ERRATA. (continued 2)

63

LVII.

Thamaris^[366] dispraysed may not well be, |f. 41.|

Though a voman she were of Femene.

Umbethynk the where takyn was Cyrus,

For ryght herde and dere he brought þat distrus.^[367]

Thamaris [was] qwen of Amazonie, a full worthy lady and full off grete worthynesse, of grete hardynes and wyse in armes and gouernauns. Cirus, the grete kyng of Perse, the which hadde conqwered many a region, with a grete host he meved ffor to goo ayens a grete reaume of Femene, of the which he sette but lytell by the streynghte. But she, the which was experte and sotyll in crafte of armes, suffyrd hym to entre into hyr reaume wythowte ony mevyng of hyr into the tyme that he was comyn into strate passage among hylles and grete mownteynes, where a full strong cuntre was. Than be Thamaris busshmentes^[368] he was assaylled on euer[y] parte with the wymmens hoste and browght so ferre forthe þat he was takyn. The qwhen made hym to be browght before hir and made his hede be smetyn off and to be cast in a tobbe full off his barons blode, the which she had made to be sheded in his presens, and Thamaris spak in this wyse, “Cirus, the which had neuer inowgh of mannys blode, now mayst thow drynke inowthe.” And thus endyd Cirus, the grete kyng of Perse, the which was neuer ouercome in no batayle affore. Therefor Othea seith to the good knyght that he shulde neuer be ouertrostyng in hyme selphe, but þat he shulde doute that he mytht happe amysse by some infortune and yit by symplere than he ys. To this purpose Platon seith, “Disprayse noon, ffor hys wertues may be grete.”

64Thamaris, the which shulde not be dispraysed, thowe þat she be a voman, is to sey þat a good speryte shulde not disprayse in hate^[369] the state of mekenes, be it in relygion or ell where; and that mekenes is to prayse. Jon Cassian^[370] seith that in no wyse the edifice of vertues in oure sowle may not reyse ne dresse hym self if the fundement of very mekenes be not tastyd fryst in oure hertes, the which, and it be ryghte stedefastly sette, may susteyne þe lynes of perfeccion and of charite. Therefor the wyse man seyth, [“Quanto maior es humilia te ipsum in omnibus et coram Deo invenies gratiam”].^[371]

LVIII.

Thy witte to be ennorted^[372] suffre nought

To foly delitys, ne herto brought

Thy wyrchip; if it be asked of the,

Anon beholde the wele in Medee.

Medee was on of the konnyngest women of sorserye that euer |f. 42.| was and hade most kunnyng; and þat stories seith. Notwythstondyng she suffred hire witte to be enorted at the owne will for to fullfylle hire delyte, as in lewde love she suffyrd hyre to be maystyrde, so þat she sette hire herte opon Jason and yaffe hym worchip, body and goodes; ffor the which after that he yaffe hire a full evyll rewarde. Wherefor Othea seith that the good knyght shulde not suffre reson to be ouercome wyth lewde delyte in no maner cas, iff he will vse of the vertue of streynght. And Platon seyth that a man of lyghte corage is sone meved^[373] wyth that the which he louede.

That a man shulde not suffre his wytte to be ennorted to lewde 65delyte may be vnderstondyn that the goode sperit shulde not suffre his propir will to haue dominacion; for, yf propir will of dominacion cesyd not, there shulde be noon hell ne the fyer off hell shuld haue no dominacion but opon the person that sufferyth his propir will to be lorde of hym, ffor propir will feythyt ayens God and enprideth the selfe. That is the which dispoilleth Paradyse and clothit hell and voydeth the valu of the blode of Cryst Jhesu and submyttyth the worlde to the tharledom of the feend. To this purpose the wyse man seyth, [“Virga atque correptio tribuit sapientiam; puer autem qui dimittitur voluntati suæ confundit matrem suam.”]^[374]

LIX.

Iff thou be soget to god Cupido,

The wood^[375] giant looke thou kepe the fro,

That the harde roche in no wyse may put be

Opon Acis and opon Galatee.^[376]

Galatee was a fayre godesse, the which had a yong ientilman that she loued and he was dede.^[377] There was a gyant of a fowle stature that loued hir, but she lyste not to loue hym; but he aspied hir so besily that he perceyued theyme bothe in the creues of a roche. Thanne were they ouerleyde^[378] with a sodeyne rage, and the roche trembled in syche wyse that it holy brak and raffe 66asownedyr. But Galatee, the which was a fayrye,^[379] dressyd hir into the see^[380] and askapid therby. This is to vndirstond that the good knyght shulde be ware in sich case to be ouerleyde with sich as hath myght and wyll to greve hym.

How he shuld be ware of the gyant, the which is yoven to Cupido, itt is to vnderstond that the good speryte [shuld] be wele ware that he hath non ymagenacion to the worlde ne to no thynge |f. 43.| þerof, but euer thynke that all woordly thynges may litell while endure. For Seynt Jerom seyth opon Jeremye that there is no thyng may be noysed long emong those thynges which shalle haue ende; so all owre tyme is as of litell regarde to the euerlastyng terme. To this purpose the wyse man seyth, [“Transierunt omnia illa tanquam umbra et tanquam nuntius percurrens”].^[381]

LX.

Fleeth euer the godesse of Dyscorde;

Euyl be hire lyenis and hire corde.

