¶ Here followeth thee. C. histories of Troy. ☞ Lepistre de Othea deesse de Prudence/ enuoyee a lesperit chevalereux Hector de Troy/ avec cent Histoires. Nounessement 〈◊〉. ¶ The Prologue of the transletour. Book of thy rudeness by consideration Plunged in the walowes of abashment For thy translator, make excusation To all to whom thou shalt thyself present beseeching them upon the sentement In the composed to set their regard And not on the speech cankered and froward. ¶ Show them, that thy translator hath the written Not to obtain thanks or remunerations But to the intent, to do the to be written As well in England, as in other nations And where misorder, in thy translation is Unto the perceiver, with humble obeisance Excuse thy reducer, blaming his ignorance. ¶ And pray him where he findeth the misordered To take the pain, therein to amend thee So that by him, thou be not blamed but fordred But envious tongues, fro them god defend the Them dread thy translator ever when he penned y● Therefore when thou shalt, be blamed of envy Set not his rancour, at a butterfly. ¶ Let him go keep the door with a 〈◊〉 Daughter to king Cypress of Athenes And diligently himself dispose With her against manner any to make resistance That he never entre to here by violence And like to Ethna a●is skill and right Let him bren himself & hurt none other wigh● ¶ And if any man make question unto the How thy reducer in his translation Without intelligence had audacity For to presume upon this compilation If he be of honour make thy suplycation For pardon thereof, and if he love dyscene With lawful excuse, pray him to be content. ¶ Which shallbe this, say that the translator When the to reduce, he set his enterprise was flowering in youth, what time the instigatour Of hell hath most power, vince on him to surmise Finding him in Idleness, which to despise He hath enterprised, this rude reduction For youth may not yield most eloquent instruction. ¶ And if he will, as yet, further reply Against the translation, thus or thus Allege the upon Aucthoryties boldly As of saint bernard, the doctor mellystuous How he saith against all persons ocious what account or reason shallbe by you forth brought when you it shall behove to tell each idle thought. ¶ The said saint bernard saith that ociosite To mother to vice, and stepdame to virtue She overthroweth strong men into iniquity She norysseth pride, and virtue doth subdue And maketh the way ready, hell to pursue Do always (saith Iherome) some good business That the devil, find the not in idleness. ¶ Saith also the holy doctor Augustyne No man that is strong, and able to labour Ought to be Idle, but to some work incline And to the same saith Iohn Cassiodore The Idle man thinketh upon no more But lecherous viands, to make his belly cheer Therefore pray all that shall the read or here. ¶ To take in 'gree this simple translation As (without doubt) all vertuove will do But such as been replete with emulation May not refrain that their hearts draweth unto Thus (book) remember what thou hast to do More charge (as now) shall not to the be laid But do thy best, in this that I have said. ¶ Finis Prologue. The first History. ¶ Here beginneth the Epistle, which Othea the Gods send unto Hector of Troy, when he was of the age of xu years. The first text. OThea gods of Prudence Which doth address good hearts in valiance To the noble Hector, prince of most excellence Which flouryssheth in Arms hast so great puissance That whom thou encounterest thou puttest to utterance son to the mighty Mars god of battle Which all the feats of Arms sustaineth or doth to sail. ¶ And also to minerve, the goddess puissant mistress of arms, as poets give sentence Successor of the Trojans tryhumphaunt Prince of Troy, and of the citizens Heir unto Pryamus, father of sapience Salutation sendeth first unto the With perfect true love, with out duplycyte. The first Gloze. OThea after the gree & intent may be taken for the sageness of a woman And as the ancient before that they had received the light, and spendour of the Faith, adored and worshipped many Gods, under which law been passed the most high seignories & lordships that have been in the world. As the realm of Assyrye, of pierce, the Greeks, the Trojans, alexandria, the Romans, and many other. And specially all the most great Philosophers, As that GOD ne had as yet set open the gate of his mercy. In this present age we Christian men, by the grace of God enlumined of the very & perfit Faith, may reduce and bring unto Moralytie the opinions of the ancients And thereupon many Alegoryes may be made, And as they were accustomed to adore and worship all things, which above the common course were prerogative, or furthering the common profit by any manner of grace, many Ladies, which were in their time, were called Goddesses. ¶ And it was of a truth after the History, that in the time of Troy the great flowrysshed in his high renomee. A moche sage Lady named Othea considering the fair youth of Hector of Troy than moche flourishing in virtues, which might be a demonstrued of grace to be in him, in time to come. Send unto him many fair and notable gifts. And especially his fair destryer, which was named Galathee, to whom in goodness none in the world might be compared. And for so moche as all grace's mondayne, which a good knight ought to have were fixed and comprised in Hector, we may say morally that he them took by the admonastement and advertisement of Othea, which send unto him this Epistle. Morallye. By Othea we shall take and understand the virtue of Prudence and sageness, whereof she right well provided & adorned. And as the four virtues cardinal be necessary to a good governance, we shall of them speak here in this present volume hereafter. And to this first, we have given a name and taken the manner to speak somewhat Poetyquely, and according to the very History the better to ensue and proceed upon our matter, and to our purpose we shall take some authorities of ancient Philosophers. We shall say even so in this present volume, as by the said Lady it was given or send unto the good Hector, that semblably it may be unto all other desiring bounty and sageness. And how the virtue of Prudence is moche to be recommended, speaketh the prince of Philosophers Arystotyle. For so moche as Prudence is the most noble of all other things it ought to be demonstred and showed by the best reason, and the most covenable manner. The i Text ANd as I have great desire and talon Myself to endeavour, the perfect nobleness Of the to preserve and ever to augment And that thy valiance and high prowess In all times be observed with out distress By mine Epistle thy youth to support I will the ennorter say & exhort. ¶ Of such things, as been most necessary To valiance high great and preemynent And to the opposite of prows contrary To the end that thy good heart set his intent The horse for to gerte by good advertisement That flieth by the air and pegasus is named To whom all valiant hearts been attamed. ¶ For so moche as I know that thy condition To feats chivalrous is right able to stand Upon all sides by direct inclination More than of other .v. hundred thousand And as a Goddess, I know and understand By science, not by perceive ne conjecture In every thing what shallbe thine adventure. ¶ Of the well me aught to have remembrance For well I know algates that there shall be Worthiest of worthy, and most of valiance And above all other have the renomee But to th'intent that I be loved of the Loved, and why not? sithen I am she Loath to come to her which all them enhaunse that have me in chyertie. ¶ sitting in my chair, I read them a lesson Which unto the heavens doth them to ascend So I the pray that thou be of them oon And that thou me believe and well my words attend Remembering well what I the write and send And if thou me here recount proferer or say A thing that is to come after this day. ¶ And that I to the say, that thou aswell it ought As if it were passed, to hold in memory Know thou for truth, that they ben in my thought comprised by the spirit of prophesy Therefore intend & be not weary For nothing shall I say, that is or shall befall Than sith if they be to come, remember them at all. The prologue of the Allegory. ¶ For to bring to Allegory the purpose of our matter, we shall take unto our sayings the holy scripture to the edification of the soul, being in this miserable world. EVen so as by the sovereign sapience and high puissance of God, all things ben create and made, reasonably, they ought to attend and await for their end by this ministration. And for so moche as our soul of God, create and made after his proper Image, is of all his creatures most noble after Angels. It is a thing convenable and necessary that it be adorned of virtues, whereby it may be conveyed to the end whereto it is made. And in so much as it may be impeached and letted by the assaults and instigation of the enemy inferyall, which is her mortal adversity, & oft-times her destourneth to come to her beatitude, we may call the life of man very chivalry, as the Scripture in many places doth express and as all things mondayne been transytorious and fallible we ought to have in continual memory the time to come which is without end. And for so moche as this is the conclusion and the perfect chivalry, and all other is of no comparison, and that thereof the victorious been crowned in glory. We shall take the manner to speak of the sprite chivalrous. And be this done v●to the laud of almighty God principally, and to the profit of them which shall take delectation in the hearing of this present volume. ¶ The first Allegory. IN like manner as prudence and sagess is the Mother and conductres of all virtues without whom they may not be well governed. It is necessary unto the sprite chevalryous that of Prudence it be adorned, as saith saint Augustyne in his book of the syngularitie of clerks that in what place that prudence be abiding lightly may be esesed and eschewed all things contrary, but there as Prudence is despised, all things contrary have signourie and domination. And to this purpose saith Solomon in his proverbs. Si intraverit sapienti● cor tuum et scientia anime tue platuerit consilium custodiet te/ et Prudentia servabit te. Proverbiorum secundo capit. The ii History. The ii Text. AND to the end, that thou understand What the behoveth to do, and that thou make The virtues more propice and apt to thine hand The better to come to, receive and take The promises whereof, I here spoke As of puissance/ valiance/ and Chevalrous Albeit so, it is adventurous. ¶ Yet unto thee, one thing shall I tell A Sister Germayne, is there one to me Replete with beauty, that other doth excel But over all thing in espetialite Sweet, and coy, she is attempered wise and free And never with thee, she is surprised For any thing, without measure promised. ¶ She is the goddess of attemperance. Withouten whom, the name of great grace Thou mayst not obtain, for but she pease the balance All valueth not, when poise in this case Therefore thou shalt her favour purchase For she is the Goddess in price most raised Of all that ben sage, much loved and praised. The ii Gloze. OThea saith, that attemperance is his sister, whom he ought to love. The virtue of attemperance veritably may be said sister and semblable unto Prudence. For attemperance is the demonstrance and showing of prudence. And of prudence followeth attemperance Therefore she saith that he hold attemperance for his friend, so as semblably ought for to do all good knights desiring the laud that is given to all good, so as saith the Philosopher named Democritus. attemperance amodereth, or measureth the vices, and maketh perfit the virtues. The ii Allegory. THe virtue of attemperance which hath the property to limit superfluities ought to be had of the good sprite. And Saint Augustyne saith in his book of the manners of the church, that the office of attemperance is to refrain and appease the manners of concupiscence, which been unto us contrary & destourne us from the law of God, and also to despise all carnal delights and worldly lovings. To this purpose speaketh saint Peter the Apostle in his first Epistle. Obs●●eo vo● tanquam advenas et peregrivos abstinere vos a carnalibus desideriis/ que militant adversus animam. Prima petri secundo capit●o. The iii History. The iii Text. TO the with us twain, is force convenient Great virtue, if thou take in reputaunce To Hercules ward, revert thine intent Regarding his prowess and puissant valiance Whereof he had with great abundance And notwithstanding that he was contrary Unto the lineage, and did against them vary. ¶ Shall we take not in disdain nevertheless His virtues full of force, and so notable Which have unclosed, the gates of prowess But if thou intend, with mind farm and stable Invaliaunce to be his semblable Yet unto the it is not necessary With folks infernal, to contend or vary. ¶ What needeth it to make lytygation or strife Against the god Pluto prince of darkness For proserpine, which was the herpers wife Called Orpheus and daughter to Ceres the Goddess Whom pluto ravished upon the see of greesses The needeth not to cut the chains of Cerberous Porter within, that valley tenebrous. ¶ Ne to take attaint, by them that be in hell Which in dysloyaulte, been all by lapped As (for his fellows, named as books tell Pirotheus, & Theseus,) in Hell to him lapped Which two stood, on an ase to have been by trapped Fighting in that place where many souls been brent By wrapped in pains and grievous torment. ¶ For have thou in war, never so great pleasure To thine intent (trust this that I the tell) Thou mayst in this world find good salve and cure Without descending to seek it down in hell Ne also it needeth the not for to mell (In purchasing of arms the bone courage) With fierce Sepentes replete with cruel rage. ¶ To lions, ne wolves, the needeth not make voyage (I know not if thou this imagine or guess) To Tiger, Oliphant, ne other beasts Savage For to acquire renomee of great prowess Except that it be, in such distress That case require, thyself to defend If any such beasts, would the offend. ¶ Or the to assail, will themself advance In keeping thyself from damage, the defence Is than honourable, and with out doubtance For as the wise man, giveth sentence Who so guardeth himself, maketh good providence And in such case, if thou have victory It shallbe to the moche honour and glory. The iii Gloze. THe virtue of force or strength is to understand not alonely corporal strength, but also constance and steadfastness, which the good knight ought for to have in all his affairs delibered by good wisdom, and strength to restyst against the contraryties/ that to him may come, as if it be in fortune in his tribulation, and there against strong and puissant courage may be profitable to the exaltation of his valour, and for to give material example of force, we shall allege us upon Hercules, to the end that in two manners it be profitable, that is to know, in so much as material force is virtue, and specially in feats of knighthood, wherein the said Hercules was right excellent. And for the highness of Hector, it was convenable thing to give him high example▪ Hercules was a knight of great marvelous force, & he brought to end man's knightly promises, he was a great labourer, & voyager by the world. And for the great and marvelous voyage that he did in things of great strength▪ The Poetes (which speak under coveture, and in manner of fables,) say that he went into hell to fight with the princes Infernal. And that he fought against serpents & fierce beasts, whereby is to be understand the strong enterprise that he accomplished. And therefore she saith unto the good knight that he ought to behold himself, that is to wit, is his prowess and valiance after his possybilite. And like as the cleretie of the son is profitable to all men. so may be a good example as saith a philosopher. The grain of wheat when 〈◊〉 falleth upon good land it is profitable ●o all men. Semblably may be a good example available to all them that desire valiance. And one sage saith thus The virtue of strength maketh a man ●romanable to vanquish all things. The iii Allegory. EVen so as without force & vigour, the good knight may not deserve the price of arms. In like manner the good spirit may not have ne gain ●he laud and price due to all vitorious without it. And saint Ambrose saith in ●is first book of offices, that the very ●orce of man's courage is such as is ne●er brysed in adversity, and that never 〈◊〉 orguyllous or proud in his prosperity. And that endeavoureth himself to ●epe and defend the adurmentes of virtues, to sustain rightwiseness, which taketh continual war against vices ●hich is never recreant in labours which is hardy in perils, did royde against the carnal desires. ●nd to this purpose speaketh saint Iohn the evangelist/ in his first epistle. Scrivo vob●s inuenes quousam fortes estes/ ● verbum de●manet in vobis/ dicistis malignum. Prima Iohann●s secundo capitulo. The four History. The four Text. YEt the behoveth Minos' t● resemble If thou wilt be arenged in oudaunce Although he cause many souls to tremble As justice of hell, having the conveyance For if thou intend thyself to advance Make unto justice, thy chief repair Else any Realm, to have in governance Thou art indign, or any helm to bayre. The four Gloze. PRudence saith unto the good knight that if he will be of the rent of the good, it is to him convenient, to have the virtue of justice or rightwiseness as saith Arystotle, he that shallbe a perfit judge ought first to justefy himself for he that is not rightwise in him self, is not worthy to judge any other so it is to be understand, that he correct himself of his defaults so that they be all extinct and quenched, and after a man so correct may well and aught to be a corrector of many other men. And for to speak morally we shall say a fable to this purpose/ after the coverture of Poetes. Minos as saith Poetes is the judge of hell. And as the provost and sovereign bailiff, and afore him been brought all souls, descending into that valley. And like as they have deserved penance, and after their degrees like as he will that they be put in porfoundyte he turneth his tail about him, and for so moch as hell is the rightwise justice and punysyon of God, take we at this present time to speak to that purpose. It was of very truth that a king was in great, named Minos of marvelous fyerstie. And had in him a great rigour of justice. And therefore say the Poetes, that after his death he was made as to be judge of hell. And Arystotle saith justice or rightwiseness is a thing which God hath established upon ground, for to limit the things. The four Allegory. ANd in so much as god is heed of rightwiseness and of all the order. It is well necessary to the sprite chivalrous intending to come to glorious victory that he have that virtue. And saint barnard saith in one sermon, that justice is none other thing, but to yield to each man that is his. Than said he, yield to every manner of people that which is theirs. To thy sovereign/ to thy fellow or equal/ and to thy subject or servant. To thy sovereign thou oughtest to give reverence and obeisance, reverence of thine heart and obeisance of thy body. To thy fellow thou oughtest to yield counsel & aid counsel in ensygning or informing his ignorance, and aid in comforting him in that whereto he hath no puissance or power, to thy subject thou oughtest to yield guard and discipline guard in keeping him from doing evil. And discipline in chastising him when he hath trespassed. And to this purpose speaketh Solomon in his proverbs. Ercogitat justus de domo impii ut detrahat im●ios a malo, gaudium est justo facet justiciam. Proverbiorum xxi capitulo. The .v. History. The .v. Text. AFter behold/ thyself in perseus Of whom through all the world abroad is laid The glorious fame, which road on Pegasus Flying by the air, with wings displayed And from the monster, delivered he the maid Which named was Andromeda the bright And by his force the monster he desmayde Like a good and perfit, gentle arrant knight. ¶ He rendered her, unto her Parents old This feat oughtest thou to keep in remembrance For each good knight, the same manner should hold If he will have, honour and valiance Which valueth more, than all mundane substance So shadow the under his shining shield Fight with his fashion, that putteth all to utterance Than shalt thou be strong, & stable in the field. The .v. Gloze. ANd for so much as it is a thing convenient that to the good knight be due honour and reverence, we shall show thereof a figure after the manner of Poetes. Perseus was a moche valiant knight, and many realms he conquered, & of him was named the great land of pierce, and the poets say that road upon the horse which flew by the air, named Pegasus. And it is to understand, renome which flieth by the air into all countries. He bore in his hand a fauchyon or a sith which is said for the great foison of people which by him were discomfited in many battles, he delivered Andromeda, fro the monster of the see, which was a fair maid, whom he delivered from the said monster, which by the sentence of God should have devoured her. Which is to understand that all knights ought to succour women which shall have need of their aid. So may be noted by Perseus & his flying horse, good renome & fame which the good knight ought to have and purchase by his good merits, and thereupon he ought to ride, that is that his name ought to be borne in to all lands & regions. And Aristotle saith, good renome & fame maketh a man relusant & shining to the world & agreeable in the presence of princes. The .v. Allegory. REnome ought to be desired of the knightly soul, or sprite chivalrous amongst the noble company of the blessed saints of Paradise purchased by his good merits. The horse Pegasus, which bore it, shallbe his good angel, which shall bear of him good report at the day of judgement Andromeda which shallbe delivered is his soul whom he shall deliver from the enemy by uanquysshyng sin, and that a man ought to fly over it, that is to have good renome in this world to th'end to be rewarded of God, and not to have vainglory. Saint Augustyne saith in his book of correction, that two things been necessary to a good liver, that is to say, good conscience, and good name or renome, conscience for himself, and renome for his neighbour, and he that assisteth him in conscience, & despiseth renome is cruel: for it is a sign of noble courage to love the goodness of renome, and to this purpose saith the sage. Curam habe de bono nomine/ magis ●niet● perman●bit tibi quam mill thesauri preciosi. Ecclesiastici xli capitulo. The vi History. The vi Text. Amongst all thine other inclinations Of jupiter use/ the manners glorious Thou shalt obtain, many collaudations If them in right kind, thou hold and discuss. The vi Gloze. AS it is said afore the paynims which worshipped many Gods, held the planets of the air for their especial gods. And of the vii planets they named the vij days of the week, jupiter or iovis, they held for their greatest god, for so moch as he is set in the highest aspect of planets after Saturn. Of iovis hath the thursday his name, and especially the Arsmetriscientes have attribued & compared the virtues of the vij metals to the vij planets and named the terms of their sciences by the same planets as it may be seen in Geber, and Nycholas, and the other Authorities of that science. To jupiter they attribued the metal of Tyn, or pewter. jupiter or iovis is a Planet of sweet condition, amiable, & much joyous and is figured to the sanguine complexion. Therefore saith Othea that is to say, Prudence, that the good knight ought to have the conditions of jupiter, and that specially aught to have all noble men haunting chivalry. To this purpose saith Pythagoras, that a king ought graciously to be conversant with his people, and to them show joyous visage. And in semblable wise it is to be intended of all valiant intending to honour. The vi Allegory. ¶ Now bring we to our purpose the Allegory, of the properties of the seven planets. Ouis which is a sweet Planet, & gentle of whom the good knight ought to have the conditions. I To us may signify mercy and compassion which the good knight ought to have in him, for saint Gregory saith in his Epistle to Nepotian: I remember not (saith he) to have seen or hard that he may be deed which hath voluntarily accomplished the works of mercy, for misericorde or mercy hath many intercessors & it is impossible but that the prayers of many should not be exaulted. And to this purpose speaketh our lord in the Gospel. Beati misericordes quontam iꝑi misericordiam consequantur. The vii History. The vii Text. MAke not thy Goddess/ of blind Venus Ne of her sliper promise, take none heed Her to pursue, it is much travailous Not honourable, but full of quaking breed. The vii Gloze. Venus' is a Planet of the Air, of whom the friday hath his name, and the metal which we call Coper to her is attribued. Venus giveth influence