govern  
And by this evidence learn  
How it is good a king eschew  
The lust of vice & virtue sew   
Hic inter al●a castitatis regimen con ●●rnencia loquitur quomodo matromonium cuius status sacramentum ●uasī continenciam equirerans eciam honest delectacionis regimine moderari decet/ Et narrat in exemplum ●ualiter p●o eo quod illi septem viri qui sat●e raguelis fill magis propter concupis tenciam quam propter matrimonium voluptuose nups●●unt unus post a●●um omnes prima nocte a demone asmodeo singillatim ingulati interierunt  

tO make in this party  
Which toucheth to the policy  
Of chastyse in special  
As f●● conclusion fynalle  
That every lust is to eschew  
By great ensample I may argewe  
How in ●ages a town of meed  
Theridamas was a maid & as I read  
Sarra she height & raguelle  
her father was & so befell  
Of body both & of visage  
Was none so fair of the lineage  
To seche among hem all as she  
Whereof the rich of the city  
Of lusty folk that couden love  
Assot●d were upon her love  
And axen her for to wed  
One was which last sped  
And that was more for liking  
To have his lust than for wedding  
As he within his heart cast  
Which him repenteth at last  
For it fell the first night  
When he was to the bed dight  
As he which no thing god ●esecheth  
But all only his lusts secheth  
A bed for he was fully warm  
He took her in his arm  
Asmode a fiend of hell  
And serveth as the books tell  
To tempt a man in such a wise  
Which ready there & thilk emprise  
Which he hath set in such delight  
He vengeth than in such a plight  
That he his neche hath wrong a two  
This young wife was woe though  
Which wist no thing what it men●●  
And nevertheless yet thus it went  
Not only of this first man  
But after this th●re began  
six other of her husbands  
Asmode has take in to his hands  
So that they all a bed dieden  
When that they hand toward her leyden  
Nought for the law of marriage  
But for that ilk fyryrage  
●n which they will the law exceed  
For who that will take heed  
What after fell in this matter  
Theridamas might he well the sooth here  
When she was wedded to thobye  
And raphael in company  
He taught him how to be honest  
Asmode won nought at thilk fe●te  
And yet thoby his will h●●  
For he his lust so goddely lad ●  
That both law & kind is served  
Whereof he hath himself preserved  
That he fell not in the sentence  
O which another evidence  
Of this ensample a man may see  
That when liking degree  
Of marriage may forsuey  
Well aught than in other weigh  
Of lust to be the better advised  
For god the law hath as●ysed  
As well to reason as to kind  
But he the beasts would bind  
Only to laws of nature  
But to the man's creature  
God gave him reason forth with all  
Whereof that he nature shall  
Upon the causes modefye  
That he shall do no lechery  
And yet he shall his lusts have  
So been the laws both save  
And every thing put out of slander  
As whilom to king al●sanndre  
The wise phylosophre taught  
When he his first bore caught  
Not only upon chastity  
But only upon all honest  
Whereof a king himself may taste  
How true how large just & chast●  
Him aught of reason for to be  
forthwith the virtue of pity  
thorough which thank deserve  
Toward his god that he preserve  
Him & his people all in wealth  
Of his richesse henour & health  
Here in this world & elliss where eke  
My sone as we tofore speak  
In shrift so as thou me saidest  
And for thine ease as thou me preydest  
Thy louethro●bes for to ass  
That I the would tell & wysse  
The form of aristotiles lore  
I have it said & somedeal more  
Of other ensamples for to assay  
If ● thy pains might a lay  
thorough any thing that I can say  
Do weigh my father I you pray  
Of that ye have to me told  
I thank you a thousand fold  
The tales founden in mine ere  
But yet my heart is ellyn where  
I may myself not restrain  
That I nam ever in loves pain  
Such lore could I never get  
Which might make me foryete  
O ●o●nte but if so were I slept  
That I my tides ay ne kept  
To think on love & on his lalbe  
That ●erte can I not withdraw  
For thy my good father dear  
●●ue & speak of my matter  
●●uc●yng of love as we begun  
If that there be aught over run  
●● aught foryete or left behind  
Which falleth unto loves kind  
Whereof it needeth to be shrive  
Now asketh so that while I live  
I might amend that is amiss  
My good dear soon yis  
Thy shrift for to make pleyne  
There ie yet no more for to say  
Of love which is unadvised  
But for thou shalt be well advised  
Unto thy shrift as it belongeth  
A point which upon love hongeth  
And is the last of all though  
I will the slew and than ho    
Explicit liber septimus   

Incipit Liber octau●●  
Que favet 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 devia fallit iter  
pOst quam ad instanciam amantis confessi confessor Genius suy hijs que aristotiles regem Aloxandrum edocint una cum aliarum cronicarum exemplis seriose tractavit jam ultimo in isto oc cavo voluminead confessionem in amoris causa regrediens tracttare ꝓponit super hoc qd non ulli premordia nature ad ●ibitum voluptuose consequentes nullo human racionis arbitrio sen ecclesie legum imposicione a suis excessi bus debite resrenantur unde quatenus amorem conceruit amantis conscienciam pro finali sui confessionis materia genius rimari conatur  

tHe mighty god which unbegon  
Stante of himself & hath begun  
All other things at his will  
The heaven he list to fulfil  
Of all the joy where as he  
Sit entronysed in his see  
And hath his angels him to serve  
Such as him liketh to preserve  
So that he note forueye  
But lucifer he put albeye  
With all the rout apostasyed  
Which been to him allied  
Which out of heaven in to hell  
From angels in to fiends fell  
Where that there nies no joy of light  
But dark as any night  
The pains shall be endless  
And yet of pains nevertheless  
There is plenty but they been black  
Whereof no sight may be take  
Thus when the things been by fall  
That lucyfers court was fall  
Where deadly pride hem hath conceived  
A none forthwith it was purveyed  
thorough him which all things may  
He made adam the sixth day  
In paradise & to his make  
Him liketh one also to make  
And bade 'em crece & multiply  
For of the man's progeny  
Which of the woman shall be ●ore  
The number of angels which was lore  
When they out fro the bliss fell  
He thought to restore & fell  
In haven thilk holy place  
Which stood tho wide upon his grace  
But as it is well wist & know  
Adam & eve but a throw  
So as it should of 'em betide  
In paradise at thilk tide  
Ne dwelten & the cause why  
Is write in the book of genesye  
As who so all men have herd  
How raphael the fiery sword  
In hand took & drove 'em out  
To get her lives food about  
Upon this woeful earth here  
Metodre saith to this matter  
As he by truelation  
It had upon a vision  
How that adam & ●ue also  
virgins comen both two  
In to the world & were ashamed  
Till that nature hem hath reclaimed  
To love & taught 'em thilk lore  
That first they kyst & overmore  
They done that is to kind dew  
Whereof they had fair issue  
A sone was the first of all  
Cain by name they him call  
A bell was after the second  
And in the geste as it is fond  
Nature so the cause lad  
Two daughters Eve had  
The first cleped calmona  
Was/ & that other delbora  
Thus was mankind to begin  
For thy that time it was no sin  
The sister for to take her brother  
When that there was of choice none  
other/ To caym was calmana bytake  
And delbora hath abel take  
Of whom was get nethelees  
The worlds first increases  
Men say that need hath no law  
And so it was by thilk daw  
And last unto the second age  
Till that the great water rage  
Of Noah which was said the flood  
The world which than in sin stood  
Hath dreynte out take lives eight  
Thomas was mankind of little weight  
Sem Cam Iaph●t of these three  
That been the sons of Noah  
The world of man's nation  
In to multiplication  
Was tho restored new again  
So farforth as the books sayn  
That of 'em ●●re & of her issue  
There was so large a retinue  
Of nations seventy & two  
In sundry places each one of though  
The wide world have e●h●byted  
But as nature hath than excited  
They took than little heed  
The brother to the sister go  
To wed wives till it came  
In to the time of abraham  
When the third age was begun  
That need it was over run  
For there was people enough in land  
then alte first it came to hand  
That systerhode of marriage  
Was turned in to cousinage  
So after that the right line  
The ●●syn wedded the cousin  
For abraham or that he died  
The charge upon his servant laid  
To him in this wise spoke  
That he his sone ysaak  
Do wed for no worlds good  
But only to his own blood  
Whereof the servant as he ●adde  
When he was deed his son hath lad  
To ba●huel where he rebecke  
Hath wedded with the whit neck  
For she wist well & sigh  
Was to the child ●●syn nigh  
And thus as abraham taught  
When ysaak was god bytaught  
His sone jacob did also  
And of bulam the daughters two  
Which was his eme he took to wife  
And gate upon hem in his life  
Of her first which height lie  
Sy● senes of his progeny  
And of rachel two sons eke  
The remnant was for to seek  
That is to say of four moo  
Whereof he gate on bala two  
And of zelphas he had eke fifty  
And these twelve as I the say  
Through the providence of god him  
self/ Been said the patriarchs twelve  
Of whom as afterward befell  
The tribus twelve of Israel  
Engendered were & been the same  
That of hebrews the hadden name  
Which of sy●red in alliance  
For ever kept thilk usance  
most continually till christ was boar  
But afterward it was folore  
among us that been buptyzed  
For of the law canonized  
The pope hath bode to the men  
That none shall wedden of his kin  
Ne the second ne of the third  
But if holy church it bid  
So to restrain marriage  
There been yet upon loves rage  
Full many of such now a day  
That taken where they take may  
For love of which is ●nbeseyn  
Of all reason as men say  
thorough sotie & thorough nycete  
Of his voluptuousity  
He spareth no condition  
Of kin ne of religion  
But as a cock among the hens  
Or ●s a stalon in the fens  
Which goes among al. the stood  
Right so can he no more good  
But taketh what cometh next to hand  
My sone thou shalt understende  
That such delight is for to blame  
For thy if thou hast been the same  
To love in any such manner  
Tell forth thereof & shrive the here  
My father nay god wot the sooth  
My feyre is not of such a both  
So wild a man yet was I never  
That of my kin or leave or lever  
Me lust love in such a wise  
I note eke for what emprise  
I should assote upon a nun  
For though I had her love won  
It might in to no price amount  
So thereof set I none acowte  
Ye may well ask of this & that  
But soothly for to tell plat  
In all this world there is but one  
The which my heart hath overgone  
I am toward all other fire  
Fnl well my son now I see  
Thy word stonte ever upon a place  
But yet thereof thou hast a grace  
That though the might so well excuse  
Of love such as some men use  
So as I spoke of now tofore  
For all such time of love is lore  
And like unto the bitter sweet  
For though it think a man first sweet  
He shall well feelen atte last  
Thai it is sour & may not ●aste  
For as a morcel envenomed  
So hath such love his lust mystymed  
And great ensamples many one  
A man may find thereupon   
Hic loquitur contra istos quos 〈◊〉 nus sui desiderij feruore inflammar ita incestuosos efficit ut 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 justicia vindice preliavit/ Narrat eciam aliud exemplum super eodent qualiter amon filius david fatui amoris concupiscenciam preventus sororem suam thamar a sue virginitatis pudicicia invitam deflora vit propter qd et ipse a fratre suo ab solon postea interfectus peccatum sue mortis precio invitus dedemit  

Trome first if we begin  
There shall I find how of this sin  
An emperor was for to blame  
Gayus Caligula by name  
Which of his own sisters three  
Byrefte the virginity  
And when he had 'em so forleyn  
As he which was all villain  
He did 'em out of land exile  
But afterward within a while  
God hath byrefte him in his ire  
His life & eke his large emp●ro  
And thus for liking of a throw  
For ever his love was overthrow  
Of this soty also I find  
Amon his sister again kind  
Which height thamare he forley●  
But he that lust another day  
A bought when that absolon  
His own brother there upon  
Of that he had his sister shent  
Took of that sin vengement  
And slew him with his own hand  
And thus the unkind unkind fond   
Hic narrat qualiter loth duas filias suas ipsis concencientibus carna● copu la cognovit duos que ex eis filios sci licet moab & Amon progenuit quorum postea generacio pratia & exasperans contra populum dei in terra saltim promissionis vario gravamine quam sepius insultabat  

aNd for to see more of this thing  
The bible maketh knowledging  
Whereof thou might take evidence  
Upon the sooth experience  
When bothes wife was overgone  
And shape unto the salt stone  
As it is spoke unto this day  
By both his daughters than he lay  
With child he made 'em both great  
Till that nature would hem let  
And so the cause about lad  
That each of 'em a sone had  
Moab the first & the second  
Amon of which as it is fond  
Came afterward to great increase  
Two nations & nethelece  
For that the stocks were not good  
The traunches might not be good  
For of the false Moabites  
Forthwith the strength of amonytes  
Of that they were first mysgete  
The people of god was oft upsete  
In Israel and in judee  
As in the bible a man may see   