Pellus^[382] mariage full sore she trobled,

For the which after mych foolke assembled.

Dyscorde is a godesse of evil dedys, and a fabyll seyth that whan Pellus weddyd the godesse Thetis, off whome Achilles was after that borne, Jubiter and all the tothir godes and godesses were at the mariage, but the godes of Discorde was not prayed therto and therefor for invie she com onsent for. But she come not all for noghte, for she dide verily hir office. When they were sette at dynne at a borde, the .iii. myghty godesses Pallas, Juno and Venus, there come Discorde and cast an appell of golde opon the 67borde, whereon was wretyn “Lete this be gouen to the ffayrest”; and than the fest was trobeld, for yche off theyme sey thei ought to haue it. They went afore Jubiter for to be iuged of that discorde, but he wolde not plese on to displese anothir. Wherefore thei putte the debate opon Paaris of Troye,^[383] the [which] was an herde man than,^[384] as his modir drempt, when sche was grete with hyme, that he schulde be cawse off distruccion of Troye; he was sent therfor to the forest to the herdeman, venyng^[385] to hym that he hadde bene his sone. And there Mercurius, the wiche [conducted] the ladies,^[386] tolde hym whos sone that he was; than he lefte kepyng of shepe and went to Troye to his grete kynne. The fabill witneschit thus, where the weri stori is hidde vndir poyetikly couertoure, and because that often tymes many grete mischevis hath fallen and fallyth throwe discorde and debate, Othea seith to the goode knyth that he shulde be ware of discorde; so that, as it is a fowle thyng to be a debatoure and to move riottes, Pitagoras seith “Go not,” seith he, “in that weye where that hattes^[387] growes.”

Where it is seyde that discorde shuld be fleed, on the same wyse the good sperit shulde flee all lettynges of consience and |f. 44.| eschewe stryvis and riottes. [Cassiodorus]^[388] souuerainly seith, “He fleeth stryves and riottes; for to stryve ayens pes it is woodnes, to stryue ayens his souereyne it is maddenes, to stryve ayens his soogette it is grete velany.” Therefor Seynte Powle seith, [“Non in contentione et æmulatione”].^[389]

68

LXI.

Thyne evyll misdede forgete thou noght,

Iff thou to any^[390] haue so myche wroughte,

For the reward he will wele kepe fro the.

Distroyed was Leomedon, parde.

Leomedon, as I haue seide, was kyng off Troye, and he hadde done grete velany to the barons of Grece^[391] to voyde them fro his lande^[392]; the wiche they foryate noght, but Leomedon hathe foryeten it whan the Grekes ron on hym, the wiche ouercome hym, he oncouered and disporveide, so they distroyyd hym. Therefor it is seide to the good knyght that, yf he hathe mysdone to any, that he kepe hym wele, ffor he may be sekyr it shal notte be foryeten, but rather wenged,^[393] whanne he may haue tyme and place. And to this purpose Hermes seyth, “Be ware that thynne ennemyes com not vpon the, and thou disporveyde.”

That he shuld not forgete the myssedede that he hathe done to anothir may be vndirstondyn þat, when the good sperite felyth hym in synne for fawte of resistence, he shulde thynke that he shuld be ponnysshede, as thei be that be dampnyd, yf he amende hym notte. And therof seith Seynt Gregorie that the dome of God goth nowe fair and softely and a sclowe pas, but in tyme comyng it shall recompence the more greuously the mercy shall tarry of his acte. To this purpose the prophete Joel seith, [“Convertimini ad Dominum Deum vestrum, quia benignus et misericors est,” etc.].^[394]

69

LXII.

Iff it happe thou be of loue doited,^[395]

Be ware at the leste to whom thou tell it;

That thi dedes discouered not be,

Vmbethynke the welle of Semelle.^[396]

The fable seith that Semelle was a gentylwoman that Jubiter loved paramours. Juno, the wiche was in ialoucie, tooke the lekenes of an auncient woman and cam to Semelle and with fayre wordys began to reson hyre in so moche that Semelle knowliged to hyre all the love off hyre and of hyr loue, and to [be] well beloued and knowen of hyme she vaunted hire. The godesse þanne seyde to hir, the |f. 45.| wiche tooke no hede of the dissayte, [that] she perceyued^[397] nothyng yit of the love of hire love, [but] when she shulde be nexte with hym, that she shulde aske hym a yifte and, when she hadde well requyred hym and that he hadde grawnted, that she shulde desyre of hym that he wolde vouchesafe to halse^[398] hir in syche wyse as [he] halsed Juno his wyffe, when that he wolde solace hym with here, and in syche wyse myght she perceyue the loue of hyre love. Semelle fforyate it not, and when she hade made the requeste to Jubiter, the wiche hade promysyd it hyre and as a god that myght not calle it agayne, he was full sori and wyst wele that sche hadde bene disseyved. Than Jubiter tooke lekenes of fire^[399] and halsed his loue, the wiche in a litell while was all bruled and brent, for the wiche Jubiter was full hevy of þat aventure. Opon this fabill may be 70takyn many vnderstondynges, anamly opon the science off astronomie, as maystris seyne. But it may be allso that be some weye a gentilwoman may be disseyved by the wyffe of hyr loue, wherethrowgh hym selfe made hir to die be inaduertance. And therfor it is seyde to the good knyght that he shuld be ware, whanne he spekyth of a thyng that he wolde that it were secrete, afore or he speke hys worde, to whome he seyth it and whatte he seyth, for by the circumstances thyngges ma ben vndirstondyn. Therefor Hermes seith, “Shewe not the secretes of thi thoughtes but to thoo that thou hast well preued.”