of love, and of vagant mind, and there was a Lady so named, which was queen of Cypress. And for so much as she excelled all other in beauty and jollity, and was right Amourouse and not constant in one love but abandoned to many, they called her the goddess of love. And because that she giveth influence of luxury saith Othea to the good knight that he make not of her his goddess: that is to understand, that unto that vice he ought not to abandon his body nor his intent, and to this purpose saith Hermes. The vice of lechery quencheth all virtues. The vii Allegory. Venus' of whom the good knight ought not to make his Goddess, giveth us understanding that the good soul ought not to have in her any vanity. And Cassiodore saith upon the Psalter. Vanity doth the angel to become a devil: and to the first man she gave the death and made him void of the felycite that unto him was granted. Vanity is mother of all evil, fountain of all vices, and the vain of all iniquity, which debouteth and casteth forth man from the grace of god, and maketh him odious and to be had in hatred, and to this purpose saith David in his Psalter, in speaking unto God. Odisti obserauntes vanitates super●a●ur. Psalmo xxx The viii History. The viii Text. AT any time when thou sittest on judgement Take heed that thou resemble old Saturn giving sentence, delyberer thine intent Till doubt be passed, let it in mind so journey. The viii Gloze. OF Saturn is named the Saturday, and the metal which we call Lead, and he is of condition, slow, peasant and sage. And there was a king of Crete so named, which was much sage, of whom the Poetes speak under the coverture of fables, & say that his son jupiter, cut from him his genytores which is to be understand that he took from him his puissance that he had a●● him disherited & chased from his country, and therefore is he peasant & sage: Othea will therefore say that the good knight ought much to pease and weigh the matter afore that he give his sentence, be it price of arms or in other affairs. And this specially aught to be noted by all judges which have offices appertaining to judgement. And to this purpose saith Hermes. Take good deliberation in all thine affairs, and in especial in the judgement of another. The viii Allegory. AS the good knight ought to be tardyse in judgement that is to say, well to ponder the sentence afore that he give it. Semblably aught to do the good spirit of that which to him appertaineth: for to god appertaineth judgement, which can discern the causes equally. And saint Gregory saith in his morals, that when our fragility can not comprise the judgements of God, we ought not them to discuss in hardy words, but we ought them to honour in quaking silence. And what soever he do that unto us resembleth marvelous we ought to repute it for Just and rightwise and to this purpose speaketh David in his Psalter. Timor domini sauctus permanet/ in seculum seculi. judicia domini vera iustitic● ea in semetipsa. Psalmo xviii The ix History. The ix Text. MAke clear thy speech and from untruth to turn Apollo thereof, shall give unto the cure For any filth or ordure, to sojourn He may not suffer, under his coverture. The ix Gloze. Apollo or Phoebus is the Son to whom the Sunday is attribued, and also the Metal which we call Gold. The Son by his clerety showeth many things that been hid. And therefore verity or truth which is clear and showeth secret things to him may be attribued. though which virtue ought to be in the heart and mouth of every good knight. And to this purpose saith Hermes. ¶ Love thou God and truth, And give Loyal counsel. The ix Allegory. Apollo, which is to say the son by whom we note verity, we may take it that verity ought to be had in the mouth of the very knight jesus christ, & he ought to steal falsetie, as saith chrysostom in his book of the lovings of saint Paul. The condition of falsetie is such that especially where she hath none saying against her she falleth into herself. But contrary thereto the condition of verity is so established that in so moch as she hath no adversaries saying against her, the more she increaseth & is more raised. And to this purpose saith holy scripture. Super omnia vincit veritas. Secundi Esdree. tertio captulo. The ten History. The ten Text. TO Phebe in any wise/ be not semblable For she is mutable, and full of emulation Against constance and courage, strong and stable Full of melancholy, and pensive operation. The ten Gloze. PHebe is called the Moon of whom the monday hath his name, and to her is attribued the metal which we call Silver. The Moon never resteth the space of an hour in one right point. And she giveth influence of mutabylite and folly. And therefore saith Othea that the good knight ought to keep him fro such vices. And to this purpose saith Hermes. Use the to sapience, and be constant. The ten Allegory. PHebe which is the moon by whom we note or mark inconstance which the good knight ought not to have and semblably the good spirit as saith saint Ambrose in the Epistle to Simplician, that the fool is mutable as the Moon. But the sage is ever constant in one estate, he is not brysed by dread, he is not changed by puissance, he enhanceth not himself in prosperity, nor he plungeth not into tristesse or he vynesse for adversity. There where as is sapience is virtue/ force/ and constance the sage is ever of one courage, he is not minished nor augmented for the mutation of things, he fleeteth not in divers opinions. But abideth always perfit in jesus christ founded in charity, and rooted in faith. And to this purpose saith holy scripture. Homo sanctus in sapiencia permanet sicut sol. Nam stuitus sicut luna mutatur. Eccle●i xxvii. c.i. The xi History. The xi Text. TO Mars thy father, affyxe thine imitation Doubt not thereof, fair feats to define Of him thy condition must take his inclination By descent of Troy, from the stately line. The xi Gloze. OF Mars is named the tuesday, and to him is attribued the metal which we call Iron. Mars is the planet which giveth influence of war and battles, and therefore the knight which loveth to ensue arms & feats of chivalry and thereof hath the name of valour may be called the son of Mars. And therefore Othea so named Hector. notwithstanding that he was son to king Priam. And she said that he should well ensue his Father as a good knight ought to do, and thus saith the sage. By the works of man may be known his inclinations. The xi Allegory. MArs the God of battles, may well be called the son of God, which victoryouslye did battle in this world, and that the good spirit ought by his good example ensue his good father jesus Christ. And do battle against vices saith Saint Ambrose in his first book of offices. That he which will be the friend of God, it is convenable, and it behoveth him to be enemy to the devil. And he that will have peace of jesus Christ, it behoveth him to have war against the vices. And even so as a man maketh war in vain in the field against his strange, there as the City is full of privy espices, so may not they vanquish their evil outward, which do not make strong war against the sins of their souls. And it is the most glorious victory that is. A man to vanquish himself. And to this purpose speaketh S. Paul the Apostle. ¶ Non est nobis colluctatio adversus/ carnem et sanguines/ sed adversus prin●●●es/●potestates adversus mundi rectores tenebrarum harum/ contra spiritualia nequicie in celestibus. Ad ephesi●●, sexto capitulo. The xii History. The xii Text. BE thou adorned, of perfit eloquence And of speech clean & pleasant Hector's brother Thereof shall Mercury, give the influence Which of well speaking, ruleth star and rother. The xii Gloze. OF Mercury is named the wednesday, and to him is atrybued the metal which we call quick silver. Mercury is a Planet which giveth influence of pontifical meynteyne and of fair language adorned of rhetoric therefore saith Othea to the good knight that he ought to be adorned for honourable maintain & fair eloquence is well sitting to a noble man desiring the high price of honour, but that in any manner that he guard him well that he speak not over moche. For Diogenes saith that of all virtues this is the best, except the moche speech. The xii Allegory. MErcurius which is said the god of language, by him may we understand that the knight of jesus christ ought to be adorned of good predication and of the word of doctrine, and also he ought to love & honour the announcer & shower of them. And S. Gregory saith in his Omelies that a man ought to have in great reverence the preachers of the holy scripture for they ben the couriers which go before our lord & our lord them followeth, holy predication cometh before and than our lord cometh into the habitation of our heart, the words exhortation been the fore course & than verity is so received into our intendment, and to this purpose saith our lord to the apostles. Qui vos odit/ me odit: et qui vos spernit/ me sperait. Luce decimo capitulo. The xiii History. The xiii Text. ARmours and weapons, of one sort and other Thy body to prepare, strong, sure, and metal hard Enough shall deliver, to the Minerva thy mother Which (doubtless) is thy friend and not froward. The xiii Gloze. Minerva was a lady of right great knowledge, and found the manner to make Armours, for afore the people used none armour, but Leather tanned. And for the great sagess that was in this Lady they called her a Goddess. And for so much as Hector couth right well, put Armours in operation, and that it was his right métier and devour. Othea called him son of Minerva. Notwithstanding he was son to Queen Hecuba of Troy. And by semblable name may be named all armours of Arms. To this purpose saith one authority. The knights given / been unto her Subjects. The xiii Allegory. BY this that is said that to the good knight his mother shall deliver enough of armours good and strong, we may understand the virtue of faith which is a virtue theological, and is mother to the good spirit and that she shall deliver enough of armours, saith Cassiodore, in the exposition of the Credo. That faith is the light of the soul/ the gate of Paradise/ the window of life/ and the fundament of health perdurablye. For without faith no man may please God. And to this purpose saith saint Paul the Apostle. Sine fide impossibile est placere deo. Ad Hebreos xi capitulo. The xiiii History. The xiiii Text. TAke next unto the Pallas the Goddess To thy prowess let her annexed be If thou her have, be sure of all goodness For well with minerve, doth Pallas agree. The xiiii Gloze. AFter saith Othea, that he shall annex Pallas with Minerva, which is well sitting, & a man ought to know that Pallas and Minerva been but one proper thing, but the names divers be taken unto two understandings. For she that was named Minerva was also surnamed Pallas. Of an Isle which was named Pallance, wherein she was borne, and therefore because that she was sage generally in all things, & found of new, many arts and faculties fair and subtile they called her the goddess of science or knowledge. So is she named Minerva to that thing that appertaineth to chivalry. And Pallas to all things that pertain to sagess, therefore will Prudence or Othea say that he annex sages with knighthood which is right good instruction, & like as arms ought to be the guard and shield, of the faith: it may be understand to this purpose that which Hermes said. Conjoin or annex the love of the faith with sapience. The xiiii Allegory. ANd as Pallas which is noted sages, aught to be annexed with chivalry, ought to be the virtue of hope conjoined to good virtues of the knightly soul without the which she may not profit. And Origenes saith in his Omelies upon Exodie, the hope of goodness to come is the solace of them which travail in this life mortal, right so as to labourers, the hope of their payment adulceth or maketh sweet the labour of their business, & to champions which been in battle hope of the crown of victory attempereth the dolour of their wounds, & to this purpose saith s. Paul the apostle. Hortissimum solatium habemus ● confugimus ad tenendum prepositam spem: quam sicat. authoram habemus ●ic tutam. Ad Hebr. vi. ca The xu History. The xu Text. Hold thou in charity Panthassillee Which of thy death shall take thought and grame Well ought such a woman loved to be Of whom is sown, so noble voice and fame. The xu Gloze. PAnthassillee was a maid Queen, of Amasonne & moche fair she was and of marvelous prowess in arms and hardiness, and for the great goodness which fame and renome by all the world witnessed of Hector the prow, or worthy, she loved him of right perfit love. And came from her parties unto Troy, in the time of the great siege for to se Hector, but when she found him deed, she was thereof dolent above measure, and with a great host of dammoselles right chivalrous she venged much vigorously his death, where she did marvelous prowesses, & many griefs unto the Greeks. And for so much that she was virtuous/ Prudence saith unto the good knight that he ought to love her. That is to understand that every good knight ought to love & praise all women strong in the virtue of wisdom, & of constance, and the same woman is much grieved for the death of Hector, that is to understand when prowess and valour is amortiesed or quenched in a knight. And thus saith the sage. bounty aught to be loved, where it may be perceived. The xu Allegory. BY Panthasillee which was socourable to the Trojans we may understand the virtue of charity that is the third theological, the good esprite ought perfitly to have in him charity. And Cassiodore saith upon the Psalter the charity is even so as the rain which falleth in the prime time which distilleth the drops of virtue under the which doth bourgen good heart & voulented, & good operation doth fructyfye. She is patient in adversity, attempred in prosperity, puissant inhumilite, joyous in affliction, well willing to all her enemies, especial friend to all her enemies and comen of her goods. And to this purpose speaketh S. Paul the apostle. Caritas patiens est benigna est. Caritas non emulatur/ non agit perperam/ non inflatur/ non est ambitiose/ non querit que sua sunt, primo ad Cor xiii. ca The xvi History. The xvi Text. REfuse to ensue. the fair Narcisus As with great Pride, to be accloyde For the knight proud, and surquydrous Of many graces/ is destitute and void. The xvi Gloze. NArcisus was a young man which for his great beauty was enhanced in so great orguyll or pride that he had in despite all other, and because he praised no man but himself, it is said that he was so amorous and assoted upon himself that he thereof died, after that he had regarded and beheld himself in the fountain, there is to be understand oultre cuydance or pride of himself. Therefore Prudence defended the good knight to advise and behold himself in his good deeds, whereby he may be proud thereof. And to this purpose saith Socrates. Son keep well that thou be not deceived in the beauty of thy youth for it is a thing not durable. The xvi Allegory. Now make we Allegory, to our purpose in applying it to the vij mortal or deadly sins. By Narcisus understand we the sin of pride from the which the good knight ought to keep himself. And Origenes saith in his Omelies. Whereof doth this earth and ashen make proud himself, or man how hath he audacity to enhance himself in arrogauncye, when he remember whereof he is comen, and whereto he shall return, and in how frail a vessel his life is contained, in what ordure and filth he is plunged, and what uncienlynes he ceaseth not to cast from his flesh by all the conduyctes of his body? And to this purpose saith the holy scripture. Si ascenderit ad celum superbia cius et 〈◊〉 ●ius nubes tetigerit quasi 〈…〉 predetur. job ten capitulo. The xvii History. The xvii Text. AThamas fully enraged/ and royde Caused his two children, to be estranged By the Goddess of fury, that gladly ottroyde Therefore with Fury, be not nenwefangyled. The xvii Gloze. AThamas was a King and married to the queen juno, which did to be sown sodden sede, for to dysheryt her children in the law, which she with money corrupted the priests of the law which showed & reported the answers of their gods, so said she to the king and to them of the country that the seed which they had sown in the ground, brought forth no profit. For so much as it pleased the Gods that the two children of the king which were fair and gente/ should be chased and exiled, and because the king consenting to the exile of his two children did it all with grudging and great dolour. The fable saith that the goddess juno would thereof take vengeance, & went into hell to say to the Gods of fury or woodenness that she should come against the king Athamas. And than the horrible and espoventable Gods came with her hears Serpentine and set her upon the flower of the pallayse, and stretched her arms to the two sides of the gate, & than such contention and strife began betwixt the king & the queen that little it failed that either slew not other. And when they supposed to have voided from the palaces than that furious Gods pulled of ii horrible serpents of her hears and cast them upon their skirts. And when they beheld gods so espoventable and dreadful, they both twain became furious and enraged. Athamas slew the queen by woodenness, and sithen his two children, & himself he cast from the height of an high Rock into the see. The exposition of this fable may be that a queen was so divers to her step children, that she caused them to be dysherited, wherefore never after was peace betwixt their father and their step mother, and it may be that at the last he slew her. And because that Ire is a mortal vice and so evil that he which is therewith strongly attainted hath no cognissaunce ne knowledge of reason. ●inea Goddens of Prudence saith to the good knight that he ought to keep him well from Ire. For it is a right great default in a good knight to be Irous or wrathful and therefore saith Arystotle. Keep the from Ire, for it troubleth the understanding and dysapoynteth reason. The xvii Allegory. BY Athamas which was so full of Ire we shall understand properly the sin of wrath, whereof the good soul ought to be void. And S. Augustine saith in an Epistle, that even so as Venigre corrupteth the vessel wherein it is put if it abide therein by long space. So Ire corrupteth the heart where in it is fixed, if it abide from one day to another therefore saith s. Paul the apostle. Sol non occidat super iratundiam vestram ●deo hesios quarto capitulo. The xviii History. The xviii Text. OVer all things, whilst thou art man From false Envy, thy mind return Which made Aglaros, discoloured and wan And then into a stone to turn. The xviii Gloze. AGlaros as saith a fable was sister to Hearse which was so fair that for her beauty she was espoused to Mercurius God of language, & they were daughters to Cicrops king of Athenes, but Aglaros had so much envy upon her sister Hearse that for her beauty she should be so advanced as to be married to a god, that she burned all of envy, and became dry and discouloured and as pale as ashen, for the envy that she bore to her sister. Upon a day Aglatos set upon the threshold of the door and to Mercury which would have entered into the house to see the entry. For no prayer that he might make to her, she would not suffer him to enter. Than the god took displeasure, and said that for ever might she abide as hard as she had the courage. And than became Aglatos' hard as a stone, so may be verified the fable by semblable case to come or befall to any persons. Mercurious may be a puissant man well speaking which caused his sister in law to be imprisoned or dry for any displeasure which she to him hath done, and therefore saith the fable, that she was changed into a stone, and because that it was a right villainous touch & against gentleness to be envious. She saith to the good knight that he keep him therefro over all things. And Socrates saith he that beareth the burden of envy, hath pain perpetual. The xviii Allegory. Right so as the Authority defendeth envy to the good knight, the same sin defendeth holy scripture to the good esprite. And s. Augustine saith envy is the hayne of the felycite of another. And envy stretcheth her from the envious against them which be more greater than he, because he is not so great as they, and against them which be less than he of dread that he hath left they should become as great as he. And to this purpose saith the scripture. Dequam est oc●lus mundi et auertr●●●ociem suam. Ecclesiasti xiiii capitulo. The xix History. The xix Text. BE not lachesse, nor long sojourn To guard the from ulixes malice Which when he did, fro Troy return Byrefte the Geante, his precious balesse. The xix Gloze. ONe fable saith that when Vlixes returned in to Grece, after the destruction of Troy, great tempest of w●de transported his Ship unto an isle where was a Geant which had but one eye amids his forehead, of horrible greatness, which Vlixes by his subtlety byreft him, that is to understand he bored it forth and quenched the fight thereof, so it is to be construed that the good knight keep him that by parest or sloth he suffer not himself to be surprised with the barates & ill invasion of the malicious, so that thereby his eye be not ravished from him, that is to know th● eye of his intendment, his honour o● his laudes, or that thing which he hath most dear, as often befall many inconveniences by sloth and lachesnes. And to this purpose saith Hermes. Right happy is he which useth his days inconuenable business. The xix Allegory. THis which is said that the good knight be not prolyxe nor slow/ we may understand the sin of sloth, which the good sprite ought not to have, for as saith Bede upon the proverbs of Solomon. The slothful man is not worthy to reign with god, which will not labour for the love of god and he not worthy to receive the crown promised to knights which is a cow●rte to enterprise the champion of battle, therefore saith the scripture. Cogitationes robusti semper in habundantia omtis autem piger in egestati erit. prover. xxi. ca The twenty History. The twenty Text. Ensue not the villains/ which became Frogs Ne soil not thyself, in their river They brayed upon Lathona/ like Dogs And troubled to her, the water clear. The twenty Gloze. THe fable saith that the Goddess Lathona was mother to Phoebus and Phebe, which is the Son and the Moon, and she bore them both at one burden. juno chased them by all the country, because that she had conceived them by the operation of her lord and husband jupiter. Upon a day was the Goddess Lathona sore travailed, & arrived at one lake, and than she inclined her to the water to staunch & quench her great thirst. There were a great company of villains which for the great heat of the Son bathed them in the water and they began to bray camposue and make bruit upon Lathona, and troubled unto her the water which she supposed and also intended to have drunken, but for any prayer that she might make they would not suffer her, nor have pity upon her misease, so she accoursed them and said that for ever more forthward might they demoure & abide in the marish, & that they should be loathsome, fowl, and abominable, and that never should they cease to bray and ramposue from thenceforth on, than became the villains, Frogs. And sithen they never ceased to bray as it appeareth in the season of summer upon the banks of such small lakes or marishes. So may it be understand that some pessauntes or comen rude people did displeasure to some great master which caused them to be cast into a river and drowned, so became they renovyles or frogs. This is to understand, that the good knight ought in no wise to soil or defoul himself in the lake or marish of villainy, but aught to i'll and eschew all villainous tuches which been contrarious to gentleness, for like as villainy may suffer in him no gentleness, also ought not gentleness to suffer in him any villainy, nor especially contend or take debate with any person vylayne of deed or of speech. And Plato saith. He that mixeth with his gentleness the nobleness of good manners, is to be praised. And he that is sufficed with the gentleness which cometh of the parents without acquiring and purchasing, thereto good conditions ought not to be holden for noble. The twenty Allegory. BY the villains which became frogs we may understand the sin of avarice or covetise, which is contrary to the good spirit. And S. Augustine saith, that the avaricious man is semblable unto hell. For hell can not engloute & receive so many souls, that he will say he is sufficed. And if all the treasures of this world were gathered upon a heap into the possession of the covetise man, he should not be satisfied ne content, and to this purpose saith the scripture. Insatiabilis oculus cupidi/ in part iniquitates non satiabitur, Ecclesiastici xiiii capitulo. The xxi History. The. xxi. Text. OF the God Bacus, refuse the manner For his conditions should be extued Virtue and he, been set on steer thorough him men been/ to