Lo thus my son as I the say  
Thou might thyself be besay  
Of that thou haste of other herd  
For ever yet it hath so feared  
Of loves lust if so befall  
That it in other places fall  
Than it is of the law set  
He which his love hath so bysette  
might afterward repent it sore  
And every man is other lore  
Of that befell in time or this  
The present time which now is  
May be informed how it stood  
And take that him think good  
And leave that which is not so  
But for to look of time a go  
How lust of love exceedeth law  
It ought for to be withdraw  
For every man it should dread  
And namelyche in his sybrede  
Which turneth oft to vengeawce  
Whereof a tale in remembrance  
Which is a long process to here  
I think for to tell here   
Omnibus est communis amor sed et immoderatus/ Qui facit excessus non reputatur amans/ Sors tamen unde 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 uxore mortua propriam filiam violavit et quia filie matrimonium penes alios Impedire voluit tale ab eo exiit edictum quod si quis eam in uxorem peterit nisi quoddam proble nia questionis quam ipse rex proposu erat veraciter solueret capitali sentencia puniretur super quo veniens tamdem discretus juvenis princeps tiri appolinus questionem soluit/ Nec tamen filiam habere potuit sed rex indignatus ipsum propter hec in mortis odium recollegit/ unde appolinus a fancy regis fugiens quamplura prout inferius intitulatur propter amorem pericula passus est  

oF a chronicle in days gone  
The which is cleped pant●one  
In loves cause I read thus  
How that the great aniyochus  
Of whom that antioch took  
His first name as saith the bock  
Was coupled to a noble queen  
And had a daughter them between  
But which fortune came to hand  
That death which no king may with stand  
/ But every life it moat obey  
This worthy queen took away  
The king which made mochel moan  
though stood as who saith him alone  
Without wife but nethelees  
His daughter which was peerlees  
Of bewete dwelt about him still  
But when a man hath wealth at will  
The flesh is freel & falleth oft  
And that this maid tender & soft  
Which in her faders chambre dwelt  
Within a time wist & felt  
For liking of concupiscence  
Withouten insight of conscience  
The father so with lusts blent  
That he cast all his intent  
His own daughter for to spill  
The king hath leisure at his will  
With strength & when he time say  
The young maiden he forleye  
And she was tender & full of dread  
She could not her maidenhead  
Defend/ & thus she hath forlese  
The flower which she hath long bore  
It helpeth not though she weep  
For they that should her body keep  
Of women were absent as than  
And thus this maiden goeth to man  
The wild father thus devoureth  
His own flesh which none secoureth  
And that was cause of much care  
But after this unkind fare  
Out of the chambre goeth the king  
And she lay still & of that thing  
Within herself such sorrow made  
There was nought that might her glade  
For fere of thilk horrible vice  
With that came in the norice  
Which fro childhood her had kept  
And axed her if she had slept  
And why her cheer was unglad  
But she which hath be over lad  
Of that she might not be wreak  
For shame could unnethies speak  
And nethesse's mercy she prayed  
With weeping eye & thus she said  
Alas my sister well away  
That ever I saw this ilk day  
Thing which my body firsst begat  
In to this world onelych that  
My worlds worship hath byrefte  
With that she swowneth now & eft  
And ever wisheth after death  
So that wellnigh she lacketh breath  
That other which her words heard  
In comforting of her answered  
To let her faders foul desire  
She wist no recouryre  
When thing is do there is no lote  
So suffren they that suffren moat  
There was none other which him witted  
So hath this king all that he list  
Of his liking & of his pleasance  
And last in such a contynuunce  
And such delight he took there in  
Him thought it was no sin  
And she durst him no thing withsey  
But fame which goeth every weigh  
To sundry royalmes about  
The great beauty telleth out  
Of such a maid of high parage  
So that for love of marriage  
The worthy princes come & send  
As they which all honour wend  
And knew no thing how that it stood  
The father when he understood  
That they his daughter thus lysought  
With all his wit he cast & sought  
How that he might find a let  
And such a statute then he set  
And in this wise his law taxeth  
That what man his daughter asketh  
But he could his question  
Assoil upon sugestyon  
Of certain things that byfelle  
The which he would unto 'em tell  
He should in certain lose his heed  
And thus there were many deed  
Her hedes standing on the gate  
Till at last long & late  
For lack of answer in the wise  
The remanant that weren wise   
De adventu appo●oni in autiochiam ubi ipse filiam regis antioche in uxorem postulavit  

Escheweden to make assay  
Till it befell upon a day  
Appollynus the prince of tire  
Which hath to love a great desire  
As be which in his high mode  
Was liking of his h●te blood  
A young a fresh a lusty knight  
As he lay musing on a night  
Of the tiding which he heard  
He thought to assay how that it feared  
He was with worthy company  
A rayed & with good navy  
To ship ●e goeth the wind him driveth/  
And saileth till that he arriveth  
safe in the port of antioch  
He londeth & goeth to approach  
The kings court & his presence  
Of every natural science  
Which any clerk him could teach  
He could enough & in his speech  
Of words he was eloquent  
And when he saw the king present  
He prayeth he must his daughter have  
The king again began to crave  
And told him the condition  
How first unto his question  
He moat answer & fail nought  
Or with his heed it shall be bought   
Questio regis antiochi s●●lere vehor materna ca●ne v●soo● quero patrem me 'em matris mee virum uxoris mee filium  

aNd he him asketh what it was  
The king declareth him the caas  
With stern lock & st●rdy cheer  
To him & said in this manner  
With felony I am up bore  
I eat & have it not forbore  
My mother's flesh whose husband  
My father for to seche I fond  
Which is the seen eke of my wife  
Hereof I am inquysytyf  
And who that can my tale save  
All quite he shall my daughter have  
Of his answer if he fail  
He shall be deed without fail  
For thy my son qd the king  
Be well advised of thy thing  
Which hath by life in jeopardy  
Appol●ynus for his party  
When he this ou●s●yon had herd  
Unto the king he hath answered  
And hath rehearsed one & one  
The points & said thereupon  
The question which thou hast spoke  
If thou wilt that it be vnl●ke  
It toucheth all the privity  
betwixt thine own child & the  
And stant all upon you two  
The king was wonder sor●●tho  
And theught if that he said it out  
Thenne were he shamed all about  
With sly words & with fell  
He said my son I shall the tell  
Though thou be little of wit  
It is no marvel as yet  
Thine age may it not suffice  
But look well thou not despise  
Thine own life for of my grace  
Of thirty days full of space  
I grant the to been advised  
And thus with love & time assysed  
This young prince forth he went  
And understood well what it mente  
Within his heart as he was lered  
That for to make him afered  
The king his time hath so deloyed  
Whereof he dread & was amayed  
Of treason that he die should  
For he the king troth told  
And suddenly the night tide  
The morrow would he not abide  
All privily his barge he hent  
And home again to tire he went  
And in his own wit he said  
For dread if he the king bewrayed  
He knew so well the kings heart  
That death ne should he asterte  
The king would him so pursue  
But he that would his death eschew  
And knew all this tofore the hand  
Forsake he thought his own land  
For there would he not abide  
For well he knew on some side  
This tyrant of his felony  
By some manner of treachery  
To grieve his body will not leave  
For thy with outen taking leave  
As privily ash might  
He geeth to the see by night  
In ships that been with wheat laden  
Her takyl ready though they maden  
And haileth the sait● & forth they far  
But for to tell of the care  
That they of tire began tho  
When that they wist he was ago  
It is a pity for to here  
They lost lust they lost cheer  
They took upon 'em such penance  
There was no song there was no dance  
But every mirth & melody  
To them was then a malady  
For unlust of that adventure  
Theridamas was no man which took tonsure  
In dreadful clothes they them cloth  
The baths & the stews both  
They shut in by every weigh  
There was no life which lust to play  
Ne take of any joy keep  
But for her liege lord to weep  
And every wight saith as he couth  
Alas the lusty flower of youth  
Our prince our heed our governor  
thorough whom we stonden in honour  
Without the conoune assent  
Thus suddenly is from us went  
Such was the clamour of 'em all  
But see now what is befall   
Qualiter thaliartus miles ut appolinum veneno intoxicaret ab anti● oche in tirum missus ipse ibidem non Inuento antiochiam rediit  

upon the fist tale plain  
And torn we thereto again  
Antiochus the great sire  
Which full of rancour & of ire  
His heart beareth so as he heard  
Of that this prince of tire answered  
He had a fellow bachelor  
Which was his privy counceyller  
And thaliart by name he height  
The king a strong poison him dyght  
Within a box & gold thereto  
In all haste & bade him go  
Straight unto tire & for to cost  
Ne spare till he had lost  
The prince which he would spill  
And when the king hath said his will  
This talyart in a galley  
With all haste he took his weigh  
The wind was good/ they seyled  
belive/ Till he took land upon the rive  
Of tire & forth with all anon  
In to the borough he 'gan to gone  
And took his in & bode a throw  
But for he would not be know  
disguised then he goeth him out  
He saw the weeping all about  
And asketh what the cause was  
And they him told all the caas  
How suddenly the prince was go  
And when he saw that it was so  
And that his labour was in veyn  
A none he turneth home again  
And to the king when he came nigh  
He told him that he heard & sigh  
How that the prince of tire was fled  
So was he comen again unsped  
The king was sorry for a while  
But when he saw that with no wile  
He might achieve his cruelty  
He stint his wrath & let him be   
Qualiter apoollinus' in portu tharsis appl●cauit ubi in hospicon cuiusdam magni vin nomine strangulionis hospitatus est  

but over this now for to tell  
Of adventures that befell  
Unto this prince of whom I told  
He hath his right course forth hold  
By stone & nedyl till he came  
To tharse & there land he name  
A bourgeys rich of gold & fee  
Was thilk time in that city  
Which cleped was stranguyllyo  
His wife was dyonysye also  
This young prince as saith the book  
With him his herbegage took  
And it befell that city so  
Bef●● time & then also  
Though strong famyn which he lad  
Was none that any wheat had  
Appollynus when that he heard  
The mischief how that the city feared  
All frelyche of his own gift  
His wheat among 'em for to shift  
The which by ship he had brought  
He gave & took of 'em right nought  
But sithen first this world began  
Was never yet to such a man  
More joy made than they him made  
For they were all of him so glade  
That they for ever in remembrance  
Made a figure in resemblance  
Of him & in common place  
They set it up so that his face  
Might every manner man behold  
So that the city was behold  
It was of laton over guilt  
Thus was his face nought spylte   
Qualiter hellicanus civis tiri tharsim Veniens apollinum de insidijs anthiochi ●rrminiuit  

upon a day with a rout  
This lord to play goeth him out  
And on his weigh of tire he met  
A man which on knees him great  
And hellican by name he height  
Which prayed his lord to have insyght  
Upon himself & said him thus  
How that the great antyochus  
Aweyteth if that he might him spill  
That other thought & held him still  
And thanked him of his warning  
And bade him tell for no thing  
When he to tire came home again  
That he in tharse him had seen   
Qualiter appolinus portum tharsis relin quens cum ipse per mare navigio securiorem quesivit superuenieute tempestate navis cum omnibus preter ipsum solum in eadem contentis juxta pentapolim periclitabatur  

fOrtune hath ever be muable  
And may no while stand stable  
For now it hieth & now it loweth  
Now stante up right now overthroweth  
Now full of bliss now full of bale  
For now as in telling of my tale  
Here afterward a man may here  
Which is great ruth for to here  
This lord which would done his best  
Within himself hath little rest  
And thought he would his place change  
And seek a country more strange  
Of tharsyens his leave anon  
He took & is to ship gone  
His course he name with sail up draw/  
Where as fortune doth the law  
And showeth as I shall rehearse  
How she was to the lord dyverce  
The which upon the see she ferketh  
The wind aroos the weather derketh  
It blue & made such tempest  
That none anchor might the ship arrest  
Which hath broken all his gear  
The shipmen stood in such a fere  
Was none that might bestere  
But ever await upon the lere  
When that they should drenchen all at once  
Theridamas was enough within the wones  
Of weeping & of sorrow though  
The young king maketh moche woe  
For to see the ship travail  
But all that might no thing avail  
The mast to broke the sail to roof  
The ship upon the wawes' droof  
Till that they see the lands cost  
though made a vow lest and most  
By that they mighten come a land  
But he which hath the see on hand  
Neptunus would not accord  
But he all to broke cable & cord  
Or they to land might approach  
The ship to clave upon a roche  
And all goeth down in to the deep  
But he which all thing may keep  
Unto this lord was merciable  
And brought him save upon a table  
Which to the land hath him bore  
The remanant was all forlore  
Thereof he made much moon  
Thus was this young lord alone   
Qualiter appollinus nudus superlitus iactabatur ubi quidam piscator ipsum collobio suo vestiens ad urtem pentapolim direxit  

all naked in a pour plight  
His colour which was whilom whit  
Was than of water fade & pale  
And eke be was so sore a cale  
That he himself wist of no boat  
It help no thing for to mote  
To get again that he hath lore  
Which she that hath his death forbore  
Fortune though he would not yelp  
All suddenly hath sent him help  
When him thought all grace away  
There came a fisher in the weigh  
And saw there a naked man stand  
And when that he hath understand  
The cause of him he hath great ruth  
And only of his power truth  
Of such clothes as he had  
With great pity this lord he clad  
And he him thonketh as he should  
And saith him that it should be yold  
If ever he get his state again  
And prayeth that he would say  
If nigh were any town for him  
He said ye/ pentopolym  
Where both king & queen dwellen  
This tale heard he tell  
He gladeth him and 'gan beseech  
That he the weigh him would teach  
And he him taught & forth he went  
And to god with good intent  
To send him joy after his sorrow  
It is not passed yet mydmorowe   
Qualiter appollinus' pentapolim adieu ludus a giguasijs ꝑ urbem publice proclamatus est  

tHan thitherward his weigh he nam  
Where soon upon the none he came  
He eat such as he might get  
And anon forth as he had eat  
He goeth to see the town about  
And came there as he fond a ronte  
Of young lnsty men with all  
And as it should tho befall  
That day was set of such assize  
That they should in the lands guise  
As he heard of the people say  
Her common game then play  
And cried was that they should come  
Both to the game all & some  
Of 'em that been delyner & wight  
To do such mastery as they might  
They made 'em naked as they should  
For so that ilk game would  
And it was the custom & the use  
amongs 'em was none refuse  
The flower of all the town was there  
And of the court also there were  
And that was in a large place  
Right even before the kings face  
Which artestraches thenne height  
The play was played right in his sight  
And who most worthy was of deed  
Reayve he should his meed  
And in the city bear a price  
Appolynus which was ware & wise  
Of every game he coude an end  
He thought to assay who so it wend   
Qualiter appollinus ludum gignasijs v●n●ens in aula regis ad cenam ho●on●ice receptus est  