How he shulde take hede to whome he spekyth we may vndirstond that the good sperite, what so euer hys thowtys be, he shulde be ware in euery cas where evil suspeccion myght falle to ony othir. As Seynt Austyn seith in the booke of Job,^[400] that we shuld not all only sete store to haue good conscience, but in as myche as owre infirmyte may, and as myche [as] the diligence of mankyndly frelnes may, wee shuld take good hede that we dede no thyng that myght come to evil suspeccion to owre stedefast brothir.^[401] To this purpose seith Seynt Poule the apostle, [“In omnibus præbe te ipsum exemplum bonorum operum”].^[402]

LXIII.

The disporte trust not to mychyll opon

Of Dyane, for þer is disporte right none

For them þat ben in knyghthode pursewyng

That shuld cause them to haunt to mych huntyng.

Dyane is called godess off the wode and of huntyng; so it is seide to the good knyght pursewyng the hight name of armes þat he 71shulde not mvse to myche in the disportes of huntyng, for it is a |f. 46.| thyng that longeth to ydylnes. And Arystotle seith that ydilnes ledyth a man to all inconveniences.

That a man shuld not folwe to myche Dyanes disporte, the wiche is take for ydilnes, the goode speryte may noote the same, and that is to eschew. Seynt Grygori seyth, “Do euer some goode thynge, that the fende may allway fynde the occupied in some goode occupacion.” To this purpose the wyse man seith, [“Consideravit semitas domus suæ et panem otiosa non comedit”].^[403]

LXIV.

Avaunte the not, for grete harme fell therefore^[404]

To Yragnes,^[405] the wich myssetook hir sore,

That ayens Pallas hire so avaunted,

For the wyche the goodesse hire enchaunted.

The fable seyth that Yragnes was a gentylwoman full sotyll and kunnyng in schapyng, wevyng and sewyng, but she was too presumtuos of hir connyng and indede she vaunted hire ayens Pallas. For the wyche the godes was greued wyth here that fore that foly vauntyng sche schawneged hyr into an yraigne and than seyde, “Thou vaunted the so myche in wevyng and sewyng that thou shalt euer aftir this weve and spynne werke of no value,” and fro thiens come the yraignes that be yite, the wiche sessyth not of spynnyng and wevyng. It may be so vndirstonden that some persone wanted ayens hir maystres, ffor the wiche in some wyse thei tooke harme. Therefor it is seide to the good knyght that he shuld not vaunt hyme, standyng it is a foule thyng for a knyght to be a vauntoure, for it may abuse to myche the prayse of his bownte. 72And in the same wyse Platon seyth, “When thou dost a t[h]yng,” seith he,^[406] “better than anothir, be ware thou avaunte not therof, for yf thou doo thyne avayle is myche the lesse.”

For that a man shuld not vaunte hym, we may sey that the goode sperite shulde be ware of wauntyng, for Seynt Austyn spekith ayens vauntyng in the .xii. boke of the Cete of God, þat vauntyng is not mankyndly praysyng, but is aturnyd to vyse of the sovle, the wich louyth mankyndly praysynges and dispithet the wery wytnes of his propyr consyence. To this purpose the wyse man seythe, [“Quid nobis profuit superbia, aut diuitiarum jactantia?”].^[407]

LXV.

Iff to grete desyre will them brynge

To loue mechell disporte of huntynge,

Dadonius^[408] than remenbre may the,

For with a woode wilde bore dede was he.

Dadanius was a ioly gentylman^[409] and of grete beaute. Venus loued hym paramoures, but because he delytyd hym to myche in huntyng, Venus, the wich douted that some hurt myth com to hym by some aventure, she prayed hym ofte to be ware how he huntyd to grete bestes. But Dadonius wolde not be ware, and therfor he was slayne wyth a wilde bore. Therfor it is seyde to the good knyght that, yf he wille all gates hunte, late [hym] kepe hym from sych huntyng that may doo hym harme. To this purpose the profete Sedechias^[410] seith that a knyght shulde not suffre his sone hunte to myche ne be ydyll, but he shulde make hym to be enformed to goode condicions and to fle vanyte.

73How he shulde thynke on Dadonius may be vnderstondyn that, yif the goode sperite be in any wyse out off the weye, that at the leste he shulde thynke on the grete perell of perseuerance; for, as the fende hath grete myght opon synners, Seynt Petir seythe in the secund Pystyll^[411] that synners ben bownde to corupcion and the fende hath power ouer theyme, for he that in batayle is ouercome of an othir is becomyn bonde to hym. And in tokyn therof it is seyde in the Pocalipse, [“Data est bestiæ potestas in omnem tribum et populum.”]^[412]

LXVI.

If so be thette there assaile the any,

Be ware thou ne thi men ryse not lyghtly

Ayens theyme, that thi town of strenght not slake;

Off the fryst Troye example thou mayst take.