Swine transmued. The xxi Gloze. BAcus was a man which first planted vines in Grece And when they of the country felt the force of the wine which made them drunken and destitute of reason, they said that Bacus was a god, which had given so great force unto the plant. So by Bacus is to be understand drunkenness, & therefore saith Othea to the good knight that in no wise he ought to abandon himself to drunkenness, for that is a right impatient vice to all nobleness and to a man which will use himself to reason. And to this purpose sayeth hippocras. superfluity of wines and meats, destroyeth the body, the soul, and the virtues. The xxi Allegory. BY the God Bacus we may understand the sin of gluttony, from the which the good spirit ought to keep himself, of gluttony saith S. Gregory in his morals that when the vice of gluttony taketh domination upon a person it appeareth than all the goodness that he hath done, & when the belly is not restrained by abstinence all virtues be together drowned, therefore saith s. Paul. Norum finis interitus/ quorum deus venter est/ it glorin inconfusione eorum/ qui terrena sapiunt. ●d Philipenses tetrio capitulo. The xxii History. The xxii Text. BE not assoted on the image Of Pygmalion if thou be wise For of such a figures visage The beauty is seldom, worth the price. The xxii Gloze. PIgmalion was a much subtle worker in making of Images. And a fable saith that for the great vilety that he saw in the women of Cidoyne, he dispraised them much, and said that he should make an Image that no man should reprove the making thereof, he graved and made an Image of a woman of sovereign beauty, when he had made it, perfit love which hath the knowledge subtly to ravish the hearts, made him amorous of his Image, and for it he was agrudged with the malady of love, complaints, and clamours, with petious sighs he made unto it, but the Image of stone understood not his intention. Than went Pygmalion to the temple of Venus & made unto her so devout a clamour, that the gods there of had pity, & in demonstrance thereof she lighted and set a fire the brand which she held in her hand. Than for the sign the lover was much joyous & hasted him toward his Image, and took it betwixt his arms, and so moch eschansed it with his bare flesh that the Image had life, and began to speak, and so Pygmalion recovered joy. To this fable may be put many expositions, and semblable to all other fables. And therefore the poets made them to the end that the entendementes of men should be made more sharp & subtle to find divers purposes. So may be understand that Pygmalion desprysed the vilety of foolish women and fixed his love upon one maid of right great beauty, the which would not or might not intend his complaints, petuous no more than if she had been of stone. He had made the Image, that is, that by remembrance and thought upon her beauty she was of him loved, but in the end he prayed her so moch & held him so near her, that she loved him at his volent & had him in marriage. And so hath the Image being hard as a stone received life by the Goddess Venus. Therore saith Othea that the good knight ought not to be assoted of any such made Image in such manner that he leave to ensue the métier and exercise of arms to the which he is bounden & obliged by the order of knighthood. And to this purpose saith Aptalym. An Impertinent thing it is unto a Prince to assote him upon a thing, that is to be reprehended. The xxii Allegory. THe Image of Pygmalyon, upon whom the good knight ought not to be assoted, we shall take it for the sin of Lechery, from the which the good chivalrous sprite ought to guard his body. Of Lechery speaketh S. Hierome in an epistle, O fire of hell, of whom the bush is gluttony, the flame, is pride: the yesylles or sperkes, been corrupted speech: the smoke, is evil name: the ashen ben poverty: and the end, is the torment of hell. To this purpose saith S. Peter the Apostle. Voluptatem existemantes delscias coinquinationie/ & macule delictis affluentes conutuiis suis luxuciantes. Secundo Petri. two. capitulo. The xxiii History. The xxiii Text. TO chaste Diane, thy mind entice For the honesty, of thy body For she despiseth, life fouled with vice Dyshonesty and also luxury. The xxiii Gloze. DIane is the Moon, and as there is nothing so evil, but that it hath some property, the Moon giveth chaste condition, and they named her by one lady so called, which was right chaste and always a virgin. So would Othea say: that honesty of the body well appeteyneth unto a good knight. To this purpose saith Hermes. He may not be of perfit sense or wisdom that hath not in him chastity. The xxiii Allegory. ANd for to bring the Articles of the saith to our purpose, the which may profit the good sprite chevaltous: Take we for Diane god of paradise which is without any touch. The love of all cleanliness, & to whom things soylyed and defouled may not be agreeable. As the creator of heaven & earth the which thing it is necessary to the good spirit to believe. As sayeth the first article of the faith which was said by my Lord saint Peter. ¶ Credo in deum patrem omnipotentem trea●or●m c●li et terre. The xxiiii History. The xxiiii Text. REsemble well Ceres, the Goddess bright Which giveth all men corn, and none doth deny So should himself abandon, every good knight That well will sustain, the order of chivalry. The xxiiii Gloze. CEres was a Lady which found the art to air the lands for afore they sew their gaygnage of their seed without labouring. And by the land bore more abundantly after that it was aired and ploughed, they said that she should be the gods of Corn, & the ground they named of her name. So will Othea say, that as the ground is abandoned & large giver of all goods so ought to be also the good knight to all persons abandoned and to give his aid and comfort after his power, and Arystotle saith. Be thou a liberal giver, and thou shalt purchase friends. The xxiiii Allegory. CEres whom the good knight oug●● to resemble take we for the blessed son of God, whom the good sprite ought to ensue which unto us so largely hath given of his high goodness. And in him aught to be our steadfast believe as saith the second Article which saint Iohn said. Et in●●sum x●m filium tius unicum dominum nostrum. The xxv History. The xxv Text. Plant thou all virtues/ within thy body As Ysis the plants of Trees, both cause and make With blosomes to burgeon and fruit to tructyfy So to edify the manner, shouldest thou take. The xxv Gloze. YSis they say also to be gods of plants & of graffing which giveth unto them vigour and growing to multiply. Therefore saith prudence is the good knight & giveth comparison that so ought he to fructyfy in all virtues, and all evil byces to eschew, an● Hermes saith to this purpose. O man if thou knew the inconvenience of vice. how well should thou keep the therfr●● and if thou knew the laud of valiance, O how well shouldest thou love it. The xxv Allegory. THere where she saith that to ●ū● ought the good knight to be resemblant, we may understand the blessed conseption of jesus christ by the holy Ghost in the blessed virgin marry mother of all grace, o● whom the great lovings may not be Imagined ne said entirely, the which dign & worthy conception ought the good spirit to have planted in him, & to hold firmly the worthy Article as saith S. james the more. Qui conseptus est despiritu sancto natus et maria virgine The xxvi History. The xxvi Text. SVbmytte the not/ to the judgement Ne to the counsel, of king Midas To whom judging byrnde intendment Were given to Huyre, the ears of an Ass. The xxvi Gloze. MYdas was a King, which had small understanding, and a fable saith that Phoebus and Pan, God of shepherds & herds, strived together. And Phoebus said that the sown of a Harp was more to be praised than the sown of a Frestell or Pipe, and Pe● sustended the contrary. And said that more was to be praised the sown of the Frestell. Upon Midas they put the judgement of this discord, and after that they had played afore Midas by long leisure, he judged the better was the sown of the Frestel, and more to be praised. So saith the fable that phoebus which was greatly corrouced and angry in despite of his rude judgement, caused him to have the ears of an ass in demonstrance that he had the intendment of an Ass, which so rudely had given judgement. So may it be that a man judge foolishly against a prince which causeth him ever after to bear upon him a sign of folly which is the understanding of the ears of the Ass. So this fable is to be understand that the good knight give not himself to hold to foolish judgement, not grounded upon reason, nor he himself ought not to be judge of foolish sentence, to this purpose saith one Philosopher, the fool is as a mollwarpe, which hereto and understandeth not. And Diogine●● compareth the fool to a stone. The xxvi Allegory. THe judgement of Midas whereto the good knight ought not to hold him, we may take for it Pilate w●●che judged the blessed son of God to be taken, bound, and hanged, upon the gibbet of the cross, as a these, he being without any touch of offence so it is to be understand the good sprite ought to keep him fro giving of judgement upon the Innocent, & he ought to believe the article which said S. Andrew. Passus ●ub pontio pilato crucifixus mortu●s et sepultus. The xxvii History. The xxvii Text. True fellows if thou have, more or 'las Thou oughtest to go succour, them at need Though it be to Hell, where Hercules was Where been many souls, brenning in gleed. The xxvii Gloze. A Fable saith that Pirotheus and Theseus, went in to hell to recover Proserpina upon Pluto, which had her ravished, and evil had they been appointed if it had not been for Hercules, which was their companion, which came them to secure, and did there so moche of arms, that he made all the company Infernal afraid, & cut the chains of Cerberus porter of hell. So will Othea say, that the good knight ought not to fail his loyal fellow for doubt of peril what so ever it be, for loyal company ought for to be as a man's proper thing or cause. And Pythagoras sayeth. Thou ought to kept the love of thy friend diligently. The xxvii Allegory. WHere the authority saith that he *** aught to secure his loyal fellows of arms, though it be to hell, we may understand the blessed soul of jesus christ which brought forth the good souls of holy patriarchs & Prophetis which were in limbo & that example the good spirit ought to do, & to draw unto him at virtues, & believe the article as saith s. Philip. Discendit ad inferna. The xxviii History. The xxviii Text. Love and praise, Cadmus so excellent And his disciples, hold thou in chyerte He gaygned the fountain, of the Serpent With right great pain, afore that it would be. The xxviii Gloze. Cadmus' was a moche noble man and founded Thebes which city was greatly renowned, he set there a study & he himself was much profoundly lettered and of great science. And therefore saith the fable that he daunted the serpent at the fountain that is to understand the science and sages that always springeth, the Serpent is noted for the pain and travail which it be hoveth the student to daunt afore that he may purchase science. And the fable saith, that he himself became a serpent, which is to understand, he was a corrector and master of other. So will Othea say that the good knight ought to love and honour the clerks lettered, which been grounded in science. To this purpose sayeth Arystotle to Alexandre. Honour thou science and fortify it by good masters. The xxviii Allegory. Cadmus' which daunted the Serpent at the fountain which the good knight ought to love, we may understand the blessed humanity of jesus christ which dompted the serpent & gaigned the fountain that is to say the life of this world from the which he passed afore with great pain, and with great travail. Whereof he had perfit victory when he rose again the third day, as saith s. Thomas. Vertia die resurrexit a mortuis. The xxix History. The xxix Text. delight the moche, the science for to see OF Yo, more than in other substance For thereby thou mayst attain great dignity And of goods foison/ and great abundance. The xxix Gloze. YO was a damosel daughter unto king Ynacus, which was of great science, & found many manners of letters which afore had not been seen, howbeit that some fables say that You was the love of jupiter, and that was transmued to a cow and after was a common woman. But as Poetes have cloaked the truth under coverture of fables it may be understand that jupiter loved her, whereby is to be understand the virtues of jupiter which was in her, she became a cow, for as the cow giveth milk which is sweet and nourishing so gave she (by the letters that she found) sweet noryture and food to the intendment. That she was a common woman may be understand that her sense and wisdom was common to all: as letters been common to all people. Therefore saith Othea that the good knight ought much to love You, which may be taken for letters and scriptures, and also histories of good men, which the good knight ought joyously to here recounted and also red, whereof the example may be to him profitable. To this purpose saith Hermes. He that enforceth him to acquire science and good manners, he findeth that thing which pleaseth him in this world and in the other. The xxix Allegory. YO, by whom is noted letters and Scriptures, we may understand that the good spirit ought to delight him in reading the holy scriptures, and have them written in his mind and intention, and thereby he may learn to mount or ascend to heaven with jesus Christ, by good works and holy contemplation. And believe the worthy article which said saint Bartylmewe. Ascendit ad celos sedet ad dextera● de● patris omnipotentis. The xxx History. The xxx Text. WHere ever thou be, take heed intentively That sown of Pipe/ to sleep the not adaunte Mercury played, so sweet and pleasantly That he with his pipe the people he did enchant. The xxx Gloze. A Fable saith, that when jupiter loved You the fair, that juno had thereof great suspection. And she descended fro heaven in a cloud, for to take and surprise her husband with the deed but when jupiter saw her come, he changed his love in to a Cow, but not for that juno was discharged of jalousy and demanded of him the Cow in jest, and jupiter maugre his courage granted thereto as he that durst not refuse, for doubt of suspection. Than juno be took the cow to be kept, to Argus her cow heard, which had an. C. eyen, and ever he watched her, but the god Mercury by the commandment of jupiter took his pipe wherewith he played right sweetly, & so long he piped at the ear of argus, that all his hundred eyen he brought asleep, one after another: than he took from him the Cow, & detrenched his heed fro the shoulders. The exposition of this fable may be that some puissant man loved a damosel whom his wife would have in watch so that her husband should not come to her, & great watchers and guards she there set and clear saying, which may be noted by the eyen of argus, but the lover by some person malicious and well speaking did so to be done, that the guards or watchers consented to yield unto him his love, so were they endormed by the pipe of Mercury, & had the heed detrenched. Therefore saith Othea to the good knight that by such a pipe he suffer not himself endormed nor enchanted so that thereby he be rob & disappointed of that thing which he ought well to keep. And to this purpose saith Hermes. Keep you from them which do govern them selves by malice. The xxx Allegory. BY the Pipe of Mercurius we may understand that by our ancient enemy the good spirit should not be dysceived in any misbelieve upon the faith or otherwise, & he ought to believe steadfastly the Article which said Saint Mathewe the evangelist, which said that our Lord shall come to judge the quick and the deed by these words. Ind venturus est judicare usuos et mortuos. The xxxi History. The xxxi Text. Believe thou that Pyrrhus/ shallbe resemblaunte Unto his Father, and work great misease Unto his Enemies, and be to them grevaunte For he shall revenge, the death of Achilles. The xxxi Gloze. Pyrrhus' was son unto Achilles, and well he resembled his father of force and hardiness, and after the death of his father, he came upon Troy and much asperly revenged the death of his father, & greatly endamaged the Trojans. Therefore saith Prudence to the good knight, that if he have misdone the father, that he keep him well from the son, in his old age. For if the father hath been valiant, semblably aught to be the son. To this purpose saith the wise. The death of the father draweth to him the vengeance of the son. The xxxi Allegory. THere where it saith that Pyrrhus shall resemble his father: we may understand the holy ghost which proceedeth from the father, in whom the good spirit ought to believe as saith s. the less▪ Credo in spiritu● sanctum. The xxxii History. The xxxii Text. THe Temple frequent, and honour as is due The god of heavens, in each hour and moment And of Cassandra, the usage thou ensue For to be holden sage, if thou put thine intent. The xxxii Gloze. CAssandra was daughter to king Priam, and she was a right good lady and devout in their law, the gods she served, and the temple she haunted, and little she spoke without necessity, and when it behoved her to speak she said nothing, but that it was veritable, and never mendacite or losing was found proceeding from her mouth, much sage was Cassandra: therefore saith Othea to the good knight that her he ought to resemble? for mendacious speech, or to be a losing mongres, is much to be reproved in the mouth of a knight. So he ought to serve God and honour the temple, that is to wit the church & the ministers thereof. And Pythagoras saith a right lowable thing it is to serve god, & sanctify or hollow his saints. The xxxii Allegory. THe authority saith that the good knight ought to frequent the temple, by semblable case ought to do the good sprite and aught to have a singular devotion in the holy Church catholic and in the communion of saints as saith the article which said s. Simon. Sanctam ecclesiam catholicam sanctorum communionem. The xxxiii History. The xxxiii Text. Oft to go by see, if fortune have the lente Thou oughtest for to reclaim Neptune in thy mind And well his feats to hallow his service to augment To th'end that he the keep from great tempest and wind. The xxxiii Gloze. NEptune after the law of paynims was called the God of the see and therefore she would say to the good knight that he ought to serve him to the end that he should be succourable to him upon the see. So it is to be understand that the knights which oft go in many voyages upon the see, or other divers perils have more necessity to serve god, & his saints, than other people to th'end that at their need, they be to them succourable and aiding, & they ought to take a singular devotion to God by good devout orisons by the which they may reclaim him to their aid in their need, and how it sufficeth not all only the devotion of the mouth saith the sage. I repute not God to be all only served by words but by good works and by leading good life. The xxxiii Allegory. NEptune whom the good knygh●● ought to reclaim if he go oft by see, we shall take that the good spirit which is continually in the see of the world ought to reclaim devoutly his creator, & pray that if he give him to life that he may have remission of his sins, & he ought to believe in the article which said saint jude. Remissionem pecratorum. The xxxiiii History. The xxxiiii Text. Have good regard, in every time and hour To Atropos, and to his dart or spear Which striketh and spareth, for no dread or favour It shall the exhort, thy soul in mind to bear. The xxxiiii Gloze. THe Poetes called the death Atropos. Therefore saith Othea to the good knight that he ought to remember that he shall not always live in this world, but shall shortly depart from it, so ought he rather to use the virtues of the soul, then him to delight in the vices of the body. And thereof ought every christian man and woman to think to the end that they have in memory the promission of the soul, which shall endure without end. And to this purpose speaketh Pythagoras, that even so as our beginning cometh of GOD/ it behoveth that in him be our ending. The xxxiiii Allegory. THere where she saith to the good Knight that he have regard to Atropos which is noted the death. Semblably aught to do the good esprite, which by the merits of the passion of our Lord jesus Christ, aught to have steadfast esperance with the pain and diligence which he shall take upon him to have Paradise in the end. And he ought to believe firmly that he shall rise again at the day of judgement, & shall have life perdurably if he deserve it, as saith the last Article, which said S. Mathie. Carnis resurectionam et vita●●ternam, Amen. The xxxv History. The xxxv Text. OF Bellorophon make thine exemplary In all the Feats/ that thou wilt define Which rather chase to death, to repair Than to do desloyaultie, with heart, or mind incline. The xxxv Gloze. BEnorophon was a knight of right great beauty and full of loyalty, his lords wife was strongly esprised with his love, but not for that he would not consent unto her volent. She did so moche, that he was condemned to have been devoured with fierce beasts and he loved better to cheese the death, than to do desloyaultie. So saith Othea to the good knight that for doubt of death, he ought not to do desloyaultie. To this purpose saith Hermes. Thou oughtest rather to have the will to die without a cause, than to do inconvenience or desloyaultie. ¶ Now come we to declare the commandments of the law and thereof take we Allegory to our purpose. The xxxv Allegory. BEllorophon, which was so full of loyalty may be noted god of paradise and as his worthy mercy hath been and is to us full of loyalty we shall take here the first commandment which saith, thou shalt not adore nor worship's strange gods, this is to say as saith s. Augustyne, the honour which is called latria thou shalt not bear it neither to Idol nor to Image, ne to his semblance, ne to no manner of creature, for the is the honour due alonely unto god, in this commandment is defended all Idolatry, of this speaketh our Lord in his Gospel. Dominum deum tuum adorabis et miso●● seruies. Mathei quarto capitulo. The xxxvi History. The xxxvi Text. MEnymon thy loyal Cousin Germayne Which doth the assist, in each dangerous place And loveth the so well/ thou oughtest to love again And at his need, with Armour the embrace. The xxxvi Gloze. MEnymon was cousin to Hector & of the line of Trojans, and when Hector was in fierce Estours and battles where many times he was hardly empressed with his enemies. Menymon, which was a right valiant knight followed him nigh, so succoured he Hector, and departed the great press, as well it appeared, for when Achilles had slain Hector by treason Menimon wounded grievously Achilles & had him slain had not briefly come unto him succour. Therefore saith wisdom to the good knight that he ought to love him & secure his need, & that is to understannd that every prince & good knight which hath any parents be they little or poor, so that they be good and loyal, he hought to love them, and aught to bear and support them in their affairs and in special when he findeth him loyal & true to him, and it fortuneth sometimes that a great prince is more loved & more loyal of his poor parent than of them that be right puyssaunte. And to this purpose saith the Philosopher Rabion, multiply thy friends for they shall be to the succourable. The xxxvi Allegory. MEnymon the loyal cousin we may yet take for the god of Paradise which is well unto us a loyal cousin to take our humanity for the which we may not him guerdon. So here we may take the second commandment that saith thou shalt not take the name of god in vain, that is as writeth s. Augustine, thou shalt not swear deshonestly, ne without cause to colour falsity, for there may b● no greater abusion than to bring in witness of falsite, Oath sovereign & most steadfast verity, and in this commandment is defended all losings, all perjury and all blaspheming. To this purpose saith the Law. Non habit duns insontem eum qui assumserit nomen duni dei sui frustra. Exodi xx. capitulo. The xxxvii History. The xxxvii Text. Advise the well/ that words of great menace Of nycetie or folly, that cometh to dishonour proceed not from thy mouth/ and in this case Of Leomedon, make to the a mirror. The xxxvii Gloze. LEomedon was king of Troy, and father to Priam. And when jason, Hercules and their companions, went into Colchis to get the golden flees and were descended at the port of Troy for to refresh them, without doing any damage to the country. Than Leomedon as evil advised, send to them by his messengers shamefully to go out of his land, & strongly them menaced if they avoided not shortly. Whereof th● Barons of Grece by this commandment of avoidance held them so much Injuried, that thereof after ensued the first destruction of Troy. Therefore will Othea