aNd fell among hem unto game  
And won him there such a name  
So as the king himself accounteth  
That he all other men surmounteth  
And ba●e the price above 'em all  
The king bad that in to his hall  
At souper time he shall be brought  
And he came than & left it nought  
Without company alone  
Was none so semelyche a person  
Of visage & of limbs both  
If that he had what to cloth  
At souper time nethelese  
The king amids all the press  
let clepe 'em up among hem all  
And bad his marchal of his hall  
To setten him in such degree  
That he upon him might see  
The king was soon set and served  
And he which hath his prize deserved  
After the kings own word  
Was made begin a middle board  
That both king & queen him sye  
He set & cast about his eye  
And saw the lords in estate  
He with himself wax in debate  
Thinking what he had lore  
And such a sorrow he took therefore  
That he sat ever still & thought  
As he which of no meet wrought   
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 ultra modum complacuit  

tHe king beheld his hevynrsse  
And of his great gentleness  
His daughter which was fair and  
●ood/ And at board before him stood  
As it was thilk time usage  
He bade to go on his message  
And fond to make him glade  
And she did as her father bade  
And goeth to him the soft paas  
And asketh when & what he was  
And prayeth he should his thoughts leave  
He saith madame by your leave  
My name is hot appolynus  
And of my riches it is thus  
Upon the see I have it lore  
The country where as I was boar  
Where that my land is & my rent  
I left at tire when that I went  
The worship there of which I ought  
Unto the god I there betought  
And thus to guider as they speak  
The tears ran down by his cheek  
The king which took thereof good keep  
Had great pity to see him weep  
And forth his daughter send again  
And prayed her fair & 'gan to say  
That she would no longer dretrhe  
But that she would anon forth fetch  
Her harp & done all that she can  
To glade with that sorry man  
And she to done her faders hest  
Her harp fet & in the feste  
Upon a chair which they fet  
Herself next to this man she set  
With harp both & eke with mouth  
To him she did all that she couth  
To make him cheer & ever be sigheth  
And she him asketh how him liketh  
Madame certeys well he said  
But if ye the measure played  
Which if you list I shall you lere  
It were a glad thing for to here  
A leave sir saith she  
Take the harp & let me see  
Of what measure that ye mean  
though prayeth the king & the queen  
Forthwith the lords all arewe  
That he some mirth would show  
And taketh the harp & in his wise  
He tempreth & of such assize  
Singing he harpeth forth with all  
That as a voy●e cel●styalle  
Hem thought it swooned in her here  
As though it an angel were  
They gladden of his melody  
But most of all the company  
The kings daughter which it heard  
And thought eke and that he answered  
When that it was of her opposed  
Within her heart hath well supposed  
That he his great gentleness  
His deeds been thereof witness  
forthwith the wisdom of his lore  
It needeth not to s●che more  
He might not have such manner  
Of gentle blood but if he were  
When he hath harped all his fill  
The kings hest to fulfil  
Away goeth dish away goeth cup  
Down goeth the board the cloth was up  
They risen & goon out of hall  
The king his chamberlain let call  
And bad that he by all weigh  
A chambre for this man purvey  
Which nigh his own chambre be  
It shall be do my lord qd he   
Qualiter appollinus cum rege pro filia sua erudienda retentus est  

aPpollynus of whom I mean  
though took his leave of king & queen  
And of the worthy maid also  
Which prayed unto her father tho  
That she might with the young man  
Of the sciences which he can  
His lore have in this wise  
The king her granteth her apprise  
So that himself thereto assent  
Thus was accorded or they went  
That he with all that ever he may  
This young fair fresh may  
Of that he could should inform  
And full assented in this form   
Qualiter filia regis appolinum ornato apparatu vestiri fecit/ Et ipse ad puelle doctrinam in quam plurius famulialiter intendebat/ unde placata puella in amorem appolini exazdescens infirmab●tur  

tHey took let as for that night  
And when it was on morrow right  
Unto this young man of tire  
Of clothes and of good attire  
With gold & silver for to spend  
This worthy young lady send  
And thus she made him well at ease  
And he with all that he can please  
Her serveth well & fair again  
He taught her till she thas certain  
Of harp of cytole & of rote  
With many a tewne & many a note  
Upon music upon measure  
And of her harp the temprure  
He taught her well as he roel couth  
But as men say that frele is youth  
With le●●er & continuance  
This maid fell upon a chance  
That love hath mad him a quarrel  
against youth fresh & frele  
That maugre whether she will or nought  
She mote with all her hearts thought  
To love & to his love obey  
And that she shall full sore obey  
For the wot not what it is  
But ever among she feeleth this  
Towchyug this man of tire  
Her heart is hot as any fire  
And other while it is a cale  
Now is she read now is she pale  
Right after the condition  
Of her imagination  
But ever among her thoughts all  
Her thought what may befall  
Or that she laugh or that she weep  
She would her good name keep  
For fere of womannysshe shame  
But what in earnest & in game  
She stant for love in such a plight  
That she hath lost all appetite  
Of meet of drink of nights rest  
As she that note what is the best  
But for to think all her fill  
She hold her oft times still  
Within her chambre & goeth not out  
The king was of her life in doubt  
Which wist no thing what it mente  
But fell a time as he out went  
tO walk of princes sons three  
There came & fell to his knee   
Qualiter tres filii principum filiam regis singillatim in uxorem suis supplicacionibus postularent  

And each of 'em in sundry w●se  
Bysought & proferith his service  
So that he might his daughter have  
The king which would her honour save  
Saith she is seek & of that speech  
though was no time to beseech  
But each of hem do make a bill  
He bad & wrytc his own will  
His name his father & his good  
And when she wist how that it stood  
And had her lylles over said  
They should have answer again  
Of this council they were glad  
And wrote as the king hem bad  
And every man his own bock  
In to the kings hand bytook  
And he it to his daughter send  
And prayed her for to make an end  
And wrote again her own hand  
Right as she in her heart fond   
Qualiter fitia regis omnibus alijs retictis appollinum in maritu 〈…〉 preclegit  

tHe bills were well received  
But she hath all her loves waived  
And thought that than was time & space  
To put her in her faders grace  
And wrote again & thus she said  
The shame which is in a maid  
With speech dare no● be unloke  
But in wryfing it may be spoke  
So write I father to you thus  
But if I have apollynus  
Of all this world what so beside  
I will none other man abide  
And certes if I of him fail  
I wot right well without fail  
Ye shall for me be fatherless  
This letter came & there was press  
Tofore the king there as he stood  
And when that he it understood  
He gave hem auswer by & by  
But that was do privily  
That ●●●e ●f other council wist  
They took her leave & where hem list  
And went forth upon their ways  
The king would not bewreye  
The council for no manner high  
But suffereth till he time sye   
Qualiter rex & regina in maritagium filie sue cum appolino consencierunt  

And when that he to chambre is come  
His council thereto him nome  
This man of tire & let him see  
The letter & all the privity  
The which his daughter to him sent  
And he his knee to ground bent  
And thonked him and her also  
And or they went then a two  
With good heart & good courage  
Of full love and full marriage  
The king & he be hole accorded  
And after when it was recorded  
Unto the daughter how it stood  
The yefte of all the worlds good  
Ne should have made her half so blithe  
And forth with all the king asswithe  
For he will have her good assent  
Hath for the queen her mother sent  
The queen is comen & when she heard  
Of this matter how that is feared  
She saw debate she saw disease  
But if she would her daughter please  
And is thereto assented full  
Which is a deed wonderful  
For no man knew the sooth ●●as  
But he himself what man he was  
And nevertheless so as him thought  
His deeds to the sooth wrought  
That he was come of gentle blood  
Him lacketh but worlds good  
And as thereof is no despair  
For she shall be her faderes heir  
And he was able to govern  
Thus will they not the love werne  
Of him & her in no wise  
But all accorded they devise   
Qualiter appollinus' filie regies nup ● sit et primo nocte cum ea concubiens ipsam inpregnavit  

tHe day of time of marriage  
Where love is lord of courage  
Him thinketh long or that he speed  
But at last unto the deed  
The time is come & in her wise  
With great offering & sacrifice  
They wed & make a great feste  
And every thing was right he nest  
Within house & eke without  
It was so done that all about  
Of great/ worship & great noblesse  
There cried many a man a largesse  
Unto the lords high & loud  
The knights that be young & proud  
They just first & after dance  
The day is go the nights chance  
Hath darked all the bright son  
The lord which hath his love won  
Is go to bed with his wife  
Where as they lead a lusty life  
And that was after somedeal seen  
For as they pleyden hem between  
They get a child between 'em two  
To whom fell after much woe   
Qualiter amtassiatores a tiro in quodam navi pentapolim venientes mortem regis antiochi Appollino nunciaverunt  

Now have I told of the spousayles  
But for to speak of the marvels  
Which afterward to 'em befell  
It i● a wonder for to tell  
It fell a day they road out  
King & queen & all the rout  
To play hem upon the second  
Where as they seen toward the land  
A ship sailing of great array  
To know what it mean may  
Till it be come they abide  
Than saw they stand on every side  
Endlong the ships board to show  
Of the penonnes a rich rue  
They axed when the ship is come  
from tire anon answered some  
And over this they saiden more  
The cause is they comen fore  
Was for to seche & for to find  
Appollynus which of kind  
Her lyege lord & he appeareth  
And of the tale which he heareth  
He was right glad for they him told  
That for vengeance as god it would  
Antyochus as men may wite  
With fire & lightning is all to smite  
His daughter hath the same chance  
So been they both in one balance  
For thy our lyege lord we the say  
In name of all the land and prey  
That left all other thing to done  
It like you to come soon  
And see your own lyege men  
With other that been of your ken  
That lyven in longing & desire  
Till ye be come again to tire  
This toll after the king it had  
Pentapolyn all over it spread  
There was no joy for to seche  
For every man it had in speech  
And saiden all of one acoorde  
A worthy king shall been our lord  
That thought us first an heaviness  
Is shape us now to great gladness   
Qualiter appollino cum uxore sua imprignata a pentapoli versus tyrum nauigantius contigit uxorem mortis artia●● angustiatam in navi filiam que postea thaysies vocabatur patere  

tThus goeth the tiding over all  
But need he must that need shall  
Appollynus his leave took  
To god he all that bond bytook  
With all the people long & broad  
That he no longer there abode  
The king & queen sorrow made  
But yet somedeal they were glade  
Of such thing as they heard tho  
And thus between the weal & woe  
To ship he goeth his wife with child  
The which was ever meek & mild  
And would not depart him fro  
Such love was between 'em two  
Lycho rida for her office  
Was take which was a norice  
To wend with this young wife  
To whom was shape a woeful life  
Within a time as it betid  
When they were in the see amid  
Out of the north they see a cloud  
The storm awos the winds loud  
They blewen many a dredesul blast  
The welkin was all over cast  
The dark night the son hath under  
Theridamas was a great tempest of thondre  
The moan & eke the stars both  
In black clouds they hem cloth  
Whereof their bright look they hide  
This young lady wept & cried  
To whom no comfort might avail  
Of child she began to travail  
Where she lay in a cabin choose  
This woeful lord fro her awos  
And that was long or any morrow  
So that in anguish & in sorrow  
She was delivered all by night  
And deed in every man's sight  
But nevertheless for all this woe  
A maid child was boren though   
Qualiter appollinus mortem uxoris sue planxit  

Appollynus when he this kuewe  
A swoon he himself overthrew  
That no man wist in him no life  
And when he work he said a wife  
My joy my lust my desire  
My wealth & my recoveryre  
Why shall I live & thou shalt die  
Ha thou fortune I the defy  
Now hast thou do to me thy worst  
A heart why ne will thou breast  
That forth with her I might pass  
My pains were much the lass  
In such weeping & such cry  
His deed wife which lay him buy  
A thousand scythes he her kissed  
Was never man that saw ne wist  
A sorrow to his sorrow lyche  
Was ever among upon the lyche  
He fell swooning as he that thought  
His own death which he besought  
Unto the gods all above  
With many a piteous word of love  
But such words as though were  
Heard never no man's ear  
But only thilk which he said  
The master shipman came & prayed  
With other such as been therein  
And say that he may no thing win  
again the death but they him read  
He be well aware & take heed  
The see by weigh of his nature  
receive may no creature  
Within himself as for to hold  
The which is deed for thy they would  
As they counceyllen all about  
The deed body casten out  
For better it is they saiden all  
That it of her so byfalle  
Than if they sholden all spill  
The king which understood her will  
And knew her council was true  
Began again his sorrow new  
With piteous heart & thus to say  
It is all reason that ye prey   
Qualiter suadentibu● nautis corpus uxoris sue mortue in quadam cista plumbo et ferro obtusa & circumligata apoolinus cum magno thesauro una cum quadam littera sub eius capite scripta reludi in mari proiti fecit  

IAm ad he but one alone  
So would I not for my person  
There fell such adversity  
But when it may no better be  
Doth than thus upon my word  
●ete make a coofere strong of board  
That it be firm with lead & pitch  
Anon was made his coofre such  
All ready brought unto his hand  
And when he saw & ready fond  
This cooffre made & well englued  
The deed body was besewed  
In cloth of gold & laid therein  
And for he would unto her win  
Upon some cost a sepulture  
Under her heed in adventure  
Of gold he laid sums great  
And of jewels strong byyete   
Copia littere capiti uxoris sue supposite  