Whenne Hercules wyth mych pepyll com opon the fryst Troye and that kyng Leomedon herd seye of there comyng, than he with all the peple that he myght gete in the cete yode owte and went ayens theyme to the water syde, and there theye assembled wyth full ferse bataile and þe cete was left voyde of peple. Than Thelamen Ayaux, the wich was enbushed wyth a grete oste nere the walles of the cete, enteryd into it, and thus the fryst Troye was takyn. Therefor it is seyde to the goode knyght that he shulde kepe hym, that in siche wyse he be not disseyuyd wyth his |f. 48.| ennemyes. And Hermes seyth, “Kepe the from the peple^[413] of thyn ennemyes.”

Where it is seyde that a man shuld kepe hym, yf he be assayled, that his cete be not voide, it is to sey that the good 74spyryte shulde euer kepe hym sesid and filled with vertues. And hereto seyth Seynt Austyn that, lyche as in tyme of werre men of armes shuld not be onsesyde of theyre armes ne owt of theyme nyght ner day, on the same wyse duryng the tyme of this present lyfe he shulde not be dyspoyled of vertues, for he thate the fende fyndeth withowte vertues faryth as he that the aduersari fyndyth withoute armes. Therfor the Gospel seyth, [“Fortis armatus custodit atrium suum”].^[414]

LXVII.

Opon the harpe assot the not to sore

Off Orpheus. Yf thou sete any store

Be armes, thou wylte þerin wele spede.

To fre^[415] instrementis thou hast non nede.

Orpheus was a poyete, and the fabill seyth that he cowde welle pleye on the harrpe, so that the ryngyng^[416] wateres all only tournyd theyre coruse, and the birdes of the eyre, the wylde bestes and the fres^[417] serpentis foryate there cruelnes and restyd to here the songge and the swete sounde of his harpe. This is to vnderstond he pleyith so wele that all maner of pepill of whate condicions that they were delytede theyme to here the poietis pley. And becawse that syche instrumentis sotted often the hertis of men, it is seyde to the goode knyght that he shuld not delyte hym to meche therein, for it longeth not to the sones of knyghthode to mvse to mych in instrumentis ne in othir ydylnes. To this purpose an auctorite seyth, “The soule of the instrument is the snare of the serpent”; and Platon seyth, “He þat settyth holy 75his plesauns of fleysly delythes is more bond þan a sclawe,” that is to seye, than a man that is bought and solde.

Orpheus harpe, vpon the wich a man shulde not be assotted, we may vndirstonde that the knyghtly sperite shulde not be assotted ne mvsyd in no maner of wordly felacheppe, be it kynne or othir. Seynt Austyn seyth in the booke of the Syngularyte off Clerkis that the solytary man felyth lesse prekynges of his fleych that havntyth not voluptuousenes than he that hawntyth it, and lesse it |f. 49.| sterith to couetyse the which seeth not wordly riches^[418] than he that seeth it. Therefor Dauyd seith, [“Vigilavi et factus sum sicut passer solitarius in tecto”].^[419]

LXVIII.

Grownde yow not opon noone avysyons,

Ne opon no lewde illusyons

Off grete emprise, thought it be ryght or wrong,

And of Paaris remenbre yow among.

Because that Paryis hadde dremed that he shulde ravysch Helayne in Grece, a grete army was made and sent ffro Troye into Grece, where that Paryis ravysshede Heleyne. Than for that wrongfull dede they com after that opon Troye with all the power off Grece. There was soo grete a covnetre at that tyme that it lastyd to the contre that we calle now Puille^[420] and Calebre in Ytaly, and that tyme it was called Lytyl Grece.^[421] And of that contre was Achilles and þe Mirmedewes, the which were so worthi fyters. That grete quantite of pepill confoundid Troye and all 76the contre. Therefor it is seyde to the good knyght that he shulde not ondirtake to doo no grete thynge opon avysiones, for grete harme and grete besynes may come thereoff. And that a grete emprise shuld not be done wythowte good deliberacion of counsell, Platon seyth, “Do nothyng,” seith he, “but that thy wytte hath ouerseen afore.”

That a grete empryse shuld not be takyn for avisyon, that is to sey that the good sperite shulde in no vyse presume ne reyse hym selphe in arrogance for no maner of grace that God hath yoven hym. And Seynt Gregorie seyth in his Morales that there be .iiii. spices^[422] in the whiche all bolnynges of arrogances be shewed. The fryst is when they noyse they haue of them selfe the goodnes that they haue; the .ii. is when they wene welle that they haue deseruyd and reseyuyd it for ther meritis the goodnes þat they haue; the .iii. is when they avant to haue the goodnes that they haue not; and the .iiii. is when that they dysprese othir and desire that men shuld know the goo[d]nes that is in theyme. Ayens this vyse the wyse man spekyth in his Prouerbes, [“Arrogantiam et superbiam et os bilingue detestor”].^[423]

LXIX.

Iff thou loue well houndes an birdes, than

On Anteon,^[424] the fayre yong gentilman,

The which becomme an herte, vmbethynk well þe,

And loke that siche fortune com not to the.