say to the good knight that in so much as the word menace is fowl & villain: it ought well to be prepensed and delivered afore that it be said, for many evils thereof oftimes ensue. To this purpose saith the Poet Omere, he is sage which can refrain his tongue. The xxxvii Allegory. AS the word of menace cometh of arrogancy & pride, and to break commandment is also oultre evydaunce or orguyl, we may take that man ought to break the feasts or holy days for it is against the commandment which saith. Remember the to sanctify the Sabbath day, by the which is unto us commanded as saith S. Augustine that the Sunday we hallow in place of the Sabbath day to the jews, we ought to solempnyse it in repose rest of the body and in cesing from all bodily works of bondage, and in repose of the soul in cesing fro all sins. And of this rest speaketh Esay the Prophet. Quiescite agere prouerse/ discite benefacere. The xxxviii History. The xxxviii Text. suppose not every thing to be certain At the first Sign/ but take deliberation Till truth be known, as for a while refrain Of this can Pyramus/ give best information. The xxxviii Gloze. PYramus was a young Bachelor of the City of Babylon, and when he had no more but vij years of age, love him wounded with his dart, & he was esprised with the love of Thesbe a fair damosyl & gent of his apparel of age, and for the great frequentaunce of these two lovers together was apperceived their great love, and by a servant was accused to the mother of the damosel which took her daughter and her enclosed firmly in her chambers and said that she should well keep her from haunting Pyramus, great was the dolour of the two children for this cause, and their plaints & weepings much piteous long endured this prison, but the more that their age increased the more was embraced in them the instigation which for the absence was not destayned nor arrased. But as betwixt the palace of the two lovers was but one wall. Thesbe upon a day advised the wall broken by the which she might perceive the light on the other part. Than fixed she her girdle in the crevice of the wall, to the end that her love might apperceive it, which he did shortly enough, & there often they made their assemble, the two lovers with moche piteous complaints: in conclusion (as by great love constrained) made was their accord such that upon a night in time of the first stepe, they would secretly depart from their friends, & should assemble under a white brere berry tre, without the city, at a fountain where in their childhood they had been accustomed to disport them when Thesbe was come to the fountain alone all paruorous & full of dread, than hard she a Lion come much rudely, whereof she all replenished with dread fled thence to hide her in a bush, the next she found, but in the way fell from her her white wimple which the Lion defouled, soiled and made bloody, which vomyted & cast forth upon it the entrails of beasts which he had devoured, above measure, great was the dolour of Pyramus which believed none other but that his love was devoured with fierce beasts, wherefore after many piteous regretes, he slew himself with his sword. Thesbe came out of the bush, but when she understood the sighs of her lover, which was at the point of death and saw the sword & the blood, than by great dolour she fell upon her lover which might nor speak to her, and after many great plaine●s, regretes, swames, and trauntes she slew herself with the same sword. And the fable saith that for this piteous case the berries of the briar tre, became black which ere were white. And because that for so small encheason happened so great misadventure. Othea saith to the good knight that to a small ensygnement he ought not to give great faith. To this purpose saith one sage. Yield not thyself certain of things which been in doubt afore that thou have had convenable information. The xxxviii Allegory. WHere it saith that he should not believe all to be certain, we may note the Ignorance which we have in our childhood, when we be under the correction of the father and mother. And for the good deeds which we receive of them, we may understand the fourth commandment which saith. Honour thou thy father and thy mother, which saint Augustyne exposeth in saying, how that we ought to honour our Parents in two manners. In bearing to them due reverence. And in administering them in their necessities. To this purpose saith the sage. Honora patrem tuum et gemitus matris tue ne obli●iscaris. Ecclesiasti. seven. capitulo. The xxxix History. The xxxix Text. FOR corporal health, take in consideration Of Esculapyon the wife, advertisement And not of Cyres/ the subtle incantation Her trumpery/ her charms/ ne her inchauntement. The xxxix. Gloze. ESculapion was a right sage clerk which found the science of medicine, and thereof made books. And therefore saith she to the good knight, that he believe his reports for his health, that is to say, if he have need, that he turn him to the physicans & medicines, & not to the sorcery of Ceres, which was an enchantress. And it may be said for them that in their maladies use sorcery charms, and enchantments. And believe to be gueryshed which is a thing defended & against the commandments of holy church, and which no good christian man ought to use. Platon adnichilled and burned the books of enchantments and sorcery made upon medicine, which sometime were used & approved & he held him to them that were of science reasonable & of experience. The xxxix Allegory. FOr Esculapion which was a physician and medicine, we may understand the fift commandment, which saith. Thou shalt not slay, that is to say neither with heart, with tongue, ne with hand. And so is defended all violence, percusyon, and corporal hurts. And it is not here defended to the Princes, to judges, and to Masters of justice, to put to death the malefactors, but to them all only, which have none authority, except in case of necessity where a man may not otherwise escape, in which case the Laws suffer well one man to slay his adversary, in his corpse defendant, and otherwise not, to this purpose saith the Gospel. Qui gladio ocesderit oportet/ enen in gladio ●cetdi. Luce. xiii. capitulo. The xl History. The xl Text. IN him (whom thou haste, offended with grievance Which knoweth not how to venge him, or amend it) Affy the not, for thereof cometh mischance Achilles death, can teach the to intend it. The xl Gloze. AChylles did much grief, to the Trojans, and to king Priam he slew many of his children. Hector, Troilus, & other, wherefore he ought to hate him. notwithstanding this Achilles affied him in the queen Hecuba wife to Priam, to whom he had slain her children by treason, & he went by night to speak to her, to treat of the marriage of Polexene her daughter & him, and there was he slain by Paris and his fellows, by the commandment of the queen his mother in the temple of Apolyne. Therefore saith Othea to the good knight that he ought not to affy him in his enemy to whom he hath greatly misdone without making to him any peace or a mendment. To this purpose saith one sage. Keep the from the deceits of thine enemy which may not revenge himself. The xl Allegory. Like as thou oughtest not to affy the in him to whom thou haste misdone we may take it that like as we ought to doubt the vengeance of god it is necessary to hold his commandment which saith, thou shalt not do lechery, that is to say adultery, ne fornication, & so is defended, as saith Isodore all or unlawful to pulation which is in the bond of marriage & all disordinate usage of the membres general to this purpose saith the law. Morte moriantur mechus et adultera. Levi. xx. ca The xli. History. The xli Text. REsemble not Busyre, which no goodness pretended But did him employ to murder and occysyon His cruelty may well be/ reprehended Of all such Feats/ eschew the erudyction. The xli Gloze. BVsyre was a king of marvelous cruelty, & much him delighted in the occision of men. And with his proper hands he slew them in the Temples with knives, & thereof made sacrifice to his gods, therefore saith Othea to the good knight that in no wise he ought to delight him in the occision of any human creature, for such cruelty is against God against nature, & against all bounty, and to this purpose saith Socrates to the good counsellor, if thy prince be cruel thou oughtest him to appease and amodre by good examples. The xli Allegory. BY Busyre which was an homicide and against human nature, we may note the defence that is made to us by the commandment which saith thou shalt do no thest. And so is defended as saith s. Augustyne, all unlawful usurpation of the goods of other, all sacrilege all rapine all things taken by force, & signory upon the people without reason. To this purpose saith s. Paul the apostle. Qui furabatur iam non furetur. ad ephesi. iiii. ca The xlii History. The xlii Text. Have not so much delight/ in thy pleasance As in doubtful balance/ to put thy life to wander For thy life with love/ thou aught most to advance Remember how the flood, hath overqualmed Lehaunder. The xlii Gloze. LEhaunder was a young gentleman which greatly and of perfit love, loved Hero the fair, and as there was an arm of the see betwixt the manners of the two lovers, Lehaunder swum over it by night many times to see his lady, which had her castle near the rivage to th'end that their love should not be apperceived. But it fortuned that a great orage of tempest arose which dured many days upon the water & disappointed all the joy of the lovers, so it happened one night that Lehaunder constrained of great desire put himself in to the see, in the time of the tempest, and was borne there so long by those perilous wawes that it behoved him to perish much piteously. Hero which was upon the other part in great thought for her lover when she saw the body come floating to the rivage, than estrayned of a marvelous dolour cast herself into the see, & in embracing the body that was perished there was she drowned. Therefore saith Othea to the good knight that so moch he ought not to love his delight, as therefore to put his life in over great adventure. So saith one sage to this purpose I am much marveled of this that I se so moch of perils suffered for the delight of the body. And so little puruayaunce made for the Soul which is perpetual. The xlii Allegory. AS the authority defended that he have not so dear his pleasance as to put him in over moche jeoper die. It may be understand the commandment that saith. Thou shalt not speak false witness against thy neighbour. And so it is defended, as saith saint Augustyne, all false accusation, murmuration, detraction, all false re●orte, & defaming of another. And it is to be known, (as saith Isodore,) that the false wytnesser, doth villainy to three parts. That is to say, to GOD whom he despiseth in forswearing him. To the judge whom he deceiveth in making a losing, and to his neighbour whom he endomageth in false disposing himself against him, and therefore sayeth the scripture. V●stis falsus non erit impunitu●, et qui loq●utur mendacia non effuglet. Proue●bior●m xix capitulo. The xliii History. The xliii Text. Yield again Helen, if any man demand her For great offence well may be reparable Better is consent to peace, than to withstand her And when the Stead is stolen, to close fast the stable. The xliii Gloze. HElayne was wife to king Menelaus and ravished by Paris in Grece, and when the Greeks were come upon Troy with a great army for the vengeance of the same deed, afore that they endamaged the land they required that Helen should be to them yielded again and amends made for the offence done or if not, they would destroy the country, and because the Trojans would do nothing, thereafter ensued the great mischief which after to them befell, therefore will Prudence say to the good knight that if by folly he have done any inconvenience, better it is to him to leave it & make peace, than it to pursue, whereby evil may to him come. Therefore saith the Philosopher Plato, if thou have done injury, to whom soever it be, thou oughtest not to be at ease unto such time as thou be with him at concord and have made peace. The xliii Allegory. HElayne which ought to be yielded again may be intended the commandment which saith. Thou shalt not desire the wife of thy neighbour, by the which is defended (as saith S. Augustyn●) the thought and will to do fornication, whereof is spoken afore in the vi Commandment, for our Lord saith in the Gospel. Qui viderit maulieram ad concupiscendam eam ●am mechatus est incorde suo. Mathie. vi. ca The xliiii History. The xliiii Text. THe Goddess Aurora, resemble in no wise Which yieldeth unto other, joy and gladness At cometh of her hour, and doth herself despise All joy, and holdeth to weeping and sadness. The xliiii Gloze. AVrora is the point or dawning of the day, & the fables say that is a Gods, and that she had a son of hers slain in the battle at Troy, that was named Cignus, and for she was a gods, and had the puissance so to do she transmued her son in to a swan, and so of him, came the first swans. this lady was of so great beauty that she rejoiced all them that beheld her, but all her life she bewept her son Cignus which was deed, & yet she doth be weep him to this day, for the due which falleth at the point of the day, they say it is Aurora that weepeth for her son Cignus, therefore saith Othea that the good knight by his good virtues rejoiceth other, ought not to be heavy & trist but joyous, and mother himself graciously. Therefore said Arystole to Alexandre the great what soever heaviness be closed in thy heart, thou oughtest always to show a glad and a joyous visage afore thy people. The xliiii Allegory. BY Aurora which weepeth we may understand that no desire ought to weep or be madified in us by coveyting a thing not due, & by this we may note the ten and the last commandment which saith. Thou shalt not covet the house of thy neighbour/ his Ox/ ne his Ass/ nor any thing that he hath. by the which (as saith saint Augustyne) is defended the will to do theft, or rapine whereof the deed is defended afore by the vij commandment, and to this purpose saith David in his Psalter. Nolite sperare in iniquitate. ●apinas n●lite concupiscere. The xlv History. The xlv Text. Though Pasyphe frequented foolishness Yet use thou not to read in thy stole All women to be such, for many (nevertheless) Of Ladies been good, though she were a fool. The xlv Gloze. PAsyphe was a queen, and some fables saith that she was a woman of great dissolution and especially that she loved a bull, and she was mother to Mynothauris, which was half a bull and half a man, which is to understand that she acqueinted her with a man of vile condition, of whom she conceived a man which was of great cruelty, and of marvelous strength, and all was because he had the form of a man, and the nature of a bull. And for that he was of so great strength, and asprety and so evil that all the country trembled, the Poetes say, by fiction that he was half a man, and half a bull. And therefore if this lady were of vile condition. Prudence will say to the good knight, that he ought not to say, nor suffer to be said that all women ben semblable as the verity is manifest to the contrary. Galen learned the science of medicine of a right good woman and sage named Clempare, which taught him to know many good herbs and their properties. The xlv Allegory. BY Pasyphe which was foolish we may understand a soul returned unto God. And saint Gregory saith in his Omelies, that much greater joy is demeaned in heaven of one soul returned unto God, than of one which hath always been returned to him. Right so as the captain in the battle loveth better the knight which was fled thence, and sithen is returned, and after his returning hath wounded the enemy, than him which hath done no fair feat. And as the labourer loveth better the land which after the thorns beareth fruit abundantly, than that which never had any thorns, and hath not borne fruit. To this purpose saith god by the prophet. Bevertatur unusquisque a via sua pessima & propietous ero iniquitati & peccato ipsorum. Heir. xxvi. ca The xlvi History. The xlvi Text. IF thou have daughters, able to be married And that thou wouldest bestow them and advance To men by whom, thou wouldest not be myscaryed Of King Adrastus, have thou remembrance. The xlvi Gloze. Adrastus' was king of Argos, and much puissant & a wise man. Two knights arrant that one called Polomites, and that other Thideus fought together in an obscure night under the portal of his palace, whereof that one challenged that loges of that other, because of the strong wether and great rain which had tormented them all the night, and thereof adventure they were fighting. At that hour the king arose from his roast, which had hard the noise of the sword upon the shields, & came to depart the two knights. Polomites was son to the king of Thebes, & Thideus to another king of Grece, but from their lands they were exiled. Greatly honoured Adrastus the two Barons, sith he gave them in marriage, two right fair daughters which he had. After to put Polomites to the right of his land that Ethiocles his brother held. The king Adrastus made a great army, & went upon Thebes with his great host, which were all discomfited, deed, and taken: And the two sons in law to the king slain And the brethren betwixt whom was the discord slew each other in the battle, and to Adrastus beside his own person, were not left on live three knights. And therefore because to set and establish people exiled, in to their right: is a great affair. Prudence saith to the good knight that in such a case he ought to have counsel, and take example by the said adventure, and as Adrastus met upon a night that he should give his two daughters by marriage to a Lion, and a Dragon, which should fight together, the exposition of dreams saith, that swevyns comen of fantasy which may be demonstrance of good or evil adventure which shall come to creatures. The xlvi Allegory. WHere it is said that if he have any Daughters to be married that he shall take heed to whom he shall give them, we may understand that the good mind or sprite chivalrous to GOD, ought to regard well with whom he shall hold company if it so be that he will go in to company, as did the good Thoby. Also he ought to assign & set all his thoughts in holy meditations. And saint Augustyne saith in an Epistle, that they which have learned of our lord to be debondare, humble, and meek, do profit more in meditation and prayers, than they have done in reading and hearing. Therefore said David in his Psalter. Meditabar i● mandatis tuis que dilexi. The xlvii History. The xlvii Text. When thou art young, and flowering in pleasance acquaint the with Cupido/ but not frequent For so that measure, lead the in her dance The God of battle/ holdeth him well content. The xlvii Gloze. CVpido is the God of love, and for so moch, as it is not unfitting unto a young knight, to be amorous upon a Lady that is good, his conditions may thereby become better. But because Othea knoweth that the haunting thereof is withdrawing a man, and a thing much anoyenge to Arms, she saith to the good knight, that she is well consenting that he acqueynt him with Cupid. And a Phylosoper saith that to love of good courage proceedeth of Nobleness of the heart. The xlvii Allegory. THat it pleaseth well to the God of battle that he acqueynt him with Cupid, may be understand penance, if the good spirit repentant of his sins fighting against vices be young & entre newly in to the right way, well it pleaseth to God of battle, that is jesus Christ that he acqueynte him with penance & that jesus Christ by his worthy battle was our redemptoure saith saint barnard, what word (saith he) of more great mercy might one say to the sinner which was dampened, that where as he was sold, by his sin to the enemy of hell, and had not where with to redeem himself. GOD the Father said. Take my son, and give him for the. And the son said. Take me for thy Ransom and redeem thyself by me. This is brought into remembrance by saint Peter the apostle in his first Epistle. Non corruptibilibus aned vel argento cede●●●ti est is: sed precioso sanguine quasi agni incontaminati et immaculati Jesus xvi. prima Pet. i. ca The xlviii History. The xlviii Text. Slay thou not Corinis, the fair For the report, of the Raven unjust For if thou her Slee, half in despair Thou shalt repent after, thou mayest me trust. The xlviii Gloze. COrinis was a damosyll as saith a fable whom Phoebus loved paramoures, the Raven which than was his servant reported to him, that he had seen Corinis his love lyenge-with another young man, of this novel was phoebus so moch dolent that he slew his love as soon as he saw her, but thereof marvelously he after repented him, & the Raven which attended for his everdon which he should have of his lord for his good deed, was by him cursed and chased, & the feathers which he was wont to have white as snow, Phoebus them changed into black in sign of dolour and Phoebus from thenceforth on ordained him to be a beyrer and announcer of evil tidings and novels, and the exposition may be understand, that the servant of some puissant man brought to his lord semblable tidings, wherefore he was chased and disappointed of his service. Therefore will Othea say, that the good knight ought not to advance him to say to his prince such tidings whereof he may have the heart corrouced or angry, for in the end evil may come to him thereof, and also he ought not to believe the report which is unto him made by flattery. To this purpose saith he Philosopher Hermes The reporter or contriver of tidings either he maketh a leasing to him to whom he showeth them: either he is false to him of whom he saith them. The xlviii Allegory. BY Corinis which ought not to be slain we may understand our soul, whom we ought not for to slay by sin? but therefrom well to keep her. And saint Augustyne saith, that the soul ought to be kept as the coffer that is full of treasure, and as the Castle which is assieged with enemies & as the king which reposeth him in his chambre of retreat, and this chambre should be closed with v. gates, which be the .v. wits of nature, and it is none other thing to close those gates, but only to retraye or draw a back the dilectations of the .v. wits and if it fortune that the soul should Issue, by any of his gates to his outward operations, she ought demurely, advisedly and in discretion to Issue. And even so as the Princes when they will Issue fro their chambres have huyssyers' afore them holding maces, to make way in the press, so when the soul should Issue to see, here, speak, or feel, she ought to have afore her, dread, for her huyssyer, which should have for the mace the consideration of the pains of hell, and of the judgement of GOD. And thus to guard the Soul admonesteth the Sage, saying. Omni custodia serva tuum/ cor quoniam ex i●o vita procedit. prover. iiii. capitulo. The xlix History. The xlix Text. TAke upon juno, no cure ne lust If thou to the name of honour have more favour Than to the degree, which falleth to dust For prowess is better, than all gold and havyoure. The xlix Gloze. Juno is the Gods of riches, and substance, after the fables of Poetes, and because that haviour and riches, is behoveful to be gotten with great pain, business, and travail, and that such business may dystourne a man to seek honour. And as honour and valiance is more lowable than riches, in as much as the cornel of the Nut is better than the shell. Othea saith to the good knight that he ought not to set upon riches so strongly his felicity that he delay the pursuit of valiance. To this purpose saith Hermes. That better is to have poverty in doing good works, than riches gotten shamefully. For valiance is perpetual, and riches is fallible. The xlix Allegory. juno of whom it is said, that he ought not to set upon her over much his cure, is taken for riches, & that the good sprite ought to despise them, saith saint barnard. O Children descended of the covetous line of Adam, to what encheason loven ye so much these mundane riches, which be not very nor yet yours, & whether ye will or not, them it behoveth you to lose at the death. And the Gospel saith that the Camel should more easily pass thorough the hole of a needle, than the rich man attain the Realm of heaven For the Camel hath upon his back, but one burden. And the evil rich man hath twain. One of worldly possessions, and another of sins, it behoveth that he leave the further burden, at his death. But the other, (will he or not,) he shall bear with him, if that he leave it not afore that he die. To this purpose saith our Lord, in the Gospel. Hac●tius est camelum perforamen acus transire/ quam divitem in●eare in rignum celorum. Mathei. nineteen. capitulo. The l History. The l Text. Against the Counsel, of Amphoras the wise Go not to destroy, (where death may the over charge) Of Thebes/ and of Argos/ the cities most of prise Ne there assemble/ none host/ shield/ ne Targe. The l Gloze. AMphoras, was a right sage clerk, of the City of Argos, & much he had of science. And when the King Adrastus would go upon Thebes to destroy the City. Amphoras which knew by his science that evil should come to him thereof, said to the King that he should not go thither in any manner, and that if they went thither, they should all be slain, and destroyed. But he gave to his words no credence, and so it be fell as he had to him said. Therefore she will say to the good knight. That the counsel of the sage is little profitable to him that will not use him thereafter. The l Allegory. BY the Counsel of Amphoras, against the which he ought not to go in to battle, we may note, that the good sprite ought to ensue holy predications. This saith saint Gregory in his Omelies, that like as the life of the body may not be sustained without often taking his corporal refection, right so may not the life of the soul be sustented without often hearing the word of God. Than the words of God which ye here with your corporal eats receive them to the profundite of your heart For when a word is hard, and is not retained within the womb of the memory. It is like the evil disposed stomach, which casteth forth or vomyteth the meat, and also as he that nothing retaineth, but casteth all forth, is in despair of the life. So is he, in the peril of death perdurablye. Which heareth the predications, & retaineth them not: nor putteth them to operation. Therefore saith the scripture. Non 〈◊〉 solo penensult homo sed in omni verbo ●ood procedit de ore dei. Mathei. iiii. capitulo. The li History. The li Text. OF thy tongue, give Saturn the charge So that unto evil/ it be not free and jolly unseeming it is, of speech to moche and large And he that it heareth/ perceiveth well the folly. The li Gloze. SAturne as I have said afore is a planet/ slow/ tardive/ and sage. Therefore saith she to the good knight, that his tongue ought to resemble him. For the tongue ought to be tardyve, so that speak not to much, and sage that he say not amiss in any thing, and that he say nothing, whereby may be perceived in him any folly, for a wise man saith. By his words is known the sage and the fool by sight and regard. The li Allegory. THe tongue which ought to be Saturnyve, that is to understand, slow in speaking. To this purpose saith Hugo de sancto victore: that the tongue which hath no guard of discretion is as a city without a wall/ as a vessel that hath no coverture, as the horse that hath no bridle, as a ship which is without steer, or governal. The tongue evil kept is glazing & slippy as an Eel, it pierceth as an arrow fast flying, it loseth friends and maketh enemies, it moveth noise, & soweth discord, at one stroke it striketh, and sleeth many persons, he that keepeth his tongue, keepeth his soul. For the death, or the life, been the puissance of the tongue. To this purpose saith David in his Psalter. Quis est homo qui vuit vitam dies diligit videre bonos prohibe linguam tuam a malo et labia ne loquantur dolum. The lii History. The lii Text. Give credence to the counsel of the Crow Never thereby/ shalt thou enticed be Evil reports, and novels, for to sow Which who so escheweth, is most at liberty. The lii Gloze. THe Crow as saith a fable encountered the Raven or the Roke when he brought tidings to Phoebus of his love Corinis which was evil done, and so moch inquired of him that he said to her the occasion of his error, but she disallowed it in giving him example by herself, which for a semblable case was derecte & chased from the house of Pallas where she was whilom wont well to be advanced, but he ne would give to her counsel and credetice, wherefore evil to him came thereof. Therefore saith Othea to the good knight that he ought to believe the Crow. And Platon saith. Be thou no jangler, ne to a king a great reporter of novels. The lii Allegory. WHere the Crow ought to be believed. She will say that the good sprite ought to use the Counsel, as sayeth saint Gregory in his morals. That force or strength valueth nothing, where Counsel faileth. For force is right soon abated, if it be not appuyed or borne up by the gift of Counsel. And the Soul that hath lost within him the siege of Counsel, is outwardly dispersed to divers desires. And therefore sayeth the Sage. Si inteavit it sapiencia cor tuum censilium custodiet te/ et prudencia servabit te. Proverbiorum secundo capitulo. The liii History. The liii Text. IF thou the efforce, with thy stronger to be To make fair pastimes/ of force or puissance Beware of damage, that may turn unto the And of , have thou remembrance. The liii Gloze. GAnimedes was a youngman of the lineage of the Trojans. And a Fable sayeth that Phoebus and he were upon a day together to cast the bar of iron and as was not of power against the force of Phoebus, he was slain by the rebounding of the bar which Phoebus cast so high that he had lost the sight thereof. And therefore sayeth Othea that with his stronger, or most puissant, it is not good a man for to strive. For thereof may not come but inconvenience. So saith one Sage. A man for to play with the men that be ungracious, is sign of pride. And is fyninished most commonly with wrath. The liii Allegory. AND as it is said that against his stronger he ought not to enforce him it is to be understand that the good sprite ought not to enterprise over strong penance without counsel. Of this speaketh saint Gregory, in Moralibus. That penitence profiteth not, but if it be discreet, neither the virtue of abstinence, is nothing worthy, but if it be so ordained, that it not more asper than the body may sustain. And therefore he concludeth that no simple person, neither aught to enterprise penitence without the counsel of more dyscrert than himself. Therefore saith the Sage in his proverbs. Vbi mul●a consilia ivi erit Calus. Proverbiorum secundo capitulo. And the common Proverb saith. Omnia fat cum consilio et postea non penitebi●. The liiii History. The liiii Text. IAson to resemble, thyself, well thou should Which by Media in conquest gave the glory Of the Golden flees, wherefore he did her yield A right evil Guerdon, after his victory. The liiii Gloze. IAson was a knight of Grece which went into a strange country, that is to wit, into the isle of Colchis by the endictement or commandment of Peleus his uncle, which by envy desired his death. There was a sheep which had his flees of gold, & by enchantment was kept but as the conquest was so strong that no man came thither, but he lost his life. Medea which was daughter to the king of that country, was greatly surprised with the love of jason that by the enchantments that she understood being in that faculty a sovereign master, she gave charms and taught enchantments to jason, whereby he conquered the golden flees, and thereby had honour above all knights living, and was restored from death by Medea, to whom he had promised for ever to be a loyal lover, but after faith to him failed, and he loved another, and her utterly he refused and forsook. notwithstanding that she was of right sovereign beauty. Therefore saith my Lady prudence to the good knight, that he refuse to resemble jason which to much was misknowing & disloyal unto her which had done to him great goodness. As it is a villain thing to a knight to be ingrate, unkind, or mysknowing, any bounty, or goodness that he hath received, be it of Lady, Damosyll, or other. But he ought to remember it & yield guerdon therefore to his power. To this purpose saith Hermes. Attend not to reward him which hath showed to the bounty, (For why.) Thou ougtest to remember it for ever. The liiii Allegory. IAson which was unkind, ought not the good spirit to resemble, which for the benefits & goodness inenarrable received of his creator ought not to be unkind, s. Barnard saith upon the canticles, that ingratitude or unkindness is enemy to the soul, the impediment of virtues, the dispersion of merits, & the destruction of perdition of good deeds. ingratituding is as a dryen wind, that drieth up the fountain of pity, the dew of grace, & the river of mercy. To this purpose saith the Sage. Ingrati enim spe● tanquam hibernalis glatiis tabescet/ et disparie● tanquam aqua superuacna. Sapientis xvi capitulo. The lu History. The lu Text. OF the Serpent Gorgon, i'll the consystorie Her figure to regard, beware thyself well The valiant Perseus, have in memory Vhiche all the History, thereof can the tell. The lu Gloze. GORgon, as saith the fable, was a damosel of sovereign beauty but because that Phoebus had pastime with her in the temple of Diane, the gods took therein so great displeasure that she transmued her into a serpent of right horrible figure, and such a property had that serpent, that the man which beheld her, was suddenly turned into a stone. For the evil that of her did proceed, Perseus the valiant knight, went to fight against the fierce beast. And in the resplendour or brightness of his shield, which was all of gold, he beheld himself, to th'intent that he should not regard the evil serpent, & he did so much, that he struck of her heed. Many expositions may be made upon this said fable. And Gorgon may be understand for one city, or Town, which hath been wont to be of great bounty. But by the vices of the inhabitants it becometh a serpent & venomous, that is to understand that many damages and evils it doth to the marches near adjacent, as of all them to rob & pill and the merchants, & other passing by ben taken, and put in straight prison, and so be they turned to stones. Perseus beheld himself in his chivalry & went to fight against the said City and took it, and bereft it of the power for any more doing evil, and also may it be a Lady that is right fair, and of evil manners and affairs which by her covetise leaveth naked and unclothed many of their haviour, riches, & substance. And many other entendementes and expositions may be set upon it. Therefore will she say to the good knight that he be well aware to behold that thing that is evil, & to evil may him draw. And Aristotle saith, i'll from people full of Iniquity, and follow the Sages. Study in their books, and behold the in their Feats. The lu Allegory. THat he ought not to regard Gorgon that is that the good spirit ought not to behold or think upon any delices, but behold his own figure in the shield of the estate of perfection. And the delices been to be refused saith chrysostom, that as it is impossible that the fire bren in water, so is it impssible that compunction of heart be amongst the delices of the world. They been two things contrary which destroy each other, for compunction is mother of tears, and the delices engendre laughter. Compunction restraineth the heart, and delices putteth it at liberty. To this purpose saith the scripture. Qui seruia●nt in letrimie: in exultacione me●●t. The lvi History. The lvi Text. IF love by night, constrain the to wake Take heed that Phoebus, thereof be not advised By whose advertisement, thou mayst be take And with the bonds of Vulcan to be surprised. The lvi Gloze. A Fable saith that Mars and Venus loved each other paramours. It befell upon a night that these two lovers, (arm in arm,) were fallen on sleep. Phoebus which saw clearly them surprised and apperceived he them accused to vulcan husband to Venus, than he seeing them in that point, forged a chain, as he that was Smyth to the Gods, and in heaven forgeth the seat foulders, thunders, and tempests, and with his chains made of copper, he bound them both twain together so that they might not move themself and so he them surprised and showed to the other gods. And such laughed thereat that would well have been fallen in a semblable misdeed. This fable may benofed to many entendementes, & especially some points touching the science of Astronomy, and also Arsmetyke. Therefore saith wisdom to the good knight that he keep him in what case soever he be, to be surprised by time forgotten, & a sage saith, with pain is a thing so secret but that it is perceived by some man. The lvi Allegory. WHere the authority saith that if leave run upon him by night, we shall say that the good sprite ought to keep him from the baits and grins of his enemy enfernal. Of this speaketh S. Leo the bishop. That the ancient enemy which can transfigure him in to an angel of light, sesseth not to attend by all the snares of his temptations & to espy how he may advise the faith of creatures he looked who he may embrace with the fire of covetise whom he may inflame with the ardour or heat of Lechery, how he may set forth the baits of gluttony, he examineth of all customs, he dyscusseth the hearts, he conjectureth or gessyth the affections. And there seeketh be the cause to noye, or hurt, where he findeth the creature most diligently inclined and occupied. Therefore saith saint Peter. Sobrii estote et vigilate quia ol necsariu● vester diabolus tanquam lo/ rugiens circuit quereus quam devoret. Secundo petri ultimora. The lvii History. The lvii Text. BE not Thamarys, of the desprysed Though she a woman, and to Arms set her intent Remember how she made, Cirus agrysed And his dysprysing, dearly to repent. The lvii Gloze. THamaris was a Queen, a moche valiant Lady full of great prowess and of great hardiness and right sage in Arms, and governance. Cirus the great king of pierce, which had conquered many regions which his great host esmeved and concluded in his mind to go upon the said Thamaris Queen of Femenie of whom he praised the prowess as a thing of little value. But she that was expert & subtle in the métier of arms suffered him to enter in to her realm without moving herself against him, unto such time as he had brought himself into straight passages among mountains, where as was a right strong country. Than did asshementes which Thamaris did to be made, was Cirus assailed with an host of women on all sides, & it was brought so well to pass, that he was taken, and all his people dead & taken. The queen did him to be brought afore her, and his heed to be stricken of, & to be cast in to a vessel full of the blood of his Barons which she had caused to be headed afore him. And so she said. Cirus thou which haste never been satisfied nor had the full desire of man's blood, now mayst thou thereof take thy full draught. And so ended Cirus the puissant king of pierce which might never ere than be vanquished in any battle. Therefore saith my lady Othea to the good knight that he never be so proud nor surcuydrous, but that he have doubt the evil may to him fall by some fortune, & be mien of himself. To this purpose saith Plato. Dispraise no person for his little faculty, for his virtues may be great. The lvii Allegory. THamaris which ought not to be dispraised. notwithstanding that the good sprite ought not to despise nor hate the state of humility (be it in religion or other state.) And that humility is to be praised sayeth Iohn Cassian. That in no manner may the edify of our building of virtues, rease him, self in our Soul, nor address his beginning except that there be founded in our heart the ground works of the very humility, which may right steadfastly sustain the highness of perfection and of charity. Therefore sayeth the Sage. Quanio mayor as humilia teipsum in omnibus et coram deo/ inventis ●●am. Ecclesiastici iii capitulo. The lviii History. The lviii Text. Refrain thy mind when that it is affyred From fowl delight, and not give away all Thy chevisance, when that it is desired Medea thereof, to Counsel mayest thou call. The lviii Gloze. MEdea was one of the most knowers of Sorseryes, and sciences, that ever was, after the Histories. This notwithstanding she gave her mind the Bridle, to ensue his free will, for the accomplishment of her delight, when she suffered foolish love to have over her the mastery. So that upon jason, she set all her heart/ and unto him she gave her honour/ her body/ and her chevisance. Wherefore he yielded unto her an evil Guerdon. Therefore sayeth Dame Prudence/ that the good knight ought not to suffer reason for to be vanquished in him/ by a foolish delight in any case/ if he will use the virtue of strength. And Plato sayeth/ a man of light courage/ hurteth himself soon, in that thing that he loveth. The lviii Allegory. THat he suffer not his wit to be roversed by foolish delight/ may be understanden/ that the good Sprite ought not to suffer his free will to have lordship over him. For if the lordship of the proper will, were not/ there should be no Hell/ nor the fire of Hell should have no signory, but upon the person which suffereth his proper will to be his master. Thy proper will, fighteth against God, and is orguyllous, it is that thing that dyspoyleth Paradise and revesteth hell. It maketh vade the valour of the precious blood of jesus Christ, and submitteth the world to the servitude of the enemy. And to this purpose sayeth the Sage. Virga at● correctio tribuent sapientiam puer autem qui dimittitur proprie voluntati confun●●● 〈◊〉 suam. Proverbiorum xxix capitulo. The lix History. The lix Text. SVbiect to Cupid, if thou be or shall Beware to be surprised, with enmity So that the Rock, upon thy back ne fall As it did on Achis & Galathee. The lix Gloze. GAlathee was a Nymph or a gods which love a young man named Achis. A Giant of horrible, and fowl stature, was amorous also on Galathee, and so moch he espied them that he apperceived them both twain at a crevice of a Rock, than was he surprised with the sudden rage of jealousy, and in such wise he shaken the Rock that Achis was therewith oppressed and deed, but Galathee which was a Nymph, put herself into the see, and so she escaped. So is it to be understand that the good knight beware himself to be surprised in such a case by such as have the power so to do. The lix Allegory. THat he keep him well fro the Giant that is subject to Cupyde, is to be understand that the good spirit ought to keep him that he have no Imagination to the world ne to the things contained therein, but that he have always remembrance that mundane jewels been little while enduring, & s. Hierome saith upon Hieremie, that there is nothing which ought to be reputed long in consideration of things that take no end, nor all our time in consideration of the trinity of paradise. To this purpose saith the Sage. Veansi●runt omnia velud umbra et tanquam nuntius percurrens, Sapientio. ca v. The lx History. The lx Text. Fly from the face, of the goddess discord Evil been her snares, and also her condition She troubled the weddings, at Peleus' board Whereby assembled moche people in conclusion. The lx Gloze. Discord is a Gods of evil affair, & a fable saith that when Peleus espoused the goddess Thetis of whom after was brought forth Achilles. jupiter and all the Gods, and goddesses were at the weddynge. But the god's discord was not biden or invented to the feast. And therefore as envious she came without sending for, but she came not for nought, for well could she the service of her master or property Than were set to dinner at one table the three goddesses. Pallas/ juno/ and Venus. Than came dame Discord which cast upon the table an Apple of Gold upon which were written these words (be it given to the fairest,) than was the feeste sore troubled, for eachone sustained that she ought to have it, afore jupiter they went for judgement upon this discord, he would not please one, & displease another. Therefore he put the debate upon Paris of Troy, that was than an herd, for his mother had dreamed (when she bore him within her womb,) that he should be cause of the destruction of Troy. Therefore was he send in to the Forest to the herds of whom he supposed no other but to have been the son. And there Mercurius which was conduictour of the ladies said to him whose son he was. Than he left to keep the flocks and went to Troy to his great Parents, as witnesseth the fable where the true History is cloaked under coverture. And because that oftentimes many great mischiefs doth ensewen by discord and debate. And therefore it is a right fowl custom, for to be dyscordaunte. Othea sayeth to the good knight, that he ought to fly discord. And therefore saith the philosopher Pitagoras. Go thou not in that way, where groweth haynes, or hatred. The lx Allegory. AS it is said that he ought to fly discord. So ought the good spirit for to fly all the empeschementes of conscience. And the contentours and Ryottes been to be eschewed saith Cassyodore, upon the Psalter. Soverayntly (saith he,) fly contention and riot. For strife against peace, is enragerye. Strife against his sovereign, is woodness. And to strive against his Subject, is great vyllaynye. Therefore sayeth saint Paul the Apostle. Non incontentione: et emulatione. ●d romanos. The lxi History. The lxi Text. THy trangressyon, put thou not in oblivion After that thou haste unto any man offended For he will attend, therefore to yield Guerdon Thereby Leomedon, hath his life ended. The lxi Gloze. LEomedon as I have said afore, was king of Troy, and great vylleny had he done to the Baron's of Grece, in chasing them from his land, which they put not in oblivion, but Leomedon had let it slide wholly from his remembrance. At such time as the Greeks ran upon him and him surprised, he unpurveyed and disappointed, so they destroyed & slew him. Therefore saith the good lady prudence to the good knight her disciple, that if he have offended to any man, that he have ever good watch thereof. For he may be certain that he will not fogette it, but will revenge himself thereof, when he may have time and place. And to this purpose saith Hermes. Take heed of thy-Enemyes that they take the not when thou art unpurveyed. The lxi Allegory. THat he ought not to put in oblivion his misdeed, when he hath to another offended. May be understanden that when the good sprite feeleth himself fallen in to sin, by default of resistance/ he aught to think what punition it requireth, as it is of them that be dampened if they amend not themself. And of this speaketh saint Gregory. The justice of GOD, cometh now all fairly and slowly. But in time to come it shall recompense more grievously. The mercy shall tarry for her attended. To this purpose saith the prophet Ihoell. Conuertemini ad dominum deum vestrum quia benignus et miseriscore est patiens et multe misericordie prestabilis super maliciam. Ihoelis tercio ca The lxii History. The lxii Text. IF it so be that thou, have love frequented Beware well unto whom, that thou thy mind show So that thy deeds and words be not repent Remember Semelle which did drink, as she did brew. The lxii Gloze. A Fable saith that Semelle was a damosel whom jupiter loved paramours. juno which was thereof in jealousy took the semblance of an old woman and came to Semelle, and by fair and pleasant words she began to reason with her, and she did so much that Semelle knowledged and confessed all the conceit betwixt her and her lover, and that she was right well loved of him, and thereof much avaunted herself. Than the gods said to her (which took heed that she should not take her with the dysceyvaunce) that in nothing she had as yet perceived the justynes ne jolytie of her lover. But (she said) that when she should require of him one gift or demand, & when he should have firmly it promised and thereto accorded, that she should demand of him that he would accoll and embrace her in such manner as he did his wife juno, when it pleased him to solace himself with her, & by this manner (said juno) she might apperceive the love of her paramour. Semelle forgot it not, & when she had made her request to jupiter and that he had it promised, and that as a God, he might not call it, again he was right dolent, & well he knew that she had been perceived. Than took jupiter the semblance of fire and accolled and embraced his love Semelle which with in a moment was totally burned to ashen, of which adventure jupiter was right pensive and thoughtful. Upon this fable may be set many entendementes, and especially upon the science of Astronomy (as saith the masters) but it may be that by some way, a damosel was deceived by the wife of her lover, whereby he himself did her to die through ignorance. And therefore saith Othea to the good knight that he take heed when he speaketh of a thing which he would have to be kept secret, afore whom he discloseth it, & to whom he speaketh/ for by the circumstantes may be understand the matter. Therefore saith Hermes. Make thou not revelation of thy secret thoughts, but only unto them whom thou haste well proved. The lxii Allegory. THat he should take heed to whom he speaketh, we may understand that the good sprite (what soever his good thoughts be,) ought to keep them in every case where he might fall into evil suspection of another (as sayeth saint Augustyne, in his book of Verbs) that we ought not only to set our hearts to have good conscience, but in asmuch as is in our unsteadfastness, and in the diligence of man's frailty. We ought to have the heart, that we do not the thing which commech of evil supection against our brethren, or even christian. To this purpose saith saint Paul. In omnibus prebe et exemplum honorum operum. Ad Titum. ●. capitulo. The lxiii History. The lxiii Text. THe deduyctes of Diane not over moche ensue For she ne hath conceit, ne fantasy To such as chivalry, do pursue But ever to muse in her chasery. The lxiii Gloze DIane is called Goddess of woods & of chasery. So will Othea say to the good knight pursuing the high name of arms ought not over moche to muse or take his pastance is the deduyctes of chase or hunting, for it is a thing that appertaineth to occiosyte or Idleness. And Arystotle saith, that Idleness bringeth to perfectness, all Inconue●yence. The lxiii Allegory. THat he ought not over moche to ensue the deduyctes of Diane which is said for occiosite, may specially be noted to the good sprite. And that it is to be eschewed saith saint Gregory. Do always some operation in goodness, to the intent that the enemy may find the occupied in some good excitation. To this purpose is it said of the wise woman. Consideranit semitas domus sue et panem oci●sa non comedit. Proverbiorum xxxi capitulo. The lxiiii History. The lxiiii Text. advance not thyself, for damage thereof may come To Iragnes, which did herself avaunt Against Pallas, the Goddess of wisdom Wherefore the Goddess, did her enchant. The lxiiii Gloze. YRaygnes as saith a fable was a damosel moche subtle in the art of weyving and spinning and tapystery work, but she was over much surcuydrous and proud of her science, and of her deed she avaunted herself against Pallas, wherefore she ran in to the indyngnation of the Gods, which for her avaunting transmued her in to an Attercoppe, and then said that for her avaunting so moch she should for ever spin/ weave/ and twist/ work of no value. And so came first the Actercoppes, which spin and weave unto this day. So may it be that some Handemanne avaunted himself against her master, whereby evil unto her came by some manner. And therefore sayeth she to the good knight, that he ought not to avaunt ne boast himself. And an unfitting and fowl custom it is a knight to be a vaunter, and much it may abate the loss of his bounty and semblably speaketh Plato. When thou dost, a thing better at one time than another eschew to avaunt the thereof. For thereby thy balour shallbe moche less. The lxiiii Allegory. THat he ought not for to be a pompous, nor avauntry of himself. We may say, that the good Sprite ought to keep him from vauntaunce. And there against speaketh (S. Augustyne, in the twelve Book of the City of GOD) That avauntaunce is no vice of man's lauding But it is a perfit vice of the soul, which loveth human praising and despiseth the very witness of his proper conscience. To this purpose sayeth the Sage. Quid prosint nobis superbia aut di●les●rum iartanti a quid contulit nobis. Sapien. v. ca The .lxv. History. The .lxv. Text. IF to thy mind, it be much pleasant Greatly to love, the deduyctes of chase Of Adonius, (at least,) be recordaunt From whom the wild Boor the life he did arase. The .lxv. Gloze. ADonius was a young man of moche amorous countenance and of great beauty, whom Venus loved paramours, but for so much as he delighted him moche in chaserye and hunting. Venus which doubted that evil might to him come thereof by some misadventure, many times prayed him to keep him well from chasing of great beasts, but to her advertisement Adonius took little regard, so in conclusion he was slain with a wild Swine. Therefore saith wisdom to the good knight, that if he will all games chase and hunt, that he keep him from such venorye, whereby evil may to him come. To this purpose saith Sed●chias the Prophet. That a king should not suffer his son to exercise over moche chasery ne otiosity. But he should cause him to be instruct in good manners, and to fly vanities. The .lxv. Allegory. WHere he ought to have remembrance of Adonius, it may be understand that if the good sprite have erred or transgressed in any manner, he ought to have remembraunnce of the peril of perseverance therein, for how the enemy hath great puissance upon sinners, saith s. Peter in his. i●. Epistle, that sinners been servants of corruption, and the enemy hath puissance upon them, for he that is surmounted and vanquished by another in battle, is become his servant or bondman. And sign of this, it is said in the Apocalypse. Data est bestie potestas in omnem 〈◊〉 s●um et populum. Apoca. xiii. ca The lxvi History. The lxvi Text. IF thine enemies upon thee, make assault Take heed, least thine own people, the annoy With them which thy City, would bring to default And take a good example, of the first Troy. The lxvi Gloze. When Hercules with a great foison of Greeks came upon the first Troy, and the king Leomedon had hard of their coming. Than he and all his people which he might have within the City Issued forth, and went against them at their landing, and there assembled and joined a right fierce battle, and the City was reversed and void of people. Than Thelamon and such other, as lay in an ambushment near the walls of the City, put themself within. And so was the first Troy taken. Therefore saith she to the good knight. That he take heed that by such a turn or conveyance he be not deceived of his enemies, and Hermes sayeth/ keep the fro the snare of thine Enemies. The lxvi Allegory. WHere he should keep him, if his enemies assail him/ that his City be not left void. It is to be noted that the good Sprite ought always to hold himself ceased, and replenished of virtue. And of this speaketh saint Augustyne. That in like wise as in time of war, the men of arms, disease not themself of their armours, nether despoil not by day neither by night, so during the time of this life present, they ought not to be despoiled of the virtues. For he whom the enemy findeth without virtues, is as he whom the adversary hath found with out armours. And therefore saith the Gospel. Hortis armatus custodit atrium suum. Luce. xi. capitulo. The lxvii History. The lxvii Text. BE not much assoted, ne set all thy joy In Orpheus harp, if thou wilt Arms frequent For no principal métier, thou haste not to employ Thy mind, to the sown, of any Instrument. The lxvii Gloze. Orpheus' was a Poet, and a fable saith that he could so well play upon the harp, that for to hearken the sown the running waters returned their course, the fowls of the air, the beasts savage, & the fierce serpents thereby forgot their cruelty, and stood still without moving to give advertence to the sown of his harp. So it is to be understand that so well he it swooned, that all people of each condition delighted them greatly to here the Poet playing. And for so moche as such Instruments assoten oftentimes the hearts of men, Prudence sayeth to the good knight, that over moche he ought not to delight him therein. In so much as it is not sitting to them that pursue chivalry, over moche to muse in Instruments, nor other in otiosity. To this purpose saith an authority: The sown of an Instrument is the snare of a Serpent: And Plato saith. He that hath set wholly his pleasance in carnal delights, is more bond than an slave. The lxvii Allegory. THe Harp of Orpheus, whereof he ought not to be assoted. We may take it that the good Espryte chevaulrous ought not to be assoted, neither to muse in any worldly company be they his Parents or other. saint Augustyne sayeth in his Book of the Syngularyte of Clerks. That the solatary is least pricked with the temptation of the flesh which haunteth not the frequentation of volupties. And lest ben they grieved with avarice, which never see the riches of the world. Therefore saith David. Vigilavi et factus sum sicut passer solitarius in tecto. The lxviii History. The lxviii Text. Upon lewd dreams, or of foolish illusion Edify no emprise or affair Be it right or be it wrong, it is but abusion And of thy brother Paris, make thine exemplary. The lxviii Gloze. FOr so moch as Paris had dreamed that he should go into Grece, for the accomplishment thereof, was prepared a great army & send fro Troy● into Grece where Paris ravished Helen. Wherefore for the amendment, of the same misdeed came after upon Troy all the power of Grece, which was than so great a country, that it extended unto the country which we call Poile and Calabre, or Italy. And than was it called little Grece, & of that country was Achilles & his myrrondonnes. This great quantity of people confounded & destroyed Troy & all the country adjacent. Therefore saith Othea to the good knight, that upon an avision he ought not to enterprise any great feat or affair, for thereby great evil and mischief may come to great furtherance, and that a great enterprise should not be done with out great deliberation of counsel saith Plato: do not that thing which thy sens or wit hath not afore proved. The lxviii Allegory. THat a great enterprise ought not to be put to perfection, for avision is that the good intent chivalrous aught in no wise to presume of himself, ne of himself to enhaunse in arrogancy for any grace that God hath to him given and s. Gregory saith in his morals, that there be four spies in whom all the production of arrogancy is showed, the first is when the goodness that they have, they repute it only of themself, the ●econde is when the goodness that they have, if they think that they have it of god, they think that they have well deserved it, & that they receive it for their merits or good deeds/ the third whā●hey vaunt themself to have that thyn●e which they have not. The fourth is when they dispraise other, by desire that people may know what goodness is in them. Against this vice speaketh the sage in his proverbs. Arrogantiam et superbiam et os bilingna ●etestor. Proverbiorum octavo capitulo. The lxix History. The lxix Text. IF thou have great delight in hawks or hounds fair Let Antheon, being so gentle of condition That became an Heart, vnt● thy mind repair And ever beware of damage in conclusion. The lxii Gloze. ANtheon was a young man mo●● curtoise and of gentle condicion● and greatly he loved hounds and hawks, and a fable saith that upon a 〈◊〉 he chased all alone in a thick forest wherre he had lost all his people, than Diane the gods of woods had chased in the forest to the hour of midday, she was so sore chafed and door, for the ardour and heat of the Son, that a great talon took her to bathe her in a fountain fair and clear which she there advised, and as she was all naked, enuyr●nned with Nymphs and Goddesses which served her. Antheon which took no heed thereof, came suddenly & unadvised where she was, and beheld the gods all mother naked, whose face (because of her great chastity of shamefastness) became all red, & great was she dolente, & than said she thus, for so moch as I know that young men vaunt them and make their communication of Ladies and damoiselles, to the end that thou shalt not vaunt the to have seen me naked, I shall take fro the, the puissance of speaking, and theirwth she accursed him. Than Antheon became a wild Hearts, and nothing remained to him of man's shape, but only his understanding: wherefore he full of dolour and of sudden dread went flying by the wood and so moche was he chased of his proper hounds & his own people which went by the forest searching for him, but now have they found him, but they can take of him no knowledge, so was Antheon attaint which afore his people wept, & there distilled from his eyen many great tears, and vountarily he would have cried them mercy if he might have spoken, and ever sithen have the Hearts wept at their death. There was Antheon slain and martyred with great dolour, by his own meany which in short space had him wholly devoured. Upon this fable may be made many divers expocisions, but to our purpose, it might be a young man which abandoned him to tally to ociosite and Idleness & dispended all his haviour and his chevisance for the delight of the body, & in deductes of chase, and thereto he kept Idle people and meany, by this may it be said that he was hated of Diane, which signifieth chastity, & devoured by his own people. Therefore will Prudence say to the good knight, that he beware to be surprised in like case. And thus saith one Sage. Ociosyte engendereth ignorance and error. The lxix Allegory. BY Antheon which was transmued to an Heart. we may understand the very penitent which was wont to be a sinner, now hath he mated & vanquished his proper flesh and made it subject and servant to the soul, and hath taken the estate of penance. S. Augustyne saith upon the Psalter, that penitence is a burden well easy and a light charge, and it ought not to be called the burden or charge of a man, but the wings of birds flying. For so as the birds bear the charge of their wings in earth, and their wings bear them into the air. So if we bear upon the earth the charge of penitence, it shall bear us right up into heaven. To this purpose saith the Gospel. Penitentiam agite appropinquabit cuim regnum celorum. Mathei tercio capitulo. The lxx History. The lxx Text. GO not to the gates of iron leading to pain Of Hell/ for to go seek, Erudicen the gay Orpheus with his Harp, very little did gain As I in Books have red, and also hard men say. The lxx Gloze. Orpheus' the Poet, which so well harped. A fable saith that he married the fair Erudice. But the day of their marriage, she went walking in a meadow bare foot for the heat of the wether. Than an heard coveted that fair, and her to have enforced, he put himself to run, and she which fled afore him for fere, was stung upon the heel with a serpent which was hid under the grass, whereof the maid was deed within a little term. Greatly dolent was Orpheus of this evil adventure, than took he his harp and went him to the gates of iron, in the vale tenebrous afore the infernal palace, and there began to herpe a right piteous lay, and to sing so sweetly that all the torments of hell were appeased thereby, and all the offices infernal were ceased for to give advertence to the sown of his harp, and especially Proserpina gods of hell, was moved with great pity. Than Pluto, lucifer, Cerberus, and Acaron, which saw that for the herper all the offices of infernal pains were ceased and still, yielded unto him his wife, by such condition so that he should go afore and she after, without turning him backward or else he should lose her without ever to recover her. But as soon as they were Issued forth of that obscure lake, he which greatly loved her might not refrain to return his face to regard his love, and forthwith Erudyce departed and fled again from him into hell, and never might he have her again. This fable may be understand in divers manners, and it may be that one had his love taken from him & after rendered to him again, and sithen he lost her again●e or it may be a castle, or another thing. But to our purpose it may be said, that well he seeketh Erudice in hell which seeketh a thing impossible to be had, ne to recover such a thing a man ought not to take melancholy. The same saith Solin. Great folly it is to seek that thing, which is impossible for to be had. The lxx Allegory. THat he ought not to go to seek Erudice in hell. we may understand that the good sprite ought not to pray or require of God, a thing miraculous which is said to tempt God. And s. Augustyne saith upon the Gospel of s. john that the request which the creature maketh to God, is not exalted nor hard, when he requireth a thing that he may not do himself, or that ought not to do or a thing wherein he should misuse himself, if it were to him granted. Or a thing which might hurt his soul if it were hard & exalted. And therefore it cometh of the mercy of god if he give not to the creature the things wherein he knoweth he should misuse. To this purpose saith s. james the apostle in his Epistle. Petitis er non accipilis eo ꝙ male petatis. jacobi. iiii. capitulo. The lxxi History. The lxxi Text. TO know a perfit knight if thou wilt assay When he within a Cloister/ is enclosed The proese which did, Achilles by wray Shall teach thee, the manner/ if that thou be disposed. The lxxi Gloze. AChylles, (so saith a Fable,) was son to the Goddess Thetis, and because she knew as a gods that if her son haunted arms he should be slain in battle, she that loved him of great and perfit love, clothed him in the vesture of a maid, and did him to be bailed as a Nun in the Abbay of the Gods vesta, long was Achilles there kept secret, that he was near at his full growing. And the fable saith that he there engendered Pyrrus which afterward was moche chivalrous by the daughter of king ystrus. Than began the great wars of Troy, and the Greeks knew by their sorcery and answers of their Gods, that it was necessary for them to have Achilles, all about was he sought, but tidings of him might not be hard. Vlyxes which was replenished of great subtelty and malice, sought in every place, so came he to the Temple, but when he might not have any perceivaunce of the verity he advised him of a great cautel: than Vlyxes took small rings, wimples, rich girdles, fair books, & precious jewels, for Ladies, & therewith he took Armours fair & quaint for knights, so cast he all in mydward of the place in presence of the Ladies, & said, the eachone should take that thing that was most to her pleasance, and than (as each thing draweth to his nature) the Ladies ran to the fair & pleasant jewels and Achilles took the armours, & than ran Vlixes him to embrace, and said that he was the same whom he sought and for so much that knights ought to be more enclyded to arms than to other quayntyses, pretty japes and jewels which appertain to ladies, the authority saith, that by this mean may a man know the very knight. To this purpose saith Legmon, the knight is not known, but by armours, & Hermes saith: prove the men afore thou have in them over great affiance. The lxxi Allegory. WHere the authority saith that if he will know a perfit knight he must assay as did Vlyxes. We may say it that the knight of jesus christ aught to be known by armours of good operations and that such a knight hath the salayre and wage due to the good, saith S. Hierome, that the justice of God, as it leaveth none evil deed unpunished, also it leaveth no good deed unrewarded. So unto the good men ought no labour to seem hard ne no time long when they attend and await for the glory perdurably, for their huyre and salayre. Therefore sayeth the holy scripture. Confortamini et non dissoluantur manu●/ vestre erit enim merces operi vestro. sedi paralipomenon xu ca The lxxii History. The lxxii Text. strive not with Athalenta, her to over go For she hath more talon, than thou to run fast (For why,) she hath good métier, so for to do And unto such a course, thou no métier haste. The lxxii Gloze. AThalenta was a Nymph of moche great beauty, but hard was her destiny, for by her many lost their life. This damosyll for her great beauty was of many coveted, to be had in marriage, but such an edycte or proclamation was made that no man should have her except that he her vanquished by running, and if she him vanquished he should lose his life, and by this mean many were put to death, this course may be understand in many manners. And it might be some thing that much was coveted of many men, but which out great travail it might not be had, the course that she made, may be the defence or resistance of the thing, & especially this fable may be noted of many that make great strife without necessity. So will the authority say, that with a man hard courageous & a great striver, he ought to take no cure as to strive over much for things unprofitable which be not touching his honour, or by the which he might endamage himself, for many great evils have many times ensued by such strife. And Thesybelle saith Thou oughtest to do that thing which is most profitable to the body and most convenable to the Soul, and to refuse the contrary. The lxxii Allegory. BY that, that he shall not strive with Athalenta. We may understand 〈◊〉 the good sprite ought not to impeach himself of any thing that the world doth nor in what governance it be, & of this saith S. Augustyne in an Epistle, that the world is more perilous when it is sweet unto creatures, than when it is asper & sharp, howbeit a man than seeth himself more grieved & ought less● to impeach him or be abashed, and less when he draweth men to his love, than when he giveth occasion to be despised To this purpose saith john the evangelist in his first Gospel. Si quis diligit mundum non est caritas patris in eo. primo Iohan. two. ca The lxxiii History. The lxxiii Text. IN judgement like Paris, no sentence out cast For thereby some men, endure great damage By evil sentence, granted in haste Many men have received, an evil wage. The lxxiii Gloze. A Fable saith that three Goddesses of great puissance that is to know Pallas the Gods of knowledge and science: juno Gods of riches and haviour: and Venus Gods of love and jolite. Came afore Paris holding an apple of gold, that was written with these words (be it given to the fairest Of this apple was great discord, fo● eachone of the Goddesses said that sh● ought to have it, so were they put upon Paris for judgement of the discord Paris would first diligently inquire o● the force of each of them by themselves And than said Pallas I am god's o● ●nyghthod and of sages, & by me are departed arms unto knights, and science unto clerks, & if thou wilt give me the apple, know thou that I shall make the chivalrous and knightly above all other, and all other to excel in all sciences. After said juno gods of riches, and seygnoury, by me are departed and given the great treasures to the world, and if thou wilt give me the apple I shall make the rich & puissant, more than any other. thirdly spoke Venus by much amorous words & said I am she that uphold the school of amours love, and jolite, which have the puissance to make the fool sage, & the sage foolish, the rich I may make pauronnyers and beggars, and make rich them that been exiled and in poverty, and (shortly to conclude) there is no puissance that ought to be compared unto mine, and if thou wilt give me the apple, the love of fair Helen of Grece shallbe (by my mean) to the given which may be unto the much more of valour than all other riches. And than Paris gave his sentence & renounced knighthood wisdom and riches, for Venus to whom he gave the apple, for which encheason Troy was after destroyed. So is it to be understand, for so moch as Paris was not chivalrous, and that he took no cure of great science, but on love set all his intent, therefore to Venus he gave the golden apple. And therefore saith prudence to her own knight Hector, & to all good knights the semblably they ought not to do. And Pitagoras saith. The judge which giveth judgement unjustly deserved all evil. The lxxiii Allegory. Parish that judged foolishly, is that the chivalrous knight of jesus christ ought to keep him fro giving judgement upon another. Of this speaketh s. Augustyne against thee, that two things there be which we ought especially to eschew, judgement of another principally, for we know not of what courage been the deeds that they have done, which to condemn this great presumption, so we ought to take and construe them to the better party. secondarily for we know not, ne be not certain what they shall be, which now been good or evil. To this purpose sayeth our Lord in the Gospel. Nolite judicare et non indicabimini inquo enim judicio indicaveritis/ indicabimini. seprimo. capitulo. The lxxiiii History. The lxxiiii Text. IF great Fortune listeth, to take the to her grace Unto her promises, have thou none affiance For in a moment, she changeth her face And such as sit highest, fall lowest sometime by chance. The lxxiiii Gloze. FOrtune after the manner of the speaking of Poetes may well be called the great Gods, for by her we see the course of all worldly things to be governed and because she promiseth to many enough of prosperity, and giveth it in deed to some creatures, and sithen taketh it fro them again in a moment of an hour, at her pleasure. Therefore saith the authority to the good knight that he ought not to affy him in her promises, ne to discomfort him in her adversities or contraryties, Socrates saith. The circuytes or wheels, of fortune be as engines to take fishes. The lxxiiii Allegory. BY this that is said that he ought not to aff●e him in fortune, we may understand that the good spirit ought to fly, and despise the delices of the world. Of this speaketh Boere in his third book of consolation. That the felicity of Epicures, or of them that have the conveyance of all mundane delectation, aught to be called infylycitie. For this is the plain and perfayte felicity that man may make to himself, to be suffisant/ puissant/ reverend/ solemn/ and joyous/ which conditions give not these things where in the mundane or worldly people set all their feylycties. And therefore sayeth GOD, by the Prophet Esay. Popule meus qui te beatam dicunt ipsei te decipiunt. The .lxxv. History. The .lxxv. Text. War if thou wilt move/ emprise or advance Make not of Paris, thy principal capitain (For why,) he knoweth better the conveyance Helen to embrace, betwixt his arms twain. The .lxxv. Gloze. Parish was not much apt in his conditions to arms, but all wholly to the Trojans and conceits of Venus, and therefore saith the authority to the good knight that he should not make captain of his host or of his battles a knight not conditioned to arms. And therefore saith Aristotle to Alexandre, thou oughtest to establish & make Connestable of thy chivalry, him whom thou feelest and perceivest sage, and expert in arms. The .lxxv. Allegory. THat he ought not to make Paris heed of his wars, is that the good spirit going to the only chivalry of heaven, ought wholly to be substract & as deed to the world, and to have most elevate the life contemplative, and s. Gregory saith upon ezechiel that the life contemplative by good right is preferred and set above the active life, as she that is more dign & more great, for the active life travaileth herself in the labour of this life present, but the contemplative life beginneth now to taste the savour of the repose & rest that is to come. Therefore of Mary magdalen (by whom contemplation is figured) saith the gospel. Optimam partem elegit sibi maria que non auffetetur ab ca ineternum. Luce. x. ca The lxxvi History. The lxxvi Text. TO watch or espy, set not thy busy cure But evermore hold forth, thy right voyage The wife of Loath, shall give the such nurture And of Shafalus, which chased beasts Savage. The lxxvi Gloze. CEphalus was an ancient knight And a fable saith that all his life he took great delectation in the deduyctes of hunting and venory, and marvelously well he had the experience & feat of casting a Iau●iot that he had which had such a property that never was it cast in vain, & it slew all that it might attain and because he was accustomed to rise early upon the morrow to go to the forest to watch the beasts savage, his wife was in great jalousy that he had been amorous upon another than her, and for to know the verity she went upon a morrow after him to watch and advise his deed. Shafalus being in the wood, hard the leaves of a bush move & make noise wherein his wife was hid, and he supposing that it had been a wild beast, cast, (therewith,) his javelot, which attained his wife and so was she slain, much dolent was Shafalus of this misadventure. But remedy might none be set. The wife of Loth (as witnesseth holy scripture) returned her face aback, against the commandment of the Angel, when she heard the five Cities founder behind her, & therefore incontinent was she turned into a salt stone. And as all things ben figured, here might be enough of entendementes, but (for to take truth for an example) no good man ought to delight him in watching an other in a thing which ought not to pertain to him, & how no man would be watched saith Hermes, do thou to thy companion no more than thou wouldest that he should do to the ne be not in will to lay snares for to take men, ne to purchase their damage nor dishonour by deceit nor cautel, for in conlusyon it may turn on thyself. The lxxvi Allegory. THat he ought not to take cure of watching any man, may be understand that the good spirit ought not to take pain to know the deed of another ne to inquire novels or tidings of another. And s. Iohn chrysostom saith upon the Gospel of s. Mathe, how (saith he) in the deeds of another seest thou so many of little defaults, and in thy proper deeds sufferest to overpass so many of great defaults. If thou love thyself better than thy neighbour, for what intent dost thou impeach the of his deeds & takest no regard nor cure to thine own. Be diligent first to consider thine own deeds, and after consider the deeds of another. To this purpose saith our Lord in the Gospel. Quid autem vides fes●ucam in oculo feateis tui? trabem autem in oculo suo non vides. Mathei. seven. capitulo. The lxxvii History. The lxxvii Text. DEsprayse not the counsel of Helenus the sage But by mine advise, give unto him advertence For often or this time, hath happened great damage To the sage for giving, no credence. The lxxvii Gloze. Helenus' was brother to Hector, & son to Priam, and he was a moche sage clerk & full of science, so he discounsayled and withstood in as much as he might the voyage of Paris his brother into Grece to ravish the fair Heleyne. Howbeit, yet no credence was to him given, whereof great damage came after to the Trojans. Therefore saith Othea to the good knight, that men ought to give credence to the sage and to his counsel, and Hermes saith that he which honoureth the sage and useth their counsel, is perpetual. The lxxvii Allegory. Helenus' that discounsayled the war, is ●hat the good sprite ought to eschew the temptations, and s. Hierome saith, that the sinner hath no excusation which suffereth himself to be surmounted by temptation, for the enemy is there in so foeble that he may none surmount but only him which is recreant and yieldeth himself unto him wilfully. And to this saith saint Paul the Apostle. Hidelis deus qui non patietur vos temptati supra id quod potestis: sed faciet etiam cum exultatione proventum ut possitis sustinere. Primo ad Corinthios ten capitulo. The lxxviii History. The lxxviii. Text. Rejoice the not to much, ne be dismayed By night, for fantastic avisyons Of Morpleus which massagier is said Of GOD, and showeth the sleper illusions. The lxxviii Gloze. MOrpleus (so saith a fable) is son and messenger to god sleeping, & he is god of Swevyns and caused avisyons, & because that dreaming is a thing much troublous and obscure and sometimes signifieth nothing, & sometime signifieth all the contrary to that thing that a man meeteth of, ne there is none so sage that can properly speak thereof, what soever the expositors say. Othea saith to the good knight that he not to rejoice nor yet to trouble esmay him self for any such avisyons whereof no man may declare a certain signification ne ●o what end they should turn & specyal●y how one ought not to trouble ne rejoice himself of the jests of fortune, which been transitory saith Socrates Thou that art a man oughtest not to rejoice nor trouble thyself for any case. The lxxviii Allegory. WHere it saith that a man ought not overmuch to rejoice ne trouble him self for avisions, we shall say that the spiritual knight ought not over moche to rejoice him ne trouble for any case, that may to him come. And that he ought to bear the tribulation patiently saith s. Augustyne upon the Psalter, fair son (saith he) if thou weep for the evil that thou feelest, weep under the correction of thy father, if thou complain the of tribulations which come upon the take heed that thou do it not by indignation and pride, for the adversity which God sendeth unto thee, is to the a medicine and not pain, it is to the chastysment and not damnation, redoubt thou not in any wise the road or yard of thy father if thou be in will that he shall not extremely abject the from his heritage, and think thou it no pain that thou haste in suffering his scourge, but consider, what place thou haste in his Testament. To this purpose saith the Sage. Esse quod t●bi applicatum fuerit acci●e et in dolor●m sustine et in humilitate parientiam habe. Ecclesiastici two. ca The lxxix History. The lxxix Text. TO go by See, when thy conclusion is Or perilous voyage to take/ art disposed Of Alchione, believe the admonytions iwis By whom of Ceys, the death may be exposed. The lxxix Gloze. CEys was a king a much prudent and worthy man and greatly loved of Alchione his queen, devotion took this king to go by see, upon a perilous passage. In time of tempest, he put himself upon the see, but Alchione his wife which perfitly loved him of great love put her in great pain to destourne him fro that voyage and in great weepings and tears she prayed him much thereof, but for her might be set no remedy nor to go with him he would not suffer her which she would have done to what end somever fortune should them bring and she put her within the ship, to be part with him, but the king Ceys her recomforted, and by force did her to remain, whereof she was much anguishous. & dolent, for she was in over great torment & thought because that Colus God of wind moved sore the see raised the walues in height with the wan water. Ceys the king within few days after perished in the see, whereof when Alchione knew the adventure she cast herself also into the see, and there was trenched. But the fable saith that the Gods had thereof pity, & transmued the bodies of these two lovers into two birds to th'end that of their great love should be had in perpetual memory. So fly they yet unto this present day upon the see, the same birds been called Alcionees, & their feathers been all white and when the mariners see them come then they been in certain that they shall have tempest. The right exposition may be that two lovers loved each other, in semblable manner in marriage whom the Poet hath compared to the said birds. So will Prudence say that the good knight ought not to put him upon perilous voyage without the counsel of his good friends, & Assalon saith. The wise man enforceth himself to put damage far from him, & the fool taketh upon him great pain to find it. The lxxix Allegory. THat he ought to believe Alchione/ is if the good Sprite be by evil temptation impeached with any error or doubt in his thought that he ought to put him upon the opinion of the church. And s. Ambrose saith in the second book of offices, that he is enraged and mad, which despiseth the counsel of the Church. For joseph aided moche more profitable the king Pharaon by the counsel of his prudence than if he had given him of money, for money should little have provided for the famine of the realm of Egipte, as did the counsel of joseph that set remedy against the famine of Egipte by the space of certain years. And therefore conclude thou to believe counsel and thou shalt not repent. To this purpose saith the sage Solomon in his proverbs, in the person of the Church. Custodi legem meam atque consilium o● erit vita anime cue. Prouerb●orum. lil. ca The lxxx History. The lxxx Text. TO the counsel of a child, give no credence And Troilus thy brother, into thy mind retain Believe the ancient, that have good experience And that know of arms, the charge, pleasure, and pain. The lxxx Gloze. When the king Priam had redefied Troy, which for the cause of the villainy done to them which went into Colchos, had been destroyed, than of his destruction would Priam take vengeance than assembled he his counsel where were many Barons high and wise to know if it were good that Paris his son should go into grece, to ravish He lain in exchange of exione his sister that had been taken by Thelamon ajax and brought in servage. But all the wise barons accorded that he should not go because of the Prophecies & scriptures which said that by such ravishment Troy should be destroyed, than Troilus being a child & youngest of the sons of Priam said, that a man ought not to believe in counsel of war the vyllectes & ancient men which by recreandise counsel rest & peace, so counseled he all contrary, than was the counsel of Troilus holden, whereof great evil ensued. Therefore saith she to the good knight that to the counsel of a child the naturally is of light & small consideration, he ought not to hold nor give credence. Of this saith an authority, the realm is not inquiet of whom the prince is a child. The lxxx Allegory. TO the counsel of a child ought not the good spirit to accord, and that is to understand his counsellor ought not to be ignorant but knowing & well learned & instruct, so that he may be profitable to his health, & against the ignorants saith s. Augustyne. Ignorance is a right evil mother, & hath two as evil daughters, that is falsehood and doubtance, the first is myschant, the second is miserable, the first is mor● vicious, but the two is more grievous, & these twain ben extinct and quenched by sapience. Of this saith the Sage. Sapientiam preter euntes non tantum in hoc lapsi sunt ut ignorent bona: sed insipientie sue celiquerunt hominibus memoriam. Sapie. v. ca The lxxxi History. The lxxxi Text. OF Calcas and his complices have dysdayen Of whom the malice, and falseness infinite Indurable realms, and empires betrayhen In all the world, nys people more to wite. The lxxxi Gloze. LAncas was a subtle clerk of the city of Troy, & when the king Priam knew that the Greeks came upon him which a great host, he send Calcas in to the isle of Delphos to their god damn, Apollo Delphicus, how it should be of the war, and to what conclusion ●t should turn, but after the answer of the god (which said that after ten years the Greeks should have the victory.) Calcas returned him towards the Greeks and him acqueinted with Achilles which was coming into Delphos for the same cause, and with him he returned towards the Greeks, whom he helped and aided with his counsel, against his proper City, and many times after he desturued and letted the peace to be made betwixt the Greeks and the Trojans, & because he was a traitor, the authority saith to the good knight that such subtle & evil persons he ought to hate, for their treasons made by many sleights, cautels, & frauds, may much endamage realms and empires and all people. Therefore saith Plato, the subtle enemy poor & not puissant, may more grieve, than the rich, the puissant, and them that been without knowledge. The lxxxi Allegory. CAlcas which ought to be hated, may be understand that the good sprite, the knight of jesus christ ought to hate & eschew all malice and frauds against his neighbour, and in no wise he ne aught thereto to consent, and s. Hierome saith. That the traitor adoulteth ne maketh debond are ne friendful himself, neither for famyliarite of company, ne for prevyte of eating and drinking, ne for grace of services, ne for plenty of benefits, or good deeds. And of this vice said saint Paul the Apostle. Erunt homines elati cupidi superbi proditores proterni tumidi. two. Ad thimote. three ca The lxxxii History. The lxxxii Text. TO grant that thing, be never dangerous Which thou mayest employ, without vytuperation And make the a mirror, of Hermophroditus Which damage received, for his denegation. The lxxxii Gloze. HErmophroditus was a young man of great beauty. A Nymph was greatly surprised with the love of him in no wise he would love her again, and over all she him pursued, to have purchased his love, so much that upon a time the young man was much weary, for the chase wherein he had all the day travailed, than arrived he at the fountain of Salenaxis, where was a fair slagne or standing water clear & burbling than he took talon therein to bathe him he despoiled him of his clothes, and put himself into the water, when the Nymph saw him all naked, she despoiled her of all her habiliments and attires and leapt after him into the water, and begun to embrace the young man by great love, but he being full of felony debouted and cast her from him by great rudeness, & for any prayer that she might make she might not molyfie his heart, than which great volent prayed the Nymph unto the gods that she should never departed but ever remain with her lover which so debouted her, the Gods graciously herd her devout Oraison, & set the two bodies of them twain in one, which had two sexes or kinds, that is to wit, of the man and woman. This fable may be understand in many manners, and as the clerks & subtle Philosophers have obumbred and shadowed their great secrets under the coverture of fables, here may be understand a sentence appertaining to the science of Astronomy & Arsmetrike as say these masters, and for so moch as the matter of love is more delectable to here than other, they made commonly their fyctions upon love for to be more delectable & especially to rude people which take nothing thereof but the skin or outward parts, and to them that ben subtle is more agreeable to taste and such the liquor thereof. But to our purpose we may understand that it is a fowl detestable and villain thing to refuse or grant with danger that thing which should turn to no vice, ne by the granting whereof should come no prejudice to the granter, & Hermes saith, make thou no tarrying to put in execution, that thing which thou oughtest to do. The lxxxii Allegory. THe good spirit ought not to be hard or dangerous to grant a thing where he seeth that there is necessity but to comfort the needy to his power (as saith saint Gregory in his morals) that when we will comfort the sorrowful in heaviness we must first sorrow with him, for he may not properly recomfort the dolent or sorrowful which accordeth not to his dolour. For like as a man may not join two pieces of iron togethers, but if both twain be heated, chafed, and mollified with the fire also we may not redress the heaviness of another, except that our heart be molyfied and made soft by compassion. To this purpose saith the holy scripture. Confortate manus dissolutas er genua debuta ●●bozate. Esais. xxxv. ca The lxxxiii History. The lxxxiii Text. Thou mayest esbatre, and take thy delectation At place and at time, in Vlyxes plays For they be subtle, and of honest recreation In the time of truce, and in the feestfull days. The lxxxiii gloze. VLyxes was a Baron of Grece, of great subtelty, and in time of the long siege afore Troy, that endured ten years in all the days when truce was taken he contrived and found plays, and pastimes much subtle & fair, for the knights to esbatre, play and disport the time of their sojourning, and some men say that he found the play of the Chess, & other semblable games to pass the time, & Solin saith, every thing subtle & honest, is allowed to be done. The lxxxiii Allegory. THe plays of Vlixes may be understand that when the spirit chivalrous shallbe weary of praying adorning, and to be in contemplation he may well of batre and take his deduyctes in reading holy scripture: for (as saith S. Hierome in his morals) the holy scripture is proposed and set open to the eyen of our heart, as a mirror, to the end that we may see therein the face of our Lord, there may we see the ardour and vyletie that is in us, there may we see in what manner we profit, and how far we be from profiting. To this purpose saith our Lord in the Gospel. Scrutatis scripturas in quibu● putatis vttame e●ernam habere. Iohan. v. ca The lxxxiiii History. The lxxxiiii Text. IF with cupido, thou ever be attaint And give to him thine heart, steadfast as stone Beware with Bryseyde, the for to acquaint For she hath the heart, now here, and now gone. The lxxxiiii Gloze. BRyseyde, (whom master Chaucer calleth Cressayde, in his Book of Troilus) was a damosel of great beauty, and yet was more quaint mutable & of vagaunt conditions. Troilus the youngest son of Priam (which greatly was replenished of knightly prowess, great beauty & gentleness) loved her of great and perfit love, & she gave him her love and promised him for ever so to continue, and never to false ne withdraw it. Calcas father to the damosel, which by science knew the Troy should be destroyed did so moche that his daughter was yielded and so brought forth of the City unto him in exchange of antenor, and so was she brought to him, great was the dolour of the two lovers at their departing, nevertheless within short time Diomedes which was a great Baron of the Greeks and a much valiant knight, acqueynted him wi●h Briseyde, and did so much by his purchase that she granted him her love and utterly she put in oblivion her lover Troilus. For so moch as Bryseyde was so light of courage. Othea saith to the good knight, that (if he will give his heart) beware to acqueynt him which a lady semblable to Briseyde, and Hermes saith, keep the out of the company of the evil, that thou be not as one of them. The lxxxiiii Allegory. BRiseyde of whom he ought to eschew the acquaintance, is vainglory wherewith the good knight ought in no wise to acqueynt him, but to fly it to his no were, for it is very light & cometh suddenly: S. Augustine saith upon the Psalter, that he which hath well learned & essayde by experience to surmount & overcome the degrees of vices, is come to knowledge that vainglory is a sin that most specially is to be eschewed of perfit men, for it is among all sins, it is most strong to be vanquished. Therefore saith saint Paul the Apostle. Qiu gloriatur in dno glorietur. two. ad corin. The lxxxv. History. The lxxxv. Text. TO Achilles take thou good heed upon After that thou shalt have, Patroclus slain For (trust me well) them two been both as one And have their goods common, betwixt them twain. The lxxxv. Gloze. Patroclus' and Achilles, were fellows together and so perfect friends and lovers, that never two brethren loved better each other, and they & their good were as one only & proper thing, and because that Hector slew Patroclus in battle, therefore came the great hate of Achilles upon Hector. But because he much doubted his great puyssaunte and force, he never ceased to watch him to th'intent to run upon him being discovered by treason. So sayeth Othea to Hector as by prophecy of this that was to come that when he should have slain Patroclus it was needful to keep him from Achilles. And it is to be understand, that what man soever hath slain or misdone to the loyal fellow of another, that his fellow being a live, will take vengeance thereof, if he may. Therefore saith Madarge. In what place soever thou be with thine enemy, hold him ever for suspect, although that thou be stronger than he. The lxxxv. Allegory. WHere it is said that when he should have slain Patroclus, he should have ever a good eye upon Achilles, we may understand that if the good sprite suffer himself to incline to sin he ought to doubt the death everlasting, and (as saith job) the life present is but a chivalry and insygne thereof, this present life is called melitant to the difference of the life above, which is called triumphant, for that hath the victory of Enemies. To this purpose saith saint Paul the Apostle. Induite do armatur a dei ut possitis st●re ad●●●sus insidi●s diaboli, Ad ephesi. vi. ca The lxxxvi History. The lxxxvi Text. GLadly to Echo, her requests at troye Be thou not in will, her plaints to augment If thou have power, to set her heart in joy Thou knowest not what Fortune is unto the lente. The lxxxvi Gloze. ECho (so saith a fable) was a Nymph, & because that she was wo●t to be over great a jangleres & by her jangling accused juno, that upon a day she watched her husband by jalousy, she ram in the indignation of the god's, which said that from thenceforth she should never spe●e first any word to such time as another had spoken it afore Echo was amorous upon the fair Narcisus but for any prayer or sign of amity that she might to him, he deigned not to have upon her pity, in so much that the far Echo died for his love, but in dying she prayed to the gods that she might be venged upon him, in whom she had sound so much of cruelty & that they would give him to feel the amorous pancture or pricking of love whereby he might know the great dolour that the perfit & fine lovers have, which of love been refused, & thereof behoveth to take their death, therewith finished Echo her life but the voice of her remained which yet doth endure, and the gods made her everlasting memory of ●his adventure and yet she giveth answer to the people in valleys, & upon rivers after the voice of 〈◊〉 her, but she may never speak first Echo may signify a● son, that by great necess●t●e, requireth a thing of another: the voice that did remain, is that the people suff●yng pain or disease think the time long enough, how short so it be, & they may not speak but after another, that is the● may not help themself without the aid of another. Therefore well Othea say to the good knight that he ought to have pite upon such as suffer wh●̄ they 〈…〉 any thing of him, 〈…〉 y ● ●yll well keep the 〈…〉 to aid 〈◊〉 fren●● 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 to 〈◊〉 them suf●●e, to be 〈…〉 to 〈◊〉 y● right is to his 〈…〉 ●rom all vices & 〈◊〉. The lxxxvi Allegory. ECh● which ought not 〈…〉 her request denied, we may understand mercy, which the good spirit ought to have in him, and s., Augustyne saith in his book of the sermon of our lord in the mountain, that blessed been they which voluntarily secure in this pefent life them that ben in misery, for they deserve well that the mercy of god deliver them fro their miseries, & it a just & rightwise thing that he which would be aided by his sovereign that is more puissant than he, in like wise that he help such as be lesse thanne in the thing wherein he is more puissant Therefore saith the sage. Qui pronue est ad in am benedictive. Pro. x●ii. ca The lxxxvii History. The lxxxvii Text. OF the Laurier if that thou set thine intent To have a crown, which vaineth more than gold Daphne to pursue, to the is congruent Than shalt thou it have, if thou her right path hold. The lxxxvii Gloze. A Fable saith that Daphne was a damosel whom Phoebus loved by love, & much her pursued, but in no wise she would to him accord. It befell upon a day that he saw the fair maid going by the way, & when she saw him come, she took her to sty, and the god after, and when he was so near that she saw well she might not escape, she made her prayer to Diane gods of chastity that she would save unto her poor maid the virginity of her body, & continent was the body of the Pucell transmued in to a green Laurier, & when Phoebus was approached thereto, he took of the brannches of the tree a made him thereof a champlet in sign of victory. And ever sithen unto this day; hath a chapiet of Laurier signified victory, and specially in the time of the great felicity of the Romans they crowned ever with Laurier the victorious. Many entedementes may be had of this fable, & it may be that a pu●●saunt man pursued with long travail a lady, in so moch that v●de● a Laurier he at feigned her to his pleasure, and for the cause he loved the Laurier ever after, & bore it in devise and speech in sign of vitory that he had of his love under the Laurier, and the Laurier may be taken for gold, which signifieth nobles, & because that the Laurier signifieth honour, she saith to the good knight that it is convenient for him to pursue Daphne if he w●ll ha●● 〈◊〉 of Laurier, that is to understand he must pursue pain, and travail if he w●l come to honour. To this purpose saith Omere, by great diligence cometh a man to perfection. The lxxxvii Allegory. IF he will have a Crown of Laurier, it behoveth him to pursue Daphne, by this we may understand, that if the good sprite will have glorious victory, him behoveth good perseverance which shall bring him to the victory of Paradise. Whereof the joys been infinite, (as saith saint Gregory.) What is (saith he) the tongue that sufficeth to recount, and what is the endemente that may comprehend how great been the joys of this sovereign City of Paradise? to be each day present with the order of Angels, to be assisting with the blessed spirits, in the glory of the maker. To regard & behold presently the visage of God. To see the light incircumscriptible. To be sure never to have dread of death, to rejoice himself in the rest of everlasting incorruption. To this saith David in the Psalter. Gloriosa dicta sunt de te●ciuitas dei. The lxxxviii History. The lxxxviii Text. OF Andrometha thy wife/ I shall make mention By that vision, to be advertised Refuse not all, in thine intention Ne of none other women, that well ben apprised. The lxxxviii Gloze. ANdrometha was wife to Hecto● and the night afore that he wa● slain came an avision to the lady tha● if upon the day ensuing, Hector wen● to battle, without fail he should be slain whereof Andrometha with great sighs and wepyngꝭ did her power that he should not go into battle, but he would not give credence unto her, & so was he slain. Therefore saith Othea that the good knight ought not fully to dispraise the avisions of his wife, that is to understand the counsel and advice of his wife if she be sage & well conditioned, & Plato saith, thou shouldest not dispraise the counsel of a little person, which is sage, for though it so be that thou be old have thou no shame to take the advice which a child showeth unto thee, for some time the ignorant may advise the sage. The lxxxviii Allegory. THe avision of Andrometha which should not be dispraised is that the good spirit ought not to adnichille & set at nought the good purpose that the holy ghost hath put in his heart, but he ought anon to put it to effect after his power of this saith s. Gregory, that the good spirit to have us to do well admonesteth us, moveth us, & ensigneth us, he admonesteth our memory, he moveth our will he ensigneth & teacheth our intendment the sprite doulce and sweet, suffereth no spot of maculation to remain within the habitation of the heart, wherein he him self inspireth, but in continent he burneth it with the fire of his subtle circumspection. Therefore saith S. Paul the Apostle. Spiritum nolite extinguere. Ad hebreos xi ca The lxxxix History. The lxxxix Text. IF that great war, upon the be surmised In force of Babyloyne, over moche the not affy For unto N●nus, the force so well sufficed That he it took no man might him deny. The lxxxix Gloze. BAbyloyne the great, which was edified by Nemdrothtite. Giant was the most strong city that ever was made, but that notwithstanding it was taken by the king Ninus. Therefore saith she to the good knight that he ought not over moche to affy him in the force of his City or cas●ello time of war, dut that he be we four●ayde of people at many as him behoveth, for convenable offence. And Plato saith, he that affyeth him all quelye in his force, is oftentimes vanquysshed. The lxxxix Allegory. IN the force of Babyloyne, no man ought not to affy himself overmuch that is that the good sprite ought not to set his trust, ne to give attendance for any thing that the world promiseth Of this saith s. Augustyne, in the bo●e of the singularity of clerks, that it is over lewd affyanunce, a man to repute his life sure, against the perils of this world, and foolish hope it is to suppose to be safe, amongs the morsures or bitings of sin, little certainty hath a man of victory, as long as he is amongs the darts of his Enemies, & he that is enuyrouned all about with hideous flames of fire is not delivered lightly without brenning. Believe in him that hath the experience, if the world laugh upon thee, have in him none affiance. In GOD set all thine hope. Therefore saith David. Bonum est confidere in domino, s● confidere in homine. The. lxxxx. History. The. lxxxx. Text. HEctor, me behoveth, with sighs despytuous Thy death to express, which doth my heart to breast Which shall to the fall, when of king Pryamus Thou wilt not obey the prayer, ne request. The. lxxxx. Gloze. THe day that Hector was slain in the battle. Andrometha his wife came to pray king Priam's with piteous and great complaints and weepings, that he should not suffer Hector to go in to battle, for without fail he should be slain if he thither went, for it was certainly showed unto her by Mars the god of battle, which in sleeping had appeared unto her. Priam's treated in as much as he might, and him greatly endeavoured to desturne him, so that he should not sight that day, but Hector stole himself privily from his father and went forth of the City, by a way made under the ground, and went in to battle, where he was slain. And so because that he had never disobeyed his Father, but only that day. She might well say that the day wherein he should disobey his Father, he should die, and it is for to be understand, that no man ought to disobey his good friends, when as they been sage. And therefore said Arystotle to Alexandre. As long as thou shalt believe the counsel of them which useth sapience, and that loveth the loyally, thou shalt reign victoriously. The. lxxxx. Allegory. WHere she saith to Hector that it behoveth her to show his death, is that the good sprite ought to have in continual memory, the hour of death (Of this sayeth S. barnard.) That nothing is found amongs the things human, more certain than the death, nor more uncertain than is the hour of death, for death hath no mercy of poverty, she beareth none honour to richesse, she spareth neither sapience, manners, nor age. Of the death no man hath other certainty, but that she standeth at the door of the ancient or old people, and to the young, she is in manner of an espy. To this purpose saith the Sage. Memor esto quoniam mors non tardabit. Ecclesiastici xiiii ca The. lxxxxi. History. The. lxxxxi. Text. YET the to make Sage, I shall do my best Take heed that in battle thou use not this conceit Of Arms to discover, thy body, ne thy breast Which unto death, may well be called a bait. The. lxxxxi. Gloze. HEctor in the battle was found dyscovert of his Arms, and so slain. Therefore saith Othea to the good knight that of his arms in battle he ought not to discover him, and Hermes saith the death is like to the stroke of an arrow, and the life is like to the arrow that is coming. The. lxxxxi. Allegory. WHere it is said that he ought to hold him covert of his arms, is to be understand that the good knight of jesus christ, aught to hold his wits close and not vagaunt. Of this saith s. Gregory in his morals, that the person which disperseth his wits is semblable to the jangler, which find no worse house than his own, therefore he is evermore forth of his house. So the man which holdeth not his wits close is ever wavering forth of the house of his conscience, and is as a place open so that a man may entre at all sides. Therefore saith our Lord in the Gospel. Clauso hostio ora patrem tuum in abscondito. Mathei. vi. ca The. lxxxxii. History. The. lxxxxii. Text. OF Polybetes, ne covet, also, but eschew The arms (for why) mischance is in them rooted For at the despoiling/ thy death shall ensue By him that doth follow, and hath the deed noted. The. lxxxxii. Gloze. POlybetes was a king much puissant, whom Hector had slain in battle, after many great feats that he had done that day, and because he was armed with much rich a precious armours, Hector did covet them greatly and inclined him upon the neck of his horse, for to despoil the Corpse. Than Achilles which followed behind his back, for to take him at his gre dyscoverte, struck him under his Armours. And at one stroke, cast him dead to the ground. Whereof it was great damage, for a more valiant knight never girded him with a sword: Of whom any Histories make mention. And that such covetise may be damageable in such a place it appeareth, by the said adventure. Therefore saith the Philosopher. covetise disordinate, bringeth a man to death. The. lxxxxii. Allegory. THat of Polybetes he should not covet the Arms. We may note that the good sprite ought not to have covetise of any worldly thing. For how it bringeth the soul to death (saith s. Innocent, in the Book of the vyletie of man's condition. That covetise is a fire, that is never saciat nor extinct, for the covetise person is never content having all the he desireth, for when he hath that which he first desired, he desireth ever more, always he established his conclusion in that thing which he looketh to have, and not in that which he hath. Avarice and covetise been two horse leches, which never seize to say (bring, bring.) And the more that the value of the money groweth, the more is augmented the love thereto. covetise is the way, of spiritual death: and many times of the death temporal. Therefore saith S. Paul the Apostle. Radix omnium malorum cupiditas est. Primo. Ad thimotheum vi ca The. lxxxxiii. History. The. lxxxxiii. Text. BE not surprised, with strange love, ne assoted As did Achilles, (regard ententyvelye) Which did suppose (as in folly adoced) His lover to make, of his greatest Enemy. The. lxxxxiii. Gloze. Achylles' assored him of the love of Polyxena the fair maid which was sister to Hector, & as he had seen her in the unyversarie of the obsequies of Hector, in time of truce, when many Greeks went into Troy, he was so moch surprised with her love, that in no wise he might endure. Therefore he send to queen Hecuba, that she would cause the marriage to be treated, and he should cause the wars to be ceased and the siege to depart, & for ever they should be friends, long time was Achilles without arming him against the Trojans because of this love, and great pain he took to cause the host to depart which he might not do, therefore was not made the marriage: After this Achilles slew Troilus which was so full of valour that he was well semblable to Hector his brother after his young age. Of this was so sorrowful the queen Hecuba, that she send unto him to come into Troy for the marriage to be entreated, & there was he slain. Therefore saith she to the good knight, that of strange love he ought not to assote him, for by far love have many evils happened. And therefore saith one Sage, when thine enemies may not revenge them, than is métier to keep well and watch thyself. The. lxxxxiii. Allegory. OF strange love the good Spirit ought not to assote him, that is to understand, he ought to love nothing except it come wholly of God, & ending in him, & every strange thing (that is to say the world) he ought to fly, and that the world is to be hated, saith s. Augustyne in exposing the Epistle of s. Iohn, the world passeth with all his concupiscence. Than, O thou man reasonable whether seemeth the better, to love the temporal, and to pass and slide away with the time: or to love jesus christ and to live perpetually with him. To this purpose saith s. Iohn in his first Epistle. Nolite diligere mundum nec● ca q̄ in mundo sunt. Primo. Iohan. two. ca The. lxxxxiiii. History. The. lxxxxiiii. Text. enterprise thou never, foolish arms in field To body, and soul, which peril doth purchase As (one arm bare) to fight (or without any shield) Of Ajax, take thou advertence in this case. The. lxxxxiiii. Gloze. Ajax was a knight of Grece moc● orguyllous and proud, but he was nevertheless a good knight of his hand, and by pride and fyexitie, he enterprised arms, and to fight with one arm bare, and discovered of his shield, so was he pierced, through and, through, and cast down dead. And therefore saith Othea to the good knight to do such arms is of no honour, but is reputed for folly, pride, and over much perilous, so saith Aristotle: many err and transgress by ignorance and default of knowledge and they know not what is to be done, ne what is to be refused, and other fail by pride and arrogancy. The. lxxxxiiii. Allegory. THat he ought not to enterprise foolish arms is that the good spirit ought not to affy him in his proper fragility, as saith s. Augustine in a sermon that no man ought to presume of his speech when he pronounceth a wonder, ne no man ought to affy him this strength when he suffereth temptation, for if we speak sagely our words come of God, & if we endure steadfastly temptation, the adversities come of god, & not of our patience. To this purpose saith s. Paul. H●duciam ta●em habemus per christum ad deum non ● sumus fucientes aliquid cogitare ex nobis/ tanquam●t nobis. Secundi ●d corinthios iii ca The. lxxxxv. History. The. lxxxxv. Text. THe traitor Antenor, exile and chase Which against his, Country hath purchased treason As a disloyal, scarioth judas So yield unto him his Huyre/ due to him by reason. The. lxxxxv. Gloze. Antenor was a Baron of Troy when it came to end of the grievous battles of Troy, the Greeks which had long holden the siege afore the city, knew not how to come to the mean to take the city, for it was of great strength, but by the exhortation of Antenor, for wrath that he bore to king Priam he exhorted them & said: how they should fain to make peace with the king, and by that way he himself should put them within the City & give to them passage, so was it done, whereby Troy was betrayed, and for so moch that to great was the treason and evilness of him, she saith to the good knight that all his semblables where he may them know he ought to chase and exile, for moche ben such people to be hated. Plato saith Baxate, is the capitain and governor of evil men. The. lxxxxv. Allegory. Antenor which ought to be chased, we may understand that the good sprite ought to chase fro him all thing whereby inconvenience might to him come. Of this saith s. Augustine, that he which is not diligent to eschew the inconveniences, is semblable to a butterfly, which turneth her so long about the fire of the Lamp, that her wings been brent, and thames she drowned in the oil, and the bird which flieth so long about the birdlime that at the last it is fastened in her feathers. Example of s. Peter which abode so long in the court of the prince of the law, that he fell in such inconvenience to deny his master. And Solomon saith. Huge a via malarum ne transeas pe●cam. Proverbiorum, iiii. ca The. lxxxxvi. History. The. lxxxxvi. Text. SVffre none offering to come to the Temple Of Myn̄erue/ by thine Enemies perjured Of the Horse of tree/ take thou good exemple If it had not been/ Troy had yet endure. The. lxxxxvi. Gloze. THe Greeks made a truce by faintise to the Trojans, by the treason of Antenor, they said they had avowed a gift to Minerva the gods which they would offer, and they caused to be made an horse of tree of marvelous greatness which was full of armed knights, and it was so great that it behoved to break the gate of the City, that they might enter, & upon wheels was set this horse which they drew unto the temple. And when the night was come, up start the knights and put themselves forth of the horse into the City, all the people they slew, brent, & destroyed, the city. Therefore saith Othea to the good knight, that in such fayntyse, nor such offering he ought not to affy him. To this purpose saith the sage, a man ought to doubt the subtleties & engines of his enemy if he be sage, & if he be a fool, his evilness. The. lxxxxvi. Allegory. BY the temple of minerve, we may understand the holy church, where ought not to be offered out orison, & s. Augustine saith in the book of faith, that without the company of our mother holy church any goodness may to no man profit, ne the works of mercy may be of no valour, ne the life perdurable be had, ne without the circuit of the church may be none health. Therefore saith David. Apud te laus mea in ecclesia magna. The. lxxxxvii. History. The. lxxxxvii. Text. IN strength of thy Castle, be not to much assured For Ylion, the strong castle/ and Thune Ben taken, and brent, though they were strongly mured All thing is betwixt, the hands of Fortune. The. lxxxxvii. Gloze. YLion was the master dungeon or strong hold of Troy, the strongest and the fairest, that ever was made/ whereof the Histories maketh mention but this notwithstanding it was taken, brent, and brought to nought, and also was the City of Thune, which was sometime a great thing, and for so moche as such cases do happen by the mutabylytie of Fortune. Prudence will say, that the good knight ought not to ●norguel ne to hold sure himself for any strength. Therefore saith Ptholomeus, of asmuch as signory or lordship is more high, of so moch is the reign or fall thereof more perilous. The. lxxxxvii. Allegory. THat he shall not trust to have a sure castle, we may understand that the good Sprite ought not to have regard to any delices. For the delices been transytoryous, not sure, but leading to damnation, saith saint Hierome. That it is impossible, that a person shall pass from delices to delices, as to go from the delices of this world, unto the delices of Paradise, that hear fulfilleth his belie, and there should fill, and satisfy his soul. For the condition of the soul, is there to have her delectation. And it is not given to them which suppose to have the world perpetual in delices. To this purpose is it written in the Apocalypse. Quantum glorificanit se et indeliciis fuit ta●tum dare ei tormentum et luctum. Apo. xviii. ca The. lxxxxviii. History The. lxxxxviii. Text. Regard that the port, of Circe's be exchewed Where, of Vlixes, the knights did repair And were to the figure of swine. transmued Remember the favour, that fortune did them bayre. The. lxxxxviii. Gloze. Circes' was a queen which had her realm upon the see of Italy, and was a great enchauntres and much she knew of sorcery, advancements, and incantations. And when Vlixes which went by the see after the destruction of Troy, intended to return in to his Country, by many great and perilous torments, that he had. He arrived at the port of her land, and send to the queen by his knights to know if he might surely take haven upon her ground. Circe's moche fairly welcomed and feasted the messengers, and by semblant of courtesy she did to be brought unto them drink that was much delicious to drink, but such virtue it had by poison that suddenly the knights were transmued into Hogs. Circe's may be understand in many manners and may be intended for a land or a country, where the knygtes were put in fowl or villain prison, and she may be also a Lady full of inconstance, mutability, and vagaunt. And that by her many knights errant, that is to say pursuing arms, which specially were of the people of Vlixes, that is to say malicious & advised were holden at sojourn as hogs or swine. And therefore saith she to the good knight that at such sojourn, he ought not to rest him & Aristotle saith. He that is wholly inclined to fornication, may not in the end be lauded ne allowed. The. lxxxxviii. Allegory. THe port of Cires, we may understand for hypocrisy, which the good sprite ought to eschew over all thing. And against the hypocrites saith s. Gregory in his morales, that the life of hypocrites is no more but a fantastic avision, and a fantasy Imagynatyfe/ which showeth outwardly the semblance of an Image, and in very deed is nothing worth inwardly. To this purpose saith our Lord in the Gospel. We vobis ipocrite qui similes estis sepulcris dealbates que a foris apparent hominibus speciosa intu● vero plena sunt ossibus mortuorum. Mathei. xxiii. ca The. lxxxxix. History. The. lxxxxix. Text. Thou oughtest not to show wise parables and fair To them that lacketh reason/ them to understand Of this by Yno, take good exemplary Wiche the sodden corn, did sow upon the land. The. lxxxxix. Gloze. YNO was a Queen, which caused for to sow Seeds, after that she had sodden it, which never would grow again neither dear fruit. And therefore will Othea say, to the good knight, that fair reasons well ordained, and sage authorities, ought not to be said to people of rude understanding, which know not the intent thereof. For than they be lost and wasted in vain. And therefore sayeth Arystotle. even so as the rain profiteth not to the Seed, that is sown upon the stone. In like manner good arguments doth not profit unto the Insypyent. The. lxxxxix. Allegory. THat fair reason's, ought not to be said unto them, which been Ignorant, which can not understand them. So that it is a thing lost. But that Ignorance is to be blamed sayeth saint barnard in a Book of the fifteen degrees of humility, that they excuse them for nought of fragility or Ignorance, which to the intent that they may sin, more freely been wilfully frail or Ignorant, and many things which ought sometime to be learned/ been oftentimes unknown/ by negligence to learn them, (by sloth to demand them,) (or by shame to inquire them.) And all such Ignorance hath non excusation. And therefore saith saint Paul the Apostle. Si quis ignorat, ignorabitur. Primo, ad corinthios xiiii ca The. C. History. The. C. Text. The. C. Aucthoryties, set in this book Despise not the effect, for the words abused For of a woman, August document took That to be adored, he utterly refused. ¶ And where the translator, hath not well perused His style, because of ignorant entendemente The virtuous (doubtless) will hold him excused But the envious tongues, been ever insolent. The. C. Gloze. CEsar Augustus was Emperor of Rome, and of all the world, and because that in the time of his reign was peace through all the world, so that he reigned and governed all peaceable. The foolish people miscreant believed that the same peace was because of the goodness of him but it was not, for it was because of jesus christ, which was borne of the virgin Marry, and was than upon earth, and as long as he lived in earth as man, peace was established by all the world. So would the blind people have worshipped Cesar as a God. But than Sibilla Cumana to him said that he should keep him fro being adored and showed him that there was but one only God, which all hath created, and than she brought him upon an high mountain forth of the city, and within the son by the will of our Lord, appeared a virgin holding a child, Sibille showed it unto him & said, that the same was the very God which ought to be adored, & than Cesar adored him, and to him did great reverence. And because that Cesar Augustus which was prince of all the world, learned to know God, at the credence of a woman, may be said to purpose the authority said by Hermes: be thou not ashamed to here truth & good ensygnement who soever saith them, for verity ennobleth him that doth pronounce it. The. C. Allegory. WHere Othea saith that she hath written to him an C. Aucthorites, and that Augustus took learning of a woman is to be understand that good words, and good ensignments are to be allowed of what soever person they be said. Of this saith (Hugo de sancto victore.) in a book called Didastalicon. That the wise man heareth gladly all things and learneth joyously of every man, he readeth vountarily all ensignementes, he despiseth not the scripture, he despiseth not the person, he despiseth not the doctrine, he inquireth indy●ferently over all, of all, where he seeth that he hath default, he considereth not what he is that speaketh but what it is that is spoken, he taketh no regard of how much he himself hath knowledge, but of how moche he knoweth not. To this purpose sayeth the Sage. ¶ Auris bona audiet tum omni concupiscentia sapientiam. Ecclesiastici iii ca ☞ Thus endeth the. C. Histories of Troy, translated out of French in to english, by me. R. W. ¶ Imprinted by me Robert wire, dwelling in s. Martyns' parish, at charing cross. at the sign of s. Iohn Evangelist beside the Duke of Suffolk's place. ¶ Cum privilegio, ad imprimendum solum. ROBERT wire.