Forthwith a letter & said thus  
King of tire Appollynus  
Doth all men to wite  
That heareth & seeth this letter write  
That helpless without rede  
Here l●eth a kings daughter deed  
And who that happeth her to find  
For charity take in his mind  
And do so that she begrave  
With that treasure that she have  
Thus when the letter was full spoke  
A none they have the coofre/ s●oke  
And bounden it with iron fast  
So that it may with wawes last  
And stoppen it by such a wey●  
That it shall be within dry  
So that no water might it grieve  
And thus in hope & good believe  
Of that the corpse s●●l n●l ary●e  
They cast it over board as belive   
Qualiter appo●●●us uxoris sue cor●e in ●●are proiecto Tirum re●●nguens cursū●●um versus tharsim navigio dolens arripuit  

The ships forth on the wawes went  
The prince hath changed his intent  
And saith he will not come at tire  
As thenne but all his desire  
Is first to saylen unto tharse  
The windy storm began to scarce  
The son ariseth the weather cleareth  
The sh●●man which behind steereth  
When that he saw the winds soft  
Toward tharse his course he sought   
Qualiter cor●us predicte deffun ●●e super ●●ttus apud ephesim quidem medicus nomine Cerimon cum a●●au●●us suis dscipul●s invenit quod in hospicium ●ortans et extra cistam 〈◊〉 ● nens spir● cu●o vite in ca invento ipsam plene sanitati restituit  

b●t now to my matter ageyn  
To tell as old books say  
This deed corpse of which ye know  
With wind & water was forthrowe  
Now here now there till at last  
At ephesym the see up cast  
The cooffre & all that was therein  
Of great marvel now begin  
May h●re who that s●te still  
That god will save may not spill  
Right as the corpse was throw on land  
There came walking by the strand  
A worthy clerk & surgeon  
And eke a gr●te physycien  
Of that land the wisest one  
Which height master Ci●●mone  
There was of his dysaples some  
This master is to the gioffre come  
He poiseth there was somewhat in  
And bade him bear it to his in  
And goeth himself forth with all  
All that shall fall/ fall shall  
They comen home & tarry nought  
This cooffre in to his chamber is brought  
Which th●t they find fast st●ke  
But they with craft it hath vnl●ke  
They looken in wh●re as they found  
A body deed which was bound  
In cloth of gold as I said over  
The treasure eke they founden there  
Forth with the letter which they read  
And though they token better heed  
Vnsowed was the body soon  
And he that knew what was to done  
This noble clerk with all host  
Began the veins for to taste  
And saw her age was of youth  
And with the crafts which he couth  
He sought & fond a sign of life  
With that this worthy kings wife  
Honestly they token out  
And maden fires all about  
They laid her in a couch soft  
And with a sheet warmed oft  
Her cold breast began to heat  
Her heart also to slack & beat  
This master hath her every joint  
With certain oil & balsam anoint  
And put a liquor in her mouth  
Which is to few clerks cowthe  
So that she covereth at last  
And first her eyen up she cast  
And when she more of strength caught  
Her arms both forth she 'straught  
Held up her hand & pytouslye  
She spoke & said where am I  
Where is my lord what ●onde is this  
As she that wot not how it is  
But cerymon the worthy leech  
Answered anon upon her speech  
And said madame y● b●n here  
Where ye be save as ye shall here  
Here afterward for thy as now  
My council is comforteth you  
For trysteth well without fail  
There is nothing which shall you fail  
That aught of reason for to be do  
Thus passen they a day or two   
Qualiter uxor appolini sanata domum religionis peciit ubi sacro velamine munitam cast● omni tempore se vovit  

They speak of nought as for an end  
Till she began somedeal amend  
And wist herself what she mente  
Tho for to know her hole intent  
This master asketh all the caas  
How she came there & what she was  
How I came here wot I nought  
Qd she but well I am bethought  
Of other things all about  
from point to point & told him out●  
As ferforthly as she it wist  
And he her told how in a chyste  
The see her threw upon the ●onde  
And what treasure with her he fond  
Which was all ready at her will  
And he that shope him to fulfil  
With all his might what he should  
She ●honked him that so he would  
And all her heart she dyscloseth  
And saith him what she supposeth  
Her lord be dreynt her child also  
So saw she nought but all woe  
Whereof as to the world no more  
N● will she torn & prayeth therefore  
That in some temple of the city  
To keep & hold her chastity  
She might among the women dwell  
When he this tale heard tell  
He was right glad & made her known  
That he a daughter of his owen  
Hath which he will unto her yeve  
To serve while they both live  
In stead of that which she hath lost  
All only at his own cost  
She shall be rendered forth with her  
She saith grant mercy leave sir  
God quite it you for I ne may  
And thus they drive forth the day  
Till time was that she was hole  
And though they took her council hole  
To shape upon good governance  
And made a worthy purveyance  
again the day when they be veiled  
And thus when they be counseled  
In black clothes they them cloth  
The daughter & the lady both  
And yield 'em to religion  
The feast & the profession  
After the rule of that degre●  
Was made with great solemnity  
Where as diane is sanctified  
Thus stant this lady ●ustyfyed  
In order where she thinketh to dwell  
But now ageynward for to ●elle  
In what p●●te that her ●ord stood in  
He saileth till he may win  
The haven of tharse as I said ere  
And when he was arrived there   
Qualiur appolinus tharsim navigans filiam suam thaysim strangulioni & dionisie uxori sue edu●●n●am comen d●uit 〈◊〉 deinde tirum adijt ubi cum in es●imabi● gaudio a suis receptus est  

though it was thorough the city know  
Men might see within a throw  
As who saith all the town atones  
That come again for the nonce  
To yeven him the reverence  
So glad they were of his ● resonce  
And though he were in his a rage  
●ysesed yet with glad visage  
He made h●m there & to his in  
Where he whilom soiorneth in  
He goeth him s●reyte & was ●●ceyued  
And when the pr●es of people is waived  
He took his host unto him tho  
And saith my s●●nde s●rangulyo  
●o thus & thus it is befall  
And thou thyself art one of all  
Forthwith thy wife which I must trist  
For thy if you it both list  
My daughter thayse by your leave  
I think shall with you believe  
As for a time & thus I pray  
That she be kept by all weigh  
And when she hath of age more  
That she be set to book ●ere  
And this avow to god I make  
That I shall vever for ●ir sake  
My beard for liking sheue  
●yl it befa●le that I have  
In coveuable time of age  
Beset her unto mar●age  
Thus they accorden at his will  
And for to resten him somedeal  
As for a while there be sojourneth  
A●d than he taketh his leave & turneth  
To ship & goeth him home to tire  
Where every man with great desire  
A waiteth upon his coming  
But when the ship came in sailing  
And they perceiven it is he  
Was never yet in n● cite  
Such joy made as they though made  
His heart also began to glade  
Of that he seeth his people glad  
Lo th●s fortune his hap hath lad  
In sundry wise he was travailed  
But how so ever he be assailed  
His latter end shall be good  
And for to speak how that it stood  
Of thayse his doubter where she dwelleth/  
In tharse as the chronicle t●lleth  
She was well kept she was well ●oked  
She was well taught & well ●oked  
So well she sped her in her youth  
That she of every wisdom couth  
That for to seche in every ●onde  
So wise another no man fond  
Ne so well taught at man's eye  
But ever woe worth false envy   
Qualiter thai●●s una cum phi●otenna s●rangulionis et dionisie fil●a omnis sciency & h● nestatis doctrina imb●ta ●st Set ●●aisis phi●●t●nnam pr●● llens in odium mortale pe● invidiam a dio ●ia recollecta est  

fOr it befell that time so  
A daughter had strangulyo  
Which was cleped phy●●t●nne  
But fame which will ever run  
Came all day to her moders ●ere  
And saith where ever her daughter were  
With thaise set in any place  
The common voice the common grace  
Was all upon that other maid  
And of her daughter no man said  
Who was wroth but dyonyse than  
Her thought a thousand year till than  
She might be of thaise wreak  
Of that she heard folk so speak  
And fell that ilk same tide  
That deed was true lecheryde  
Which had be servant of thaise  
So that she was the worse at ease  
For she hath then no service  
But only thorough this dyonyse  
Which was her deadly enemy  
thorough pure treason and envy  
She that of all sorrow can  
though spoke she unto her bondman  
Which c●eped was theo phylus  
And made him swear in counsel thus  
That he such time as she him set  
Shall come thayse for to fet  
And lead her out of all sight  
Where that no man her help might  
Upon the stroude nigh the see  
And there he shall this maiden slay  
This churl's heart is in a trance  
As he which dread him of vengeaun●  
When time cometh another day  
But y●● durst he not say n●y  
But swore & said he should fulfil  
Her hests at her own will   
Qualiter dionisia thaisim ut 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 erupuerunt ipsam 〈◊〉 vs●● civitatem mitelenā ducentes cuid leonino scortorum ibid. magistro vendiderunt  

aNd treason & the time it shape  
So fell it that the churl's knape  
Hath lad this maiden where he would  
Upon the strand & what she should  
She was a dread & ●e out brayed  
A rusty s●berd & to her said  
Thou shalt 〈◊〉 deed alas ●d she  
Why shall I so 〈◊〉 thus quoth he  
My lady dionise hath bid  
Thou shalt be murdered in this stead  
This maid though for fear shryght  
And ●or the ●●●e of god all might  
She pr●●●th that for a little stowde  
She might kneel upon the ground  
Toward the heaven for to c●ave  
Her woeful sow● for to save  
And with noise & with this cry  
Out of a barge fast by  
Which hid was there on scomer fare  
Men sterten out & were ● ware  
Of this fe●on & he to go  
And she began to cry though  
A● mercy help for gods sa●e  
In to the barge they her take  
As thieves should & forth they went  
Upon the se● the wind hem hent  
And malgre where they would or none  
Tofore the weather forth they gone  
There help no sail there help none oore  
Forstormed & forblowen sore  
In great ●●ryl so forth they drive  
Till at last ●●ey aryue  
At mite ●ne the city  
In haven ●auffe & when they be  
The master shipman made him boun  
And goeth him in to the town  
And proffereth thayse for to sell  
One leonyum it heard tell  
Which master of the ●ordel was  
And bade him go a ready paas  
To fetchen her & forth he went  
And thayse out of his barge he hent  
And to this borderer he her sold  
And that he by her body would  
Take advantage let do cry  
That what man would his lechery  
Atempte upon her maidenhead  
Say down the gold & he should speed  
And thus when he hath cried hi● out  
In sight of all the people about   
Quater leoninus ●haisi ad lupa n●r destinavit ubi dei gracia preventa ipsius virginitatem nullus viola●e potuit  

He lad her to the bordel though  
No wonder is though she be woe  
Clo●s in a chambre by herself  
Each after other ten or twelf  
Of young men in to her went  
But such a grace god hath her scent  
That for the sorrow which she made  
Was none of 'em which power had  
To done her any villainy  
This leonyum l●t● ever espy  
And waiteth after great beyete  
But all for nought she was forle●●  
That no man would there come  
When he thereof had heed nome  
And knew that she was yet a maid  
Unto his own man he said  
That he with strength again her leave  
So should her maidenhead bereave  
This man went in but so it feared  
When he her woeful plaint herd  
And he thereof hath take great k●pe  
Him list better for to weep  
Than do cught ●llys to the game  
And thus she kept herself fro shame  
And kneeled down to th'earth & prayed  
Unto this man & thus she said  
If so be that thy master would  
That I his gold increase should  
It may not fall by this weigh  
But suffer me to go my weigh  
Out of this house where I am in  
And I shall do him for to win  
In some place here of the town  
By so it be of relygyowne  
Where that honest women dwell  
And thus thou might thy master tell  
That when I have a chambre there  
let him do cry all wide where  
What board that hath his daughter dear  
And is in will that she shall lere  
Of such a school that is true  
I shall her t●che of things new  
Which that none other woman can  
In all this land & though this man  
Her tale hath herd he goeth again  
And told unto his master plain  
That she hath said & thereupon  
When that he saw byyete noon  
At bordel because of her  
He bade his man g●o and spyr  
A place where she might abide  
That he may win upon some side  
By that she can but at lest  
Thus was she safe of this tempest   
Qualiter thaisis a lupanari virgo liberata inter sacras mulieres hospicium habens scie●cias quib● edocta fuit nobiles regni puellas ibidem edocebat  

He hath her fro the bordello take  
But that was not for god's sake  
But for the lucre as she him told  
Now com●n though that comen would  
Of women in her lusty youth  
To here & set what thing she couth  
She can the wisdom of a clerk  
She can of any lusty work  
Which to a gentle woman longeth  
And some of 'em she under fongeth  
To the cytole and to the harp  
And whom it liketh for to carp  
proverbs & demands sly  
And other which they never sye  
Which that science so well taught  
Whereof she great yefts reached  
That she to lyonyum hath won  
And thus her name is so begun  
In sundry things that she teacheth  
That all the land unto her secheth  
Of young women for to lere  
Now let we this maiden here  
And speak of dyonyse again  
And of theophyle the vyleyn  
Of which I spoke of now tofore  
When thayse should have be forlore   
Qualiter theophilus ad dyonisiam mane rediens affirmavit se thaisim occidisse super quo dionisia una cum stran gurton marito suo dolorem in publico confingentes ex●quias et sepulturam honorifice quantum ad extra subdola con●ectacione fieri constituerunt  

His false churl to his lady  
When he came home privily  
He saith madame slain I have  
This maid thayse & is begrave  
In privy place as ye me bid  
For thy madame taketh heed  
And keep council how so it stand  
This fiend which hath this understand  
Was glad & weeneth it be sooth  
Now hearken hereafter how she doth  
She weepeth she sorroweth & complaineth  
And of sickness which she feigneth  
She saith that thayse suddenly  
By night is deed as she and I  
To guider lain nigh my lord  
She was a woman of record  
And all is leaved that she saith  
And for to give a more faith  
Her husband & eke she both  
In black clothes they hem cloth  
And made a great interment  
And for the people shall be blent  
Of thayse as for the remembrance  
After the ryal old usance  
A tomb of laton noble & rich  
With an image unto her lyche  
Lygging above thereupon  
They made and set it up anon  
Her epytaffe & good assize  
Was write above & in this wise  
It spoke/ ● ye that this behold  
Lo here lieth she which was hold  
The fairest & the flower of all  
whose name thayse men call  
The king of tire appollynus  
her father was now she lieth thus  
fourteen year she was of age  
When death her took to her viage   
Qualiter appolinus in regno suo apud tirum existens parliamentum fieri constituit  

Thus was this false treason hid  
Which afterward was wide kid  
As by the tale a man shall here  
But to declare my matter  
To tire I think to torn again  
And tell as the chronicles say  
When that the king was comen home  
And hath left in the salt foam  
His wife which he may not foryete  
For he some comfort would get  
He let sommone a parliament  
To which the lords weren assent  
That of the time he hath been ou ●e  
He seeth the things all about  
And told 'em eke how he hath fare  
While he was out of bond far  
And prayed all to abide  
For he would at same tide  
Do shape for his wives mind  
As he that would not be unkind  
Solemn was that ilk office  
And rich was the sacrifice  
The feast rially was hold  
And thereto was he well behold  
For such a wife as he had one  
In thilk days there were none   
Oualiter appolinus post ꝑliamentum tharsim ꝓ thaise filia sua quereda adiit qua ibid. non inventa abinde navigio recessit  

When this was done than he him thought  
Upon his daughter & bysought  
Such of his lords as he would  
That they with him to tharse should  
To fet his daughter thayse there  
And they anon all ready were  
To ship they gone & forth they went  
Till they the haven of tharse hent  
They bond & fail of that they seek  
By coverture & sleight of speech  
This false man strangulyo  
And dyonyse his wife also  
That he the better trow might  
They lad him to have a sight  
Where that her tomb was arrayed  
The lass yet he was myspayed  
And nevertheless so as he durst  
He curseth & saith all the worst  
Unto fortwe as to the blind  
Which can no siker weigh find  
For him she neweth ever emouge  
And meddleth sorrow with his song  
But sith it may no better be  
He thonketh god & forth goeth he  
Sailing toward tire again  
But suddenly the wind & rein  
Began upon the see debate  
So that he suffer moat algate   
Qualiter navis 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 navis obs●uro ●a●●ns lumen videre noluit  

The law which neptune ordyneth  
Whereof ●ul oft time he plaineth  
And held him well the more dismayed  
Of that he hath tofore assayed  
So that for pure sorrow & care  
Of that he seeth this world so far  
The rest he leaveth of his cabin  
That for the council of no man  
again therein he nolde come  
But hath beneath his place nome  
There he weeping alone lay  
There as he saw no light of day  
And thus tofore the wind they drive  
Till long & late they arrive  
With great distress as it was seen  
Upon this town of mytelene  
Which was a noble cite tho  
And happeneth thilk time so  
The lords both & the common  
The high festes of neptune  
Upon the strand at rivage  
As it was custom & usage  
Sole pnely they he sigh  
When they this strange vessel sigh  
Comen & hath his sail availed  
That one thereof hath spoke & taled   
Qualiter athana goras urbis metelene princeps navim appolini investigans ipsum sic contr●statum nichil que respondente consolate satage●at  

tHe lord which of that city was  
whose name is at●nagoras  
Was there & said he would see  
What ship it is & who they be  
That been therein & after soon  
When that he saw it was to done  
His large was for him arrayed  
And he goeth forth & he assayed  
He found the ship of great array  
But what thing that it mownte may  
He saw they maden heavy cheer  
But well him thinketh by the manner  
That they been worthy men of blood  
And asketh of 'em how it stood  
And they him tell all the caas  
How that her lord fordryve was  
And which a sorrow that he made  
Of which there may no man him glade  
He prayeth that he her lord may see  
But they him told it may not be  
For he lieth in so d●rk● a place  
That there may no wight see his face  
But for all that though him be loath  
He fond the ladder & down he goeth  
And to him spoke but none answer  
Ag●yn of him ne might he here  
For aught that he can do or say  
And thus he goeth him up again   
Qualiter precepto principis ut appollnun consolaretur thaisis cum cither sua ad ipsum in obscuro navis ubi iacebat producta est  

Thus was spoke in many a wise  
Amongst 'em that weren wise  
Now this now that but at last  
The wisdom of the town thus cast  
That young thayse was assent  
For if there be a mendment  
To glad with this woeful king  
Which can so much of every thing  
That she shall glade him anon  
A messenger for her is gone  
And she came with her harp in hand  
And said 'em that she would fond  
By all the ways that she can  
To glad with this sorry man  
but what he was she wist nought  
But all the ship her hath bysought  
That she her wit on him dispend  
In aunter if he might amend  
And say it shall be well aquyt  
When he hath understonden it  
She goeth her down there as he lay  
Where that she harpeth many a lay  
And like an angel song with all  
But he no more than the wall  
Took heed of any thing he heard  
And when she saw that he so feared  
She falleth with him unto words  
And telleth him of sundry lords  
And asketh him demands strange  
Whereof she made his heart change  
And to her speech his err he laid  
And hath marvel of that she saide  
For in the proverb & in problem  
She spoke & bade he should dame  
An many a subtle question  
But he for no subiestyon  
Which toward him she could sterr  
He would not one word answer  
But as a mad man otte last  
His heed weeping away he cast  
And half in wrath he bade her go  
But yet she would not do so  
And in the dark forth she goeth  
Till she him toucheth & than he wroeth  
And after her with his hand  
He smote & thus when she him fond  
diseased courteysly she said  
Do way my lord I am a maid  
And if ye wist what I am  
And out of what lineage I came  
Ye would not be so salvage  
With that he sobreth his courage   
Qualiter sicut deus destinavit patri filiam inventam recognovit  

And put away his heavy cheer  
But of 'em two a man may here  
What is to be so feeble of blood  
None wist of other how it stood  
And yet the father at last  
His heart upon this maid cast  
That he her loveth kindly  
And yet he wist never why  
But all was know or that they went  
For god which wot her hole intent  
Her hearts both anon dyscloseth  
The king unto the maid opposeth  
And asketh first what is her name  
And where she learned all this game  
And of what kin she was come  
And she that hath his words nome  
Answereth & seith my name is thayse  
That was sometime well at ease  
In tharse I was withdraw & fed  
There I learned till I was sped  
Of that I can my father eke  
I note where I should him seek  
He was a king men told me  
My mother dreynte was in the see  
from point to point to him told  
That he hath long in heart hold  
And never durst make her moan  
But only to this lord alone  
To whom her heart can not hel●  
Terned to woe turned to weal  
Torn it to good torn it to harm  
And he though took her in his arm  
But such a joy as she though made  
Was never seen thus been they glade  
That forth hadden be toforne  
from this day forth fortune hath sworn  
To set him upward on the wh●le  
So goeth the world now woe now weal   
Qualiter allenag●ras appollinum de n●● in he spiaum henorifice recollegit & tha●sim patre consenciente in uxorem ●uxit  

tHis king hath found new grace  
So that out of his dark place  
He g●eth him up in to the light  
And with him came that sweet wight  
His daughter thayse & forth anon  
They both in to the cabin gone  
Which was ordained for the king  
And there he did of all his thing  
And was arrayed rially  
And cut he came all openly  
Where a●●enagoras he fond  
Which was lord of all the bond  
He prayeth the king to c●me & see  
The castle both & his city  
And thus they goon forth all in fere  
T●ie king this board this maiden dear  
Thy lord though made him rich feste  
With every thing that was honest  
To these with this worthy king  
There lacketh him no manner thing  
But yet for all this noll. array  
Wifeless he was unto that day  
As he that yet was of young age  
So fell there in to his courage  
The lusty woe the glad pain  
Of love which no man may restrain  
Yet never might as now tofore  
This lord thinketh all this world lore  
But if the king will done him grace  
He waiteth time he waiteth place  
Him thought his heart would to lreke  
Till he may to this maid speak  
And to her father eke also  
For marriage & it fell so  
That all was done right as he thought  
His purposes to an end he brought  
She wedded him as for her lord  
Thus been they all of one accord   
Qualiter appolinus una cum filia & eius marito navim ingredi●tes a metilena vsque thars●n ꝓposuerunt/ sȝ appolinus in sompnis amoitus versus ●phesim ut ibid. in t●plo diane sacrificaret vela per mare divertit  

Whn all was done right as they would  
The king unto his sone told  
Of tharse thilk trayterye  
And said how now in his company  
His daughter & him seluen eke  
Shall go vengeance for to seek  
The ships were ready soon  
And when they saw it was to done  
Without ●ette of any went  
With sail up draw forth they went  
Toward tharse upon the tide  
But he that wot what shall betide  
The high god which would him keep  
When that this king was fast a sleep  
By nights time he hath him bid  
To seek unto another stead  
To ephesym he bade him draw  
And as it was that time law  
He shall do there his sacrifice  
And ●ke he bad in all wise  
That in the temple amongst all  
His fortune as it is befall  
To w●hyng his daughter & his wife  
He shall be know upon his life  
The king of this avision  
Hath great imagination  
What thing it sygnefye may  
And nevertheless when it was day  
He bade cos●e anchor & abode  
And while that he on anchor road  
The wind that was to fore strange  
Upon the point began to change  
And turneth thither as it should  
Thomas knew he well that god it would  
And ●ud the master make him yare  
Tofore the wind for he would far  
To ephesym & so he ●ede  
And when he came in to the stead  
Where as he should land he londeth  
With all the haste he may & fondeth  
To shapen him in such a wise  
That he may by the morrow arise  
And done after the commandment  
Of him which hath him thither sent  
And in the wise that he thought  
Upon the morrow so he wrought  
His daughter & his son he nome  
And forth to the temple he come  
With a great rout in company  
His yefts for to sacrify  
The cytezeyns though herden say  
Of such a king that came to pray  
Unto diane the goddess  
And left all other business  
And camen thither for to see  
The king and the solemnity   
Qualiter appolinus ephesym in tem plo dyane sacrifi●●ns uxorem suam ibid. velatam invenit qua secum assumpta navim versus tirum regressus est  

With worthy knights environed  
The king him setf hath abandoned  
To the temple in good intent  
The door is up & in he went  
Where as with great devocioh  
Of holy contemplation  
Within his heart he made his shrift  
And after that a rich gift  
He offereth with great reverence  
And there in open audience  
Of 'em that stooden all about  
He told 'em & declareth out  
His hap such as is him befall  
There was no thing foryete of all  
His wife as it was god's grace  
Which was professed in the place  
As she that was abbess there  
Unto his tale hath leyrd her ear  
She knew the voys & the visage  
For pure joy as in a rage  
She 'straught to him all at ones  
And fell a swoon upon the stones  
Whereof the temple flore was paved  
She was anon with water laved  
Till she came to herself again  
And than she began to sayne  
A blessed be the high sonde  
That I may see my husband  
Which whilom he & I were one  
The king with that knew her anon  
And took her in his arm & kissed  
And all the town this sone wist  
though was there joy many fold  
For every man this tale hath told  
As for miracle & weren glade  
But neu●r man such joy made  
As doth the king which hath his wife  
And when men heard how that her life  
By him saved & by whom it was  
They wondered all of such a case  
thorough all the land aroos the speech  
Of master Cyrymon the leech  
And of the cure which he deed  
The king himself this hath him bid  
And eke the queen forth with him  
That he the town of ephesym  
Will leave & go where that they be  
For never man of his degree  
Hath do to hem so mychel good  
And he his profit understood  
And granteth with 'em for to wend  
And thus they maden there an end  
And token leave & went to ship  
With all the fair fellowship   
Qualiter appolliws una cum uxere ●t fi●ia sua tirum applicuit  

This king which now hath his desire  
Saith he would hold his co●●rs to tire  
They h●dden wind at will though  
With topsail cool & forth they go  
And striken never till they come  
To tire where as they have nome  
And ●●nden hem with much bliss  
Th●re was many a mouth to kiss  
eachone ●●elcometh other home  
But when the queen to land come  
And thayse her deughter by her side  
The ●●ye was thilk tide  
There may no man's tongue tell  
They saiden all here cometh the well  
Of all womanly grace  
The king hath take his ryal place  
The queen is in to chambre go  
There was great feast arrayed tho  
When time was they goon to meet  
All old saws been foryete  
And gladden 'em with joys new  
The dyscolered people hew  
Is now become a ●●ddy cheek  
Theridamas was no mirth for to s●ke   
Qualiter appollinus' anthenogo ●●m cum tharse uxore sua super tyrum c●rona●● fe●t  

But every man hath what he would  
The king as he well ●●ude & shield  
Maketh to his people right good there  
And after soon as thou shalt here  
A parliament he had summoned  
Where he his daughter hath coroned  
forthwith the lord of metelene  
That one is king that other queen  
And thus the faders ordinance  
This land hath set in governance  
And said that he would wend  
To tharse for to make an end  
Of that his daughter was betrayed  
Whereof were all men well paid  
And said how it was for to done  
The ships weren ready son●   
Qualiter appollinus' a tiro y mare versus tharsim iter axipiens vindictam contra strangulionem et dionisiam ux orem suam pro inviria quam ipin thaysi filie sue intuler●nt iudicialiter assecutus est  

aStronge power with him he took  
Upon the sky he took his look  
And saw the wind was covenable  
They hale up ancre with the call  
The sail on high the steer in hand  
And seylen till they come on land  
At tharse nigh to the city  
And when they wisten it was he  
The town hath do him reverence  
He telleth 'em the violence  
Which the traitor strangulyo  
And dyonyse him had do  
Toweling his daughter as he heard  
And when they wist how it feared  
As he which pe●s & love sought  
Unto the town thus he bysought  
To done him right in judgement  
Anon they weren both assent  
With strength of men & cemen soon  
And as him thought it was to done  
attaint they were by the law  
And deemed to be hanged & draw  
And brent & with wind to blow  
That all the world it might know  
And upon this condition  
The doom in execution  
Was put anon without fail  
And every man hath great marvel  
Which heard tell of this chance  
And thonked gods purveyance  
Which doth mercy with justice  
Slain is the mordrer & the mor●●●●  
thorough very troth of rightwiseness  
And thorough mercy save is simpleness/  
Of her whom mercy preserveth  
Thus hath he well that well deserveth   
Qualiter artestrate pentapolim rege mortuo ipsi de regno epistolas su● hoc appolino direxerunt/ unde appolinus una cum uxore sua ibidem advenientes ad decus imperij cum magno gaudio coronati sunt  
When all this thing is go & ended This king which loved was & friended/ A letter hath which came to him By ship fro pentapolym  

In which the land hath to him write  
That he will understand & wite  
How in good mind & in good peace  
Deed is king arestrates  
Whereof they all of one accord  
Him prayden as her lyege board  
That he the letter will conceive  
And come his reign to receive  
Which god hath give him & fortune  
And thus besought him the common  
Forth with the great lords all  
This king saw how it is befall  
from tharse & in prosperity  
He took his l●ue of that city  
And goeth him in to ship again  
The wind was good that see was plain  
Hem need not a riff to slake  
Till they pentapolym have take  
The land which heard of that tiding  
Was wonder glad of that coming  
He resteth him a day or two  
And took his council to him tho  
And set a time of parliament  
Where all the land of one assent  
Forthwith his wife hath him c●roned  
Where all good him was forsoned  
Lo what it is to be well grounded  
For he hath first his love founded  
Honestly as for to wed  
Honestly his love he sped  
And had children with his wife  
And as him list he led his life  
And in ensample his life was write  
That all lovers mighten wite  
How at last it shall be seen  
Of love what they wolden mean  
For see now on that other side  
Antyochus with all his lewd pride  
Which set his love unkindly  
His end had suddenly  
Set again kind upon vengeance  
And for his lust hath his penance   
Confessor ad amantem procedendo  

Lo thus my son thou might lere  
What it is to love in good manner  
And what to love in other wise  
The meed ariseth of the service  
Fortune though she be not stable  
Yet at sometime is favourable  
To hem that been of love true  
But certes it is for to rue  
To see love again kind fall  
For that maketh a man sore to fall  
As thou might tofore read  
For thy my son I will the rede  
To let all other love away  
But if it be by such a weigh  
As love & reason will accord  
For elliss if that thou discord  
And take lust as doth a lest  
Thy love may not be honest  
For by no skill that I find  
Such lust is not of loves kind   
Confessio amantis unde pro finali conclusione consilium confessoris impetrat  

mY father how so that it stand  
Your tale is herd & understand  
As thing which worthy is to here  
Of great ensample & great matter  
Whereof my father god you quite  
But in this point myself acquit  
I may right well that never yet  
I was assoted in my wit  
But only in that worthy place  
Where all lust and all grace  
Is set that if danger ne were  
But that is all my most fere  
I note what the fortune account  
But what thing danger may amoun  
te/ I wot well for I have assayed  
For when my heart is best arrayed  
And I have all my wit thorough sought  
Of love to beseech her aught  
For all that ever I sick may  
● am concluded with a nay  
That one syllable hath overthrow  
A thousand words in a row  
Of such as I best speak can  
●●us am I but a l●ude man  
But father for ye been a clerk  
Of love ● this matter is dark  
And I can ever longer the lass  
But yet I may not let it pass  
Your hole council I beseech  
That ye me by some weigh teach  
What is my best as for an end  
My ●●ne unto the truth I wend  
Now well I for the love of the  
●●te all other trifles be   
hIc super amoris causa finita confession Confessor Genius ea que sibi salubrius expediunt sano cousilio finaliter iniungit  

The more that the need is high  
The more it needeth to be sly  
To him which hath the need on hand  
I have well herd & understand  
My sone all that thou hast me s●yed  
And eke of that thou hast me prayed  
Now at this time that I shall  
As for conclusion final  
Counceyl upon the need set  
So think I finally to knit  
Thy cause where it is to ●●●ke  
And make an end of that I spoke  
For I ●ehyght the that gift  
First when thou come under my shrift  
That though I toward venus were  
Yet spoke I such words there  
That for the priesthood which I have  
Mine order & mine estate to save  
I said I would of mine office  
To virtue more than to vice  
incline & teach the my lore  
For thy to speaken overmore  
Of love which the may avail  
Take love where it may avail  
For as of this which thou art in  
By that thou seest it is a sin  
And sin may no price deserve  
Without price & who shall serve  
I note what profit might avail  
This followeth it if thou travail  
Where thou no profit haste in price  
Thou art toward thyself unwyce▪  
And sith thou mightest lust attain  
Of every lust the end is pain  
And every pain is good to flce  
So it is wonder thing to see  
Why such a thing shall be desired  
The more that a stock is fired  
The rather in to ashes it turneth  
The foot which in the weigh sporneth  
Fuf oft his heed hath overthrow  
Thus love is blind & can not know  
Where that he goeth till he be fall  
For thy but if it so befall  
With good council that he be lad  
Him ought for to le●n a dread  
For council it passeth all thing  
To him which thinketh to be a king  
And every man for his party  
A kingdom hath to iustyfye  
That is to say his own doom  
If he mys●ule that kingdom  
He loseth himself & that is more  
Than if he lost ship or ●ore  
And all the▪ worlds good with all  
For what man that in special  
Hath not himself he hath not else  
No more the pearls than the shells  
All is to him of one value  
Though he had of his retinue  
The wide world right as he would  
When he his heart hath not withhold  
Toward himself all is in vain  
And thus my son I would say  
As I said or thou arise  
Or that thou fall in such a wise  
That thou ne might thyself recover  
For love which blind was ever  
Maketh all his servants blind also  
My sone & if thou have been so  
Yet is it time to withdraw  
And set thy heart under that law  
The which of reason is to be governed  
And not of will & to be learned  
ensample thou hast many one  
Of now & eke of time a gone  
That every lust is but a while  
And who that will himself beguile  
He may the rather be deceived  
My sone now thou hast conceived  
Somme of that I would mean  
Here afterward it shall be seen  
If that thou leave upon my ●ore  
For I can do to the no more  
But t●che th● the right weigh  
Now cheese if thou wilt live or die   
Hic ●●quitur de contraversia que inter confessorem & amantem in fine confessiomis versabatur  

My father so as I have heard  
Your tale but if it were answered  
I were much for to blame  
My woe to you it is but game  
That feeleth not of that I feel  
The feeling of a man's hele  
May not be likened to the heart  
I note though I would asterte  
And ye be free from all the pain  
Of love whereof I me complain  
It is right easy to command  
The heart which free goeth on the launde  
Not of an ox what him ey●eth  
It falleth oft a man▪ marveleth  
Of that he seeth another fa●●  
But if he knew himself the fare  
And felt it as it is in sooth  
He should done right as he doth  
O● elliss worse in his degree  
For well I wot & so do● ye  
That love hath ever been yet used  
So moat I need been excused  
But father if ye would thus  
Unto cupyde and venus  
Ben friendly toward my quarrel  
So that my heart were in hele  
Of love which is in my breast  
I wot well than a better pressed  
Was never made to my behove  
But all the while that I haue  
In none certain between the two  
I note where I to weal or wo●  
Shall torn that is all my dread  
So that I note what is to read  
But for final conclusion▪  
I think a supplication  
With pleyne words & express  
Write unto venus the goddess  
The which I pray you to bear  
And bring again a good answer  
though was between my priest & me  
Debate & great perplexity  
My reason understood him weal  
And knew it was soothe every deal  
That he hath said but not for thy  
My will hath no thing set thereby  
For touching unto a wise aporte  
It is unto love no disport  
Yet might never man behold  
●esen where love was withhold  
They be not of one governance  
And thus we fellen in distance  
My priest & I/ but I spoke fair  
And thorough my words debonair  
Than at last we accorden  
So that he saith he will accorden  
To speak & stand on my side  
To venus both & to cupyde  
And bade me write what I would  
And said me truly that he should  
My letter l●re unto the queen  
And I sat down upon the green  
Fulfilled of loves fantasy  
And with the t●erys of mine eye  
In stead of ink I 'gan to write  
The words which I would end●te  
Unto cupyde & to Venus  
And in my letter I said thus   
Hic tractat formam cuiusdam supp●●●●●onis quam ex part amantis genij S●●●rdot●s sui Venus sibi porrectam acceptabat  

The woeful pain of leaves malady  
Ageyn the which no physic avail  
My he●te hath so be wapped with soty●  
That where that I rest or travail  
I find it ever ready to assail  
My reason which▪ can not him defend  
Thus s●che I help whereof I might amend   

First to nature if that I me compleyn  
There find I how that every creature  
sometime a year hath love in his demeyn  
So that the btel wren in his measure  
Have of kind love under his cure  
And I ●ut one desire which I miss  
So ●ut I/ hath every kind his bliss   

The reason of my wit it overpasseth  
Of that nature teacheth me the weigh  
To love & yet no certain she compasseth  
How shall I speed thus between that tw●y  
I stand & note where I shall live or day  
For though reason again my will debate  
I may not flee that I ne love algate   
Upon myself this ilk tale come How whilon Pan which is the god of kind/ with s●ue wrestled and was overcome/ For ever I wrasile & ever I am behind/ That I no strength in all my heart find/ whereof I may stone den any trow/ So far my wit with love is overthrow  
Whom needeth help he moat help crave Or helpless he shall his need spill plainly & thorough sought my wits all I have/ But none of hem can help after my will/ But also well I might sit still/ As pray unto my lady of any help/ Thus wot I not whereof myself to help  
Unto the great jove & if it bid To do me grace of thilk sweet ton which under key in his s●lere a●yd Lieth couched that fortune is overcome But of the bitter cup I have begenne I note how oft & thus I find no game/ For ever I ask & it is the same  
I see the world standeth vpō●schaūge Now wind loud & ●ow the weather soft/ I may see eke the great moan change/ And thing which now is low is ●fto in ●ofte/ The dreadful were res in to peace full oft/ They torn & ever is danger in one place/ which will not change his will to do me grace  
But upon this great clerk ovid/ Of love when he maketh his remembrance  
He saith there is the blind cupide The which hath love under his governance/ And with his hand many a fiery lance/ He woundeth oft there he will not h●●e/ And that somedeal is cause of my quarrel  
Ovid saith eke that love to perform Stante in the ho●de of venus' the goddess But when she taketh her council with satourne/ There is no grace and in that time I guess/ Began my love of which mine heaviness/ Is now & ever shall but I speed/ So wot I not myself what is to read  
For thy to you cupid & venus both with all my hearts obeisance I pray If ye were at first time wroth when I began to love I you say Now stint & do thilk fortune away So that danger which standeth of retinue/ with all my lady his place may renew  
O thou cupyde god of loves law That with thy dart brenning hast set a fire/ My heart so that wound withdraw/ Or give me salve such as I desire/ For service in thy court wythouten hire/ To me which ever yet hath kept thine hest/ May never be to loves law honest  
O thou gentle venus loves kind queen/ without guilt thou dost o● me thy wretch/ Thou wottest my pain is ever elyche green/ For love & yet I may it not areche/ Thus would I for my last word, beseech/ That thou my love acquit as I deserve Or else do me plainly for to starve  
Hic loquitur qualiter venus accepta amantis supplicacione indilate ad singula respondit  

wHen I this supplication  
With good deliberation  
In such a wise as ye now wite  
Had after mine enteute write  
Unto cupyde & venus  
This priest which height Genyus  
It took on hand to present  
On my message & forth he went  
To venus for to wite her will  
And I bode in the place still  
And bode there but a little while  
Not fully the mountenaunce of a mile  
Whom I beheld & suddenly  
I saw where venus stood me by  
So as I might under a tree  
To ground I fell upon my kne●  
And preyed her for to do me grace  
She cast her cheer upon my face  
And as it were haluing a game  
She asketh me what was my name  
Madame I said johan gower  
Now johan qd she in my power  
Thou must as of thy love stand  
For I thy will have understand  
In which to cupyde & to me  
Somdele thou hast complained thee  
And somedeal to nature also  
But that shall stand among ye two  
For thereof have I not to done  
For nature is under the moan  
mistress of every lives kind  
But if so be that she may find  
Some holy man that will withdraw  
His kindly lust again her law  
But seld when it falleth so  
For few men there been of though  
But of these other enough there be  
Which of her own nycete  
again nature & her office  
delighten 'em in sundry wise  
Whereof that she full oft hath plained  
And eke my court it hath dysdeyned  
And ever shall for it rec●yueth  
None such that kind so deceiveth  
For all onely●he on genty ●loue  
My court stont/ all courts above  
And taketh not in to●retinewe  
But thing which is to kind delbe  
For else it shall be refused  
Whereof I hold the excused  
For it is many days gone  
That thou among 'em were one  
Which of my court hast be withhold  
So that the more I am behold  
For thy dyscase to commune  
And to renew that fortune  
Which many days hath the grieved  
But of my council may believed  
Thou shalt be esed or thou go  
Of thilk unsilly jolly woe  
Whereof than sayest thine heart is fired  
But of that thou hast desired  
After the sentence of thy bill  
Th●u must ●o thereof at my will  
And I thereof me will advise  
And be thou hole it shall suffice  
My medicine is not to seek  
T●● which is holsem to the seek  
Not all perchance as ye it would  
But so as ye by reason should  
Accordaunt unto loves kind  
For in the plight which I the find  
So as my court it hath awarded  
Thou shalt be duly rewarded  
And if thou wouldest more crave  
It is no right that thou it have   
Qui cupit id quod habere nequit sua tempora perdit/ Est ubi 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 juvenile vo luptas/ Floret in obsequium quod venus ipsa petit/ Coveniens igitur foret nec qd ●●ua senectus/ Attigit veterius corpora casta col●nt/  
Hic contra quoscumque viros inue teratos amoris concupiscenciam affectans loqntur 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 law  
In none certain but as men draw  
Of ragman upon the chance  
She layeth no poise in the balance  
But as her liketh for to weigh  
The true man full oft all weigh  
She put which hath her grace bede  
And set an untrue in his stead  
Lo thus blindly the world she deemeth  
In loves cause as to me seemeth  
I note what other men should sayne  
But I algate am so beseyn  
And stand as one amongst all  
Which am out of his grace fall  
It needeth take no witness  
For she which said is the goddess  
To whether part of love it we●de  
Hath set me for a final end  
The point whereto that I shall hold  
For when she hath me well behold  
Haluing of scorn she said thus  
then wist thou that I was venus  
Which all only my lusts seek  
And well I wot though thou beseech  
My love lusts been there none  
Which I may take of thy person  
For loves lust & locks door  
In chambre accorden never more  
And though thou feyn a young courage  
It showeth well by thy visage  
That old grysel is no fool  
There been full many yeries stole  
With the & such other moo  
That ouward thought so  
And beth within of power assay  
My heart would & I ne may  
Is nought loved now a days  
Or thou make any such assays  
To love & fall upon the feet  
Better is to make a beaw retreat  
For though thou mightest lone attain  
Yet were it but an idle pain  
When thou art not suffysaunte  
To held love his covenant  
For thy take home thy h●rte again  
That thou travail not in veyn  
Whereof my court may be deceived  
I wot & have it well conceived  
How that thy will is good enough  
But more behoveth to the plough  
Whereof the lacketh as I trow  
So s●t it well that thou be know  
In feeble estate or thou begin  
Thing where thou might none end win  
What bargeyn should a man assayr  
When that him lacketh for to pay  
My sone if that thou well bethought  
This toucheth the foryete it nought  
The thing is turned in to was  
The which was whilom green grass  
Is ●elowed hay as time now  
For thy my council is that thou  
Remember well how thou art old  
When venus hath her tale told   
Qualiter super derisoriam veneris exhortacione contristatus amans quasi mortuus in terram corru●t ubi ut sibi videbatur cupidinem cum in numera multitudine nuper amantum varijs turmis assistenaum conspicicbat  

When I bethought was all about  
And wist well withouten doubt  
That there was no recovyre  
And as a man by blaze of fire  
With water quencheth so far I  
A cold me caught suddenly  
For sorrow that my heart made  
My deadly fare pale & fade  
become in swoon I fell to ground  
And as I lay the same stound  
Ne fully quick ne fully deed  
Me thought I saw tofore mine heed  
cupid with his bow bent  
And like unto a parliament  
Which were ordained for the● nonce  
With him arm & all the world atones  
Of gentle folk that whilom were  
Lovers I saw 'em all there  
Forth with cupyde in sundry rowtes  
Mine eye I cast all abouts  
To know among hem who was who  
I saw where lusty youth th●●  
As he which was a capetayn  
Before all other upon the plain  
Stood with his rout well begun  
Her heeds kempte & thereupon  
Garbondes not of one colour  
Some of the leef & some of the flower  
And some of the great pearls were  
The new guise of beam was there  
With sundry things well devised  
I see whereof they be quentysed  
It was all lust that they with feared  
There was no song that I ne herd  
Of love to love touching  
Of Pan & all that was liking  
As in piping of melody  
Was herd in thilk company  
So loud that on every side  
I thought that all the heaven cried  
In such accord & such a sound  
Of bombard & of claryoun  
With cornemuse & shalmele  
That it was half a man's hele  
So glad a noise for to here  
And as me thought in this matter  
All fresh I saw 'em spring & dance  
And do to love her entendaunce  
After the lust of yongthes' hest  
There was enough of joy & feste  
For ever among they loughe & play  
And put care out of the weigh  
And he with hem ne sat ne stood  
And over this I understood  
So as mine ●re might areche  
The most matter of her speech   
De nominibus illerum nuper aman tum spasinoto aliqui inuenes aliqui se nes apparuerunt Senes autem praecipue tam erga deum quam deam amoris ꝓ savitate a mantis recuperanda multiplicatis precibus misericorditer instabant  

It was▪ of knighthood & of arms  
And what it is to lig in arms  
With love when it is achieved  
There was tristran which was fyleved  
With bele Isolde & lancelote  
Stood with gunnor & galahote  
With his lady & as me thought  
I saw where jason with him brought  
His love which creusa height  
And hercules with much might  
Was there bearing his great mace  
And most of all in thilk place  
He paineth to make cheer  
With Eolen which was him dear  
Theseus though he were untrue  
To love all women knew  
Yet was he there nethelese  
And phedra which to love he cheese  
Of grece eke there was telamon  
Which fro the king lameodon  
At troy his daughter refte away  
Eseonen as for his prey  
Which take was when jason came  
from colcos & the cy●e name  
In vengeance of the first hate  
That made 'em after to debate  
When pryamus the new town  
Hath made & in avysyowne  
Me thought that I saw also  
Ector forth with his brethe●n two  
Himself stood with panrasylee  
And next to him I might see  
Where paryse stood with fair helayn  
Which was his joy sovereign  
And troilus stood with Crys●yde  
But ever among though he played  
By semblance he was heavy cheered  
For dyomede as him was lered  
Claimeth to be his partynere  
And thus full many a bachelor  
A thousand moo than I can say  
With youth I saw there well beseen  
Forth with her loves glad & blithe  
And some I saw which oft sith  
Compleynen them in other wise  
among the which I saw narcyse  
And pyramus that sorry were  
The worthy greeks also were there  
Achilles which for lone died  
Agamenon eke as men seyed  
And menelay the king also  
I saw with many another moo  
Which had by fortune sore  
loves cause & over more  
Of women in the same case  
With 'em I saw where dyd● was  
Forsake which was with enee  
And phylles eke I might see  
Whom demephon deceived had  
And adryane her sorrow lad  
For theseus her sister took  
And her unkindly forsook  
He saw there eke among the press  
complaining upon hercules  
His first love dya●yre  
Which set him afterward a fire  
Medea was there eke & complaineth  
Upon jason for that he feigneth  
Without cause & took a new  
She said ●ye on all vn●●●we  
I saw there deya●ye  
Which had lost company  
Of achilles when dyomede  
To ●●ye him fet upon the need  
among these other upon the green  
I saw also the woeful queen  
Cleopa●●●s within a grain  
With serpents hath herself bygra u●  
All quyche & so she was to tore  
For sorrow of that she had tore  
Antony which her love hath be  
And forth with I saw her thysbe  
Which upon the sharp swords point  
For love died in sorry point  
And as mine ere it might know  
She said woe worth all slow  
●●● plain of proygne & phylomene  
〈◊〉 heard I what it would mean  
How ●●●us & his untruth  
Vndyd 'em both & that was couth  
And next to 'em I saw canace  
Which maychayr her faders grace  
Hath lost & died in woeful plight  
And a● I saw in my spirit  
Me thought among other thus  
The daughter of king pryamus  
Po●x●na whom pyrrus slough  
Was there & made sorrow enough  
As she which died gyltelis  
For ●oue & yet was loveless  
And for to take the disport  
I saw there some of other port  
And that was Circe's & calypse  
That could done the moan clypse  
Of m●n & change the sickness  
Of ar●emagique sorceress  
They held in hand many one  
To love whether they would or none  
But above all women that there were  
Of women ● saw four there  
whose name be here most commended  
By 'em the court stood all amended  
Forth were they come in presence  
Men did them the reveremce  
As though they had been goddesses  
Of all the world or empresses  
And as me thought an ere I laid  
And herd how that this other saide  
Lo these been the four wives  
whose fey●h was proved in h●r lives  
For in ensample of all good  
With marriage so they stood  
That fame which no great thing hideth  
Yet the cronic of hem abideth  
Penolope the one was hate  
Whom many a knight had loved hot  
While that her lord ulyxes lay  
Full many a year and many a day  
Upon the great siege of troy  
But she which had no worlds joy  
But only of her husband  
While that her lord was out of land  
So well she kept her womanhead  
That all the world thereof took heed  
And namelyche of them in grece  
That other woman was lucrece  
Wife to the roman collatyne  
And she constrained of tarquyne  
To thing which was against her will  
She would not her seluen still  
But died only for dread of shame  
In keeping of her good name  
As she which was one of the best  
The third wife was hot alceste  
Which when ametus should die  
Upon his great malady  
She prayed unto the gods so  
That she receiveth all the woe  
And died herself to give him life  
So was this then a noble wife  
The fourrth wife which I there sigh  
I heard of them that were nigh  
How she was cleared alsione  
Which to seix her lord alone  
And to no more hi● body kept  
And when she saw him drench she leapt  
Unto the wawes where he swum  
And there a sce foul she became  
And with her wings she him bespread  
For love that she to him had  
Loo these four weren though  
Which I saw as me thought though  
among the great company  
Which love had for to gye  
But youth which in special  
Of loves court was marchal  
So ●●sy was upon his lay  
That he none heed where he lay  
Hath take & than as I beheld  
Me thought I saw upon the feld●  
Where ●lde came a soft pa●●  
Toward venus there as she was  
With him great company he lad  
But not so feel as youth had  
The most part were of great age  
And that was seen in her visage  
And not for thy so as they might  
They made 'em yongely to the sight  
But yet I heard no pipers there  
To make mirth in man's 〈◊〉  
But the ●●nsyque I might know  
For old men which solbned lolbe  
With harp & lute & cytole  
The hove dance & the ca●●le  
In such a wise as love hath bid  
A soft paas they dance & tread  
And with the wymmen otherwhile  
With sober there among they smile  
For laughter was there none on high  
And nethe●●es full well I sye  
That they the more quaint it made  
For love in whom they weren glade  
And there me thought I might see  
The king david with bersale  
And solomon was not without  
Passing an hundredth in a rout  
Of wives & of concubines  
jewesses eke and saracenes  
To him I sabe all Intendaunt  
I note where he was suffisant  
But neth●lees for all his wit  
He was attached with that writ  
Which love with his hand ensueth  
From whom none earthly man appeareth  
And over this as for a wonder  
With his l●on which he put under  
With dalyda sampson I knew  
whose love his strength all ouerthr●w●  
I saw there arystotle also  
Whom that the queen of grece so  
Hath bridled that in thilk time  
She made him such a sylagesyme  
That he foryate all his ●ogyque  
Theridamas was none art of his practyque  
thorough which he might be excluded  
That he ne was fully concluded  
To love & did his obeisance  
And eke virgil of acquaintance  
I saw where he the maiden prayed  
Which was the daughter as men saide  
Of th'emperor whilom of come  
Sorts & plato with him come  
So did Ovid the poet  
I thought then how love is sweet  
Which hath so wise men reclaimed  
And was myself the lass ashamed  
Or for to lose or for to win  
In the mischief that I was in  
And thus I lay● in hope of grace  
And when they came to the place  
Where venus stood & I was fall  
This old men with one voice 〈◊〉  
To venus' prayden formy sake  
And she that might not forsake  
So great a clamour as was there  
Le●e pity come in 〈◊〉 ere  
And forth with all unto cupid  
She prayeth that she upon his side  
Me would thorough his grace send  
Some comfort that I might amend  
Upon the ●●as which is befall  
And thus for me they preyden all  
Of 'em that weren old about  
And eke some of the young row●●  
And of gentilesse & pure truth  
I herd 'em tell it was great couth  
That I withouten help so ferde  
And thus me thought I lay & heard   
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 provisa senectus racionem invocans hominem interiorem per p●●ns amore infatuatum mentis sanitati p●enius restauravit  

cVpide which may hurt & hele  
In loves cause as for my hele  
Upon the point which I him prayed  
Came with venus where I was laid  
So swownyg upon the green grass  
And as me thought anon there was  
On every side so great press  
That every life began to press  
I wot not well how many score  
such as I spoke of now tofor●  
Lovers that comen to behold  
But most of 'em that ●en old  
They stoden there that at ilk tyd●  
To see what end shall betide  
Upon the cure of my sotie  
There might I here great party  
Spe king & each his own advys  
Hath told one that another this  
But among all this I heard  
They weren woe that I so feared  
And saiden that for no riot  
An old man should not asso●●  
For as they tolden readily  
There is in him no cause why  
But if he would himself be ny●●  
So were he well the more nice  
And thus despu●●n some of tho  
And some ●ayden no thing so  
But that the wild loves rage  
In man's life forbeareth none age  
While there is oil for to fire  
The lamps be lightly set a fire  
And is full hard or it be quaint  
But only if it be some saint  
And thus me thou●t in sundry place  
God which preserved in his grace  
Of 'em that walken up & down  
There was dy●●rs opinion  
And so for a while it last  
Till that cupyde at the last  
Forthwith his mother full advised  
Hath determined & devised  
Unto what point he would descend  
And all this time I was lyggende  
Upon the ground tofore his eyen  
And they that my disease syen  
Supposen not that I should lyven  
But he which would than yeven  
His grace so as it may be  
This blind god which may not see  
Hath groped till that he me fonds  
And as he put forth his hand  
Upon my body where I lay  
Me thought a fiery launcegaye  
Which whilom thorough my heart he 〈◊〉  
He pulleth out & also fast  
As this was do/ cupid name  
His weigh I note where he became  
And so did all the remanant  
Which unto him was entendaunt  
Of 'em that in a vision  
I had a revelation  
So as I told now tofore  
But venus went not therefore  
Ne genyus which thilk time  
A●oden both fast byme  
And she which may the hearts bind  
In loves cause & eke unbind  
Or I out of my trance aroos  
Venus which held a box close  
And would not I should die  
Took out more cold then any key  
An ointment & in such appoint  
She hath my wounded her●● anoint  
My temples & my royalmes also  
And forth with all she take me though  
A wonder myrcour for to hold  
In which she bade me to behold  
And take heed of that I s●ye  
Wherein anon my hearts e●●  
I cast & saw my colour fade  
Mine eyen dim & all unglade  
My cheeks thin & all my face  
With eld I might see defa●e  
So ●yueled & so woe bysayn  
That there was no thing full ne plain  
I saw also mine h●●ris hoar  
My will was tho to ●ce no more  
Therewith for theridamas was no pleasance  
And then in to my remembrance  
I drew mine old days passed  
And res●n it hath compassed   
Quod ●●atus hoins mensiꝰ amni 〈◊〉  

I made a siknesse of myself  
Unto the sundry months 〈◊〉  
Whereof the year in his estate  
Is made & stante in no debute  
That like to other none accordeth  
For who the times well recordeth  
And then at ma●che if he begin  
When that the lusty year cometh in  
Ty● it be passed septem●re  
The mighty youngth he may remember  
In which the year hath his deduyte  
Of grass of flower of corn of floyte  
Of leef & eke the Wyn grape  
And afterward this time is shape  
To frost to snow to wind to rain  
Ty● eft that march be come again  
The wyntrr will no summer know  
The green leef is over throw  
The clothed ●rthe is than bore  
despoiled is the summer far  
Tha●erst was hot is than chele  
And thus thinking thoughts fel●  
I was out of my swo●●e asrayed  
Whereof I saw my wits a●trayed  
And 'gan to c●●pe 'em home again  
And when reason it heard seen  
That loves rage was albeye  
He came to me the right 〈◊〉  
And hath remenyd the sotie  
Of thilk unwise fantasy  
Whereof that I was wont to plain  
So that of thilk fiery pain  
I was made sabre & hole enough  
Venus beheld me then & lough  
And ●xeth as it were in game  
What love was & I for shame  
Ne wist what I should answer  
And nevertheless I 'gan to swear  
That by my troth I know him newt  
So far it was out of my thought  
Right as it had never be  
My good son though ●d she  
Now at this time I leave it we●e  
So goeth the fortune of my Wheel  
For thy my council is thou love  
Madame I said by your love  
Ye wot well & so do I  
That I am vnbehouely  
Your court fxo this day forth to seru●  
And for I may no thank deserve  
And also for I am refused  
I pray you to been excused  
And nethelees as for the last  
While that my wits hath men last  
Tow●hyng my confession  
I ask an absolution  
Of genyus or that I go  
The prcest anon was ready the  
And said soon as of thy shrift  
Thou hast full pardon & full gift  
Foryete it thou & so will I  
My holy father grant mercy  
Quod I to him & to the queen  
I fell on knees upon the green  
And took my love for to wend  
But she that would make an end  
As thereto which was most able  
A pay●e of ●edes black as sable  
She took & hang mine neck about  
Upon the gaudees all without  
Was write of gold pur reposere  
●o thus she said johan gowere  
Now thou a●te at last cast  
Thus have I for thy ●●as cast  
That thou of love no more seche  
But my will is that thou beseech  
And pray● hereafter for the peace  
And that thou make a plain release  
To love which taketh little heed  
Of old men upon the need  
When that the lusts ●en albeye  
For thy to the nies but one weigh  
For which reason be thy ●yde  
For he may soon himself mysgyde  
That seeth not the perish tofore  
My sone be well w●re therefore  
And keep the sentence of my lore  
And tarry thou my court no more  
But go there moralle vertu dwelleth  
Where been thy books as m●n telleth  
Which of long time thou hast write  
For this I do the well to wite  
If thou thine hele will purchase  
Thou might not make such a chase  
Where that the game is not provable  
It were a thing unreasonable  
A ●●an to be so overseye  
For thy take heed of that I say  
For in the law of my common  
We be not shapen to commune  
Thyself & I never after this  
Now have I said all that there is  
Of love as for thy final end  
A dew for I mo●e fro the wend  
And great well chau●●● when ye me●e  
As my disciple & my poet  
For in the 〈◊〉 of his youth  
In sundry wise a● he well couth  
Of dy●ees & of songs glade  
The which he for my sake made  
The bond fulfilled is over all  
Whereof to him in specyalle  
Above all other I am most hold  
For thy now in his days old  
Thou shalt him tell this message  
That 〈◊〉 upon his latter age  
To set an end of all his work  
As he which is mine own clerk  
Do make his testament of love  
As thou hast done thy shrift about  
So that my court it may record  
Madame I can me well accord  
Quoth I to tell as ye me ●ydde  
And with that word it so betydde  
Out of sight all suddenly  
Enclosed in a stirred sky  
Venus which is the queen of love  
Was take in to her place above  
More wist I not where she became  
And thus of her my leave I nam  
And forth with all the same ty●e  
Her priest which would not abide  
Or me belief or me be booth  
Out of my sight forth he gooth  
And I was left withouten help  
So wist I not whereof to yelp  
But that only I had lore  
My time/ & was sorry therefore  
And thus bywhaped in my thought  
When all was turned in to nought  
I stood amazed for a while  
And in myself I 'gan to smile  
Thinking upon the beads ●lake  
And how they were me betake  
For that I should bid & pray  
And when I saw none other way  
But only that I was refused  
Unto the life which I had used  
I thought never to torn again  
And in this wise soothe to say  
Homeward a soft paas I went  
Where as with all mine hole intent  
Upon the point that I am shrive  
I think to bid while I live   
Marce precor xpriste populus quo gau det iste/ Anglia ne triste subeat rex sum resist/ Corrige quosque fragiles absolve reatus/ unde deo gratus vigeat ●ocus iste beatus  

hE which within days seven  
This large world forthwith the heaven  
Of his eternal providence  
Hath maad/ & thilk intelligence  
In man's soul reasonable  
Hath shape to be perdurable  
Whereof the ●an of his feature  
Above all earthly creature  
After the soul is immortal  
To thilk lord in special  
As he which is of all things  
The creator & of the kings  
Hath the fortunes upon hand  
His grace & mercy for to fond  
Upon my bare knees I prey  
That he this land in siker weigh  
Will set upon good governance  
For if men taken remembrance  
What is to live in unity  
There is no state in his degree  
That n● ought to desire peace  
Without which it is no lees  
To seche & look in to the last  
Theridamas may no worlds joy last   

first for to look the clergy  
Hem aught well to iustefye  
Thing which belongeth to their cure  
As for to pray & to pro●●re  
Our peace toward the heaven above  
And eke to set rest & love  
among us on this earth here  
For if they wrought in this manner  
After the rule of charity  
I hope that men sholden see  
This land amended & over this  
To seche & look how it is  
Touchend of the chivalry  
Which for to look in some party  
Is worthy for to be commended  
And in some part to ●e amended  
That of her large retinue  
The land is full of meyntenue  
Which causeth that common right  
In few contrees stand up ●ight  
exposition/ contek/ ravin  
Withhold been of that covin  
All day men here great complaint  
Of the disease of the constreynte  
Whereof the people is sore oppressed  
God grant it moat be redressed  
For of knighthood th'order would  
That they defend & keep should  
The common right & the franchise  
Of holy church in all wise  
So that no wicked man it dear  
And thereof serveth shield and spear  
But for it goeth now other weigh  
Our grace goeth the more away  
And for to ●oken overmore  
Whereof the people pleynen sore  
Toward the laws of our land  
Men say that troth hath broke his bond  
And with brocage is goon away  
So that no man can see the weigh  
Where for to find rightwiseness  
And if men seek sickerness  
Upon the lucre of marchandye  
Compassement & trycherye  
Of singular profit to win  
Men say is cause of much sin  
And namely of dyvysyoun  
Which many a noble town  
Fro wealth & fro prosperity  
Hath brought to great adversity  
So were it good to be alone  
For mochel grace thereupon  
Unto the cities should fall  
Which might avail to us all  
If these estates amended were  
So that the virtues stoden there  
And that the vices were away  
Me thinketh I durst then say  
This lands grace should arise  
But yet to look in other wise  
Theridamas is estate as ye shall here  
Above all other on earth here  
Which hath the land in his balance  
To him belongeth the legiance  
Of clerk of knight of man of law  
Under his hand all is forth draw  
The merchant & the labourer  
So stant it all in his power  
Or for to spill or for to save  
But though he such power have  
And that his mights be so large  
He hath 'em nought without charge  
To which that every king is sworn  
So were it good that he therefore  
first unto the rightwiseness intend  
Whereof that he himself amend  
Toward his god & leave vice  
Which is the chief of his office  
And after all the remnant  
He shall upon his covenant  
Govern & lead in such a wise  
So that there be no tyrannyse  
Whereof that he his people grieve  
Or elliss may he nought achieve  
That longeth to his regal  
For if a king will justify  
His land & hem that ●en within  
first at himself he must begin  
To keep & rule his own estate  
That in himself be no debute  
Toward his god for otherwise  
There may none earthly king suffice  
Of his kingdom the folk to lead  
But he the king of heaven dread  
For what king set him upon pride  
Ad taketh his lust on every side  
And will not go the right weigh  
Though god his grace cast away  
No wonder is/ for at last  
He shall well wite it may not last  
The pomp which he secheth here  
But what king with humble cheer  
After the law of god escheweth  
The vices/ & the virtues selveth  
His grace shall be suffysawnt  
To govern all the remanant  
Which longeth to his duty  
So that in his prosperity  
The people shall not be oppressed  
Whereof his name shall be blessed  
For ever & be memoryalle  
And now to speak as in fynalle  
Tolbching that I undertook  
In english for to make a book  
Which stante between earnest & game  
I have it made as thilk same  
Which ask for to be excused  
And that my book be not refused  
Of lered men when they it see  
For lack of curiosity  
For thilk school of eboquence  
belongeth not to my science  
Upon the form of rhetoric  
My words for to paint & pike  
As tullyus sometime wrote  
But this I know & thus I wot  
That I have done my true pain  
With rude words & with pleyne  
In all that ever I couth & might  
This book to write as I behyght  
So as sickness it suffer would  
And also for my days old  
That I am feeble & Impotent  
I wot not how the world is went  
So pray I to my lords all  
Now in mine age how so byfalle  
That I moat stonden in their grace  
For though me lack to purchase  
Her worthy thank as by desert  
Yet the simplesse of my poverty  
Desireth for to do pleasance  
To hem under whose governance  
I hope spker to abide  
But now upon my last tide  
That I this book have made & write  
My muse doth me for to wite  
And saith it shall be for my best  
Fro thy day ferth to take rest  
That I no more of love make  
Which many a horte hath overtake  
And overturned as the blind  
from reason in to salbe of kind  
Where as the wysdem goeth away  
And can not see the right weigh  
How to govern his own estate  
But every day stant in debate  
Within himself & can not leave  
And thus for thy my synal leave  
I take now for evermore  
Without making any more  
Of love & of his deadly hele  
Which no physycyen can hele  
For his nature is so divers  
That it hath ever some travers  
Or of to moche or of to light  
That plainly may no man delight  
For him faileth or that or this  
But thilk love which that is  
Within a man's heart affirmed  
And stant of charity conformed  
Such love is goodly for to have  
Such love may the body save  
Such love may the selule amend  
The high god such love us send  
Forthwith the remanant of grace  
So that above in thilk place  
Where resteth love & all peace  
Our joy may be endelees   
Amen   

Explicit iste liber qui transeat obsecro liber/ Ut sine livore vigeat lectoris in ore/ Qui sedet in scannis celi det ut ista johannis/ Perpetuis annis stet pagina grata britannie/ Derbie comiti recolunt avem laud periti/ Vade liber prius sub eo requiesce suturus  
Epistola super huius operis vet opusculi sui complementum johanni Golver a quodam philosopho transmissa  
Quam anxere freta golber tua carmina leta/ Per loca discreta canit anglia laud replita/ Carminis at leta satirus tibi sive poeta/ Sit laus completa quo gloria siat sine meta  
Quia unusquisaque prout a deo acoepit alijs impartire tenetur Iohes gow er super hijs que deus sibi intellectua liter donavit 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 dividitur 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● eventu 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 evidencius declarat titulus que voluminus huius cuius ordo septem continet paginas/ vox clamantis nominatur  
Tercius iste liber ang●co sermone in octo partes divisus 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 ubi 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 johannis 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 eye/ Golber sic que tuio tribus est dotata libellis Anglia morigeris quo tua scripta seris/ Ille que latinis tantum sua me tra loque●●s/ Scripsit ut Italicis sint recolenda notis/ Te tua set trinis tria scribere carmina linguis/ Constat ut 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/ leviter valet illa moveri/ 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 johannes 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 via/ lex capitosa/ Cura molestosa/ gravis 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 ut 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 ut ortorum rosa plus quam germen agroa●●  
Qrdo moriterū caput est et finis amorum Hec est nuptorum carnis quasi regula morum/ Que saluandorum sacratur in orb virorum/ Hinc vetus amnerum Eolber sub spe meritorum/ Ordine sponsorum tutus adhibeo thorum  
Orate pro anima johannis Golber Quiacunque enim pro anima ipsius johannis Golber oraverit t●ciens quo ●ens mi●● Quingen●●● dies indulgency ab ecclesia rite conces●●● misericorditer in domino possidebit   

imprinted at westminster by me William Caxton and finished the ij day of Septembre the first year of the reign of King Richard the third/ the year of our lord a thousand/ CCCC/ lxxxxiij/