Antheon was a full corteis ientylman and of gentyl condicions |f. 50.| and loued houndes and birdes to myche; fore the fabill seith that on a day as he huntyd all alone in a thykke forest, wheryn his men hadde lost hym, thane as Dyane the godesse of the woode hadde 77huntyd in the forest to it was the oure of noone, she was sore chaffede and hoote for the grete hete of the sunne, for þe which she had a lyste to bathe hir in a f[a]yre welle and a clere, the whiche was ther fast by, and as she was in the welle all nakyde envyrouned wyth fayreis^[425] and godes the whiche seruyd hyre, Antheon, the which tooke non heede, com sodeynly opon hire and sawe all the godes, of whome for hire grete castite the vesage wexe reede for shame and was full sory. And than she seide, “Becawse that I know wele that thysse yong gentilman wyll vaunt hym of ladies and gentilwomen—to the entent that thou schalte not mowe vante the that hathe see me naked, I shall take the myght of thy speche from the.” Than she cursyd hym, and anon Antheon becomme a wilde herte and no thyng was lefte hym of mankyndly shape but all only vndirstondyng. Than he, full of grete sorowe and off sodeyne feere, wente fleyng throwe the busches, and anon he was reseyuyd with his owen houndes and halewed wyth hys owen men that serched the forest for hym, but nowe they haue founde hyme and knowe hym not. There Antheon was drawe doune, the whych wepte grete teres afore his owne men and fayne woolde haue cryed theyme mercy yif he myght haue spokyn. And sene that tyme hethir to hertes euer at there dethe wepyn. Antheon was slayne and martired with grete woo with his owen menye, the which in a litell while had all devowred hym. Many exposicions may be made vpon this fable; but to oure purpose it may be seide of a yong man that habaundoneth hym holy in ydylnes and dispendith his goodes and his gettynges in delyte off his body and in disportes of huntyng and to kepe ydel menye. Hereby may it be seide that he was hated of Dyane, the which is noted for chastite, and deuowred of his owen menye. Therefor it is seide to the good knyght that he shuld be ware he were not deuowred in leche wyse. And a wyse man seith, “Idilnes engendyrth idylnes^[426] and errour.”

Be Antheon, the which become an herte, we may vnderstond 78the veray repentaunt man that was wonnte to be a synner and now hath ouercome his fleyssch and made it bonde to the good sperite [and] takyn the state of pennaunce. Seynt Austyn seith in the Sawtyr that pennance is an esy thyng or dede and a lyght charge; it owght not to be called a grete charge for a man but wenges off a byrde fleyng, for, as a birde in herth here bereth the charge of |f. 51.| there wenges and there wenges berith theyme to heven, on the same wyse, yff we bere on erthe here the charge off pennawnce, it shal bere vs to heven. To this purpose þe Gospell seith, [“Pœnitentiam agite, appropinquavit enim regnum cœlorum”].^[427]

LXX.

I seye go notte to the yates of helle

For to seke Euridice be my counselle.

Litell he wanne there with his harpe and play,

Orpheus, as that I haue ofte herd seye.

Orpheus the poyete, the which harpede so well,^[428] a fabil seith that he maried hym to Euridice, but on the day of mariage thei wente to disporte theyme in a medwe barefoote ffor the grete hete of the sonne, and an herde coveytyd that fayyr woman and ranne ffor to a rauysshed hyr, and as she flede afore hym for fere of hym she was betyn with a serpent that was hyd wnder the gresse of the medwe, and within a litell while after the mayden dyed. Orpheus was ryght heuy of that mysse aventure; yit he tooke his harpe and wentte to þe yattes of helle in the dyrke waly afore the helle paleys, and thanne he begane to harppe pytously and he pleyyd so swetely that all the tormentes off helle cesyd and all the helly offices lefte there besynes for to here the sownde of the harppe, and anamly Proserpyne, the godes off 79helle, was meuyd with grete pete. Than Pluto, Lucifere, Cerebrus and Acaron,^[429] the which for the harpor sawe that the offices off hell peynnes lefte and cesed, toke hym hys wyff vpon a condicion that he shulde goo afore and sche after, and that he shulde notte loke behynde hym to he come owt of the valy of helle, and yff he looked behynde hym he shuld lefe hire. Opon this condicion she was delyuered to hym ayen. So Orpheus wente afore and his loue after, but he that was to hoote in loue, the which desired to beholde hire, myght not kepe hym from lokyng ayen after his loue, and anoon as [he] loked byhynd hym Euredice partyd from hyme and was ayen in helle, so that he myght no more haue hire. This fable may be vndyrstondyn in many maneres. It myght be so that some man had his wyff takyn fro hyme and he had getten hire ayen; on the same wyse it may be of a castell or of anothir thyng. But to owre purpose it may be seide that he seketh veryly Euredice in hell, the which sekyth an inpossibyl thyng and, thowgh a man may notte recouer that, he owghte not to be wrothe. Salamon seyth the same, “It is a foly thyng,” he seith, “to seke that the which is impossybylle to be hadde.” |f. 52.|

Be that a man shulde not goo to seke Euredice in hell, we may vndirstond that the goode speryte shulde aske ne requyre of God no thyng that is meruellious,^[430] ne that mervell to be thyng oon, that is to sey, to tempte God. And Seynt Austyn seith opon Seynt John Gospell that Godes creature is not exavced when he requiryth a thyng the which may not be doone or shuld not be doone, or a thyng the which he wolde vse amysse yf that it were grawntyd hyme, or ell a thyng that shuld hurte the sowle yf it were exauuced. And therfor it comyth of the mercy off God, if he gyff not to a creature a thyng the which he knowyth he wolde vse amysse. To this purpose Seynt James the apostell seyth in his Pistell, [“Petitis et non accipitis eo quod male petatis”].^[431]

80

LXXI.

Iff thou will veraly knowe a knyght

In cloystir or clos where he be dyght,

The say^[432] that was made to Achilles

Sall lerne the to proue theym doutles.

The fable seith that Achilles was sone to the godes Thetis, and becawse that, as a godes, she knew if hir sone haunted armes that he shu[l]d dye, she, the which louyd hym with to grete love, hide hym in maydinis clothyng and made hyme were a vaile leche a nonne. In the godesse abbay^[433] he lyffed so, and Achilles was long hydde vnto that some persones perseyuyd hym, and the fabill seith that there he begate Pirus^[434] opon the kynges dougther, the which was after that full cheualerous. Than began the Troyens grete werres, and the Grekes knew wele that thei hadde nede of Achilles for to streynght theyme. He was sowte ouer all, but thei myght not here of hym. Vlixes, the which was full of grete malice, sowgth hym ouer all [and] come to the temple, but yit he myght not perseyue the trowght. He avysyd hym of grete malice and sotilte, and than Vlixes toke keuercheffes, girdill and all maner of iowell^[435] longyng to ladies and therwith feyre armure and bryghte and cast all doune in the myddes of the place in presens of the ladyes and praide iche of theyme to take^[436] that the which plessede theyme best; and than, as euery thyng drawith to his nature, the ladies ronne to the jowell and Achilles sessede the armure. And thanne Vlixes ranne and tooke hyme in his armys and seyde, “This is he that I seke.” And becawse that knyghtes shulde be 81more inclyned to armes than to plesawnce,^[437] which longgeth to ladies, the auctorite seith that therby a man may knowe the veray knyght. And to this purpose Legaron^[438] seith that a knyghte is not |f. 53.| knowen but be his dedes of armes.^[439] And Hermes seith that thou shuldest preue a man afore or that thou trost hym to gretely.

Where it is seyde, “Yf thou wylte knowe a goode knyght,” we may vnderstondyn that the good knyght [of] Cryst Jhesu shuld be know by the dede of armes in goode workyng, and that siche a knyght shulde haue the dwe prayse that longgeth to goode men. Seynt Jerom seith in a pistil that, as the ryghtvisnes of God levyth non evil thyng vnponysshede, on the same wyse it levith no goode thyng vnrewarded. So than to good pepill noo labour shulde be thought to harde, ne no tyme to longe, standyng that thei [are] abydyng^[440] the euerlastyng hire and blys. Therfor Holy Scripture seith, [“Confortamini et non dissolvantur manus vestræ, erit enim merces operi vestro”].^[441]

LXXII.

Wyth Athalenta stryue thou not nowe,

For she hath gretter talent þan thou.

It was hir crafte for to renne fast.

To siche a rennyng haue thou non hast.

Athalenta was on of the fayre^[442] and lyche to a gentilvoman of grete beaute, but hire destonye was diuerse; ffor because of hire mony lost ther lyves. This gentilvoman for hire grete beaute was 82covetyde of mony oon to be hadde to maryage, but ther was made sich a conuenawnt that non shulde haue hire but he ouerranne hir, and yf she ouerranne hym, he shuld dye. Athalenta was mervelious swyft, so that non myght streche to hir in rennyng and that cawsed many on for to die. This rennyng may be vnderstondyn in many maneres. It may be as some thyng that is gretly covetyid of many persones, but yit it may notte be hadde withowte grete traueyle; the rennyng that she made is the defence or the resistence of the same thynges. And allso the fabill may be noted anamly for tho that makyth grete stryve and nedith not. Also the auctorite seyth that a hard man and a coragius ought not to myche to stryve for onprofytabyll thynges, the whiche he shulde not set by, stondyng that thei [t]owche^[443] not to his worchyppe for many grete [h]urtes folwyth off sich stryues. And Thessille^[444] [se]ith, “Thou shuldest doo that the which is moste [pro]fetable to the body and most behouely to the soule and fle the contrarye.”

That we shulde notte stryve wyth Athalenta may be vnderstondyn that the goode speryte shulde not be letted with non thyng |f. 54.| that the worlde dothe, of what gouernans it be. And to the same Seynt Austyn seyth in a pistil that the worlde is more perlious to creaturis when it is eesy than whan it is sharpe, for the softer he seeth it the les it shulde lete hym and lees he shulde drawe it to his love then whenne it yeffyth hym cause to dispite it. To this purpose Seynt John the Euaungelist seyth in his fryst Pistill, [“Si quis diligit mundum, non est charitas Patris in eo”].^[445]

LXXIII.

As that Paris iugede iuge thou noght,

For many men hau ben full hard brought

Be grauntyng of evil sentence

And had þerfor ryght greuous recompence.

83The fable seith that .iii. godesses of grete myght, that is to sey, Pallas godes of kunnyng,^[446] Juno godes of goode,^[447] and Venus godes off love, com before Paris holdyng an apple of golde,^[448] the which seide, “Lete this be youen to the fayrest and the myghttyest of vs.” There was grete discord ffor this appyll, for iche of theyme seyde they ought to haue it, and at the last thei tooke Paris for to iuge the cavse. Paris sought delegently the strenghte and the myghte of ich of theyme by the selfe. Than seide Pallas, “I am godes of cheualry and of wysdom, for by me armes is departed to knyghtes and konyng to clerkes, and yf thou wilt yiff me the appyll, tryst veryli that I shall make the to paase^[449] all othir in koonyng and in knytehode.” After that Juno, godes of goode, seide, “And by me is departyd the grete lordshippes and also tresowrys off the worlde. If thou wyl gyff me the appyll, I shall make the recher and mygh[t]ier than ony othir.” And than spake Venus wyth full louyng wordes and seide, “I am she that kepyth scoles of loue and off iolines^[450] and maketh fooles to be wyse men and wyse men to do foly, and I make ryche men poore and tho þat be exiled riche. There is no myght that may compare wyth my myght. Iff thou wylt yeffve me the appyll, by me thou shalt haue þe love of fayre Helaine of Grece, the which may avayle the more than any maner of ryches.” And thanne Paris gaff his sentence and forsoke bothe knyghthode, wisdom and riches for Venus, to whome he gaff the appyll; for the which after that Troye was dystryd. This is to vnderstonde, because that Paris was not cheuallrous ne reche, he sette be noo thyng, but all his thought was on loue, and therefor yaffe he the appill to Venus. Werefor it is seide to the goode knyght that he shuld not demene hym so. And Pictagoras seith, |f. 55.| “The iuge that iugede not iustyly, diserveth myche evyll.”

Be Parys that iuged folely is vnderstonden that the goode 84sperite shulde be ware how he iuged oþer. Seynt Austyn spekyth thereoff ayens the [Manichees]^[451] that there be .ii. thynges the whych in especiall we shulde eschewe, fryst to iuge othir persones, for we know not of what corage thynges be done, the which to contempne it is þerfor^[452] grete presumcion, for we shuld take theyme to the better partye; secundly for because we be not incerteyne what the[i] shall be that now be goode or now evill. Owre Lord to this purpose seith in þe Gospell, [“Nolite judicare et non judicabimini, in quo enim judicio judicaveritis judicabimini.”]^[453]

LXXIV.

In Fortvne, that grete myghty godesse,

Trist not to mych, ne in hyre promyse;

For in a lytell space she chaungeth,

And the hyest ofte ouerthroweth.

Fortune aftyr the spekyng off poyetis may be wele called the grete godes, for by hire we see that wordly thynges be gouernde. And becauce she promysyth to many prosperite inowght—and indede to some she yeffeth it—and in litell space takyth it awaye when it plesyth hire, it is seide to the goode knyght that he shuld not trost in hire promysses ne discomfort hym not in his aduersites. And Socrates seith the cours of fortvne farith as engins.^[454]

Becavse whi that he seith that he shulde not trost in fortvne, we may vnderstond that the good spirite shuld fle and disprayse wordly delittes. Therefor Boys^[455] seith in the .iii. booke of Consolacion that the felicite off the Epicuriens shulde be called vnfelicite, for the full and the perfyȝth felicite it is that the which [can] make man sufficiently myghty, reuerende, solempne and ioyeux, the 85which condicions resiste not to thynges whereopon wordly peple settyth there felycite.^[456] Thereffor God seyth by the profyte Ysaie, [“Popule meus, qui te beatum dicunt, ipsi te decipiunt”].^[457]

LXXV.

To vndirtake to avance werre, |f. 56.|

Make thou not Paris the begynner;

Better he cowde (take vittenes aboue)

Disporte in the feyre armes of his loue.

Paris was nothyng condicionned to armes, but all to loue. Therefor it is seide to the goode knyght that he shuld not make a cheuetayne of his host ne of his bateilles a knyght the whiche is not apte to armes. And therefor Aristotyl seith to Alizaunder, “Thou shuldest make hym connestabil of thyne oste that thou knowes is wyse and experte in armes.”

That ye shulde not make Paaris to begynne yowre werres, it is to vnderstonde that the good knyght gostly, tendyng only to the knyghthode of heuen, shuld be holly drawen fro the worlde and ches contemplatyue lyffe. And Seynt Grigore seith vpon Ezeciell that the lyffe contemplatyue is of ryght preferred afore the actiue liue as for the worthier and the gretter, for the actiue life travellith hymselfe in the laboure of this present lyfe, but the contemplatyve lyfe farith as he that tristith^[458] the sauour of the reste that is for to come. Wherefor the Gospell seith off Mary Magdalene, be whom contemplacion is figured, [“Optimam partem elegit sibi Maria, quæ non auseretur ab ea”].^[459]

86

LXXVI.

Sette the not to be a spy, I the seye,

But loke thou kepe euer the hey weye.

Sephalus^[460] wyth his [s]harpe iaueloth^[461]

Lereth it the, and the wyff of Lothe.

The fabill seith that Sephalus was an ancient knyght the which delyted hym grettely all his lyue in the disporte of huntyng, and he coude cast a darte hade sich a propirte that it was neuer cast in veyne, but it kyllyd all þat it tovched. And because that he hade a costome to ryse in the mornyng and to goo to the forest to aspye the wylde bestis, his wyff was ielous ouer hyme and supposed that he loued othir than hire, and for to know the trowthe she went after to aspy hym. Sephalus, the which was in the woode, when he herde the leues make noyse where that his wyff went, supposed that it hadde ben some wylde best, kest his iauelot and kyllyd his wyff. He was hevy of that mysse aventure, but there myght no remedy be hadde. The woman Lothes wyffe, as that Holy Scripture wytnessyth, turnyd ayen ayens the commawndment off the aungell, when she herde that the .v. cetees sanke behynde hyr, and therfor anon she was chawnged into a |f. 57.| salte ston. And be all sich figures may be sette many vndirstondynges. For the trwthe and for to take it in example for the trowthe, no good man shulde delyte hym to spye anothir in thynges that longeth not to hym; and to the entend that no man wolde be aspyed, Hermes seith, “Do not to thi felawe that the which thou woldyst not were done to the, and strech no snaris for to take men wythall, ne purches noon harme to theyme be aspyeng ne be wyles, for at the last it will turne opon þiselfe.”

That a man shulde not sette hym for to spye may be vndirstondyn 87that the good sperite shuld not peyne hym to knowe othir mennis dedes, ne to enqwere tydyngges of othir. For Seynt John Crisostome seith opon the Gospell of Seynt Mathieu, “Howe takys thow so grete hede,” seith he, “of so many litell defawtes of othir men and latyst pase so many grete defawtes in thyn owyn dedes? Yf thou loued thi selfe better than thi neyghburght, whi empechest thou his dedes and leuys thyne owyn? Be diligent to considir thin owyn dedes fryst, and than consider the dedes off othir.” To this purpose owre Lorde seith in the Gospelle, [“Quid autem vides festucam in oculo fratris tui, trabem autem in oculo tuo non vides?”].^[462]

LXXVII.

Disprayse not of Helene the councell;

I counsel the so wythowte fayle,

For ofte many hurtes falleth then,

Because that we beleue not wyse men.

Helene was brothir to Hector and Kyng Priantes sone of Troye. He was a full wyse clerke and full off konyng. As mych as he myght, he counseyled that Paarys shulde not goo into Grece to rauyssh Helayne; but thei wolde not do aftyr hym, for the which the Troyens were hurte. Therefor it is seide to the good knyght that he shuld beleue wyse men and there councell, and Hermes seith, “Who so worchyppyth wyse men and vsyth there councell, thei be euerlestyng pepyll.”

Helene, the which counselled ayens the werre, that is to sey that the goode sperite shulde eschwe temptacions. And Seynt Jerom seith that a synner hath noon excusacion whereby he howght to suffyr temptacions to ouercome hym, for the temptyng feend is so febill that he may ouercome noon but thoo that wyll be yolden to hyme. And thereopon Seynt Povle the apostyl seyth, [“Fidelis |f. 58.| Deus qui non patietur vos temptari supra id quod potestis,” etc.].^[463]

88

LXXVIII.

Be not to mery ne to sori

For thi dremes, though thei be hevy.

Morpheus byddyth, the messanger

Off the god of slepe and dremes seere.^[464]

A ffabill seyth that Morpheus is sone to the god of slepe, and he is his massenger and he is god of dremes and cawsyth men to dreme. And because that dremes be trobolous thynges and a derke and some tyme it may syngnifie contrarie to the dreme, þer is noon so wyse that may propirly speke^[465] liche as the expositours seith of theyme^[466]. Therfor it ys seide to the good knyght that he shulde not be to heuy ne to mery ffor sich avysyons, be the which a man may not shewe no certeyne knowlych ne to what thyng thei sal turne, and anamely þat a man shulde not be to mery ne to hevy ffor thynges off fortune, the which be transsitorie. Socrates seith, “Thou that arte a man, thou shuld not be to hevy ne to mery ffor no maner cawse.”

Where it is seide that a man shuld not be to mery ne to hevy for non avysyons, we shall seye that the good speryte shuld not be to heuy ne to meri for no maner cause that cometh to hym and that he shuld suffre tribulacions paciently. Seynt Austyn seith vpon the Savter, “Fayre son,” seith he, “yf thou wilte wepe for thi sorres that thou felest, veepe vnder the correccion off thi Fadir; yf thou wepe ffor tribulacions that comyth to the, be ware that it be not for indignacion ne for pride, for the aduersyte that God sendyth to the it is a medycyne and no payne, it is a chastisment and no dampnacion. Put not fro the thi Fadris rodde but yf that þou wylt that [he] put the from his heritage; and thynk not on the payne 89that thow owghtes to suffre of his scorge, but considir what place thow haste in his testament.” To this purpose the wyse [man] seythe, [“Omne quod tibi applicitum fuerit accipe et in dolore sustine, et in humilitate tua patientiam habe.”]^[467]

LXXIX.

Be the see yf thou wylt vndertake

Perlyous viages for to make,

Off Alchion^[468] beleue the counsell.

Ceys therof the soth may the tell.

Ceys was a kyng, a full good man, and loued wele Alchyon |f. 59.| his wyff. The kyng tooke a deuocion ffor to go a perlyows passage on the see in a tempest, but Alchyon his wyffe, the whiche loued hym ryght hertily, dyde gretyly hir besynes to meve hym fro^[469] that vyage and with grete teris of wepyng prayde hyme full besyly; but it myght not be remedied by here ne he woold not suffir hir to goo with hym, stondyng that she wolde all gates haue gone with hymme and at the departyng she styrte on to the shepe.^[470] But Ceys the kyng comfortyd hir and with force made hyre to abyde, for the which she was full anggwyssous and hevy and in ryght grete woo. Neuer the lesse Eolus,^[471] the god of wyndes, meved theyme soo gretely opon the see that the kyng Ceys within fewe dayes perysshed on the see; ffor the which, whenne Alchyon knew that aventure, she kest hire selfe into the see. The ffabill seith that the godes had pyte þeroff and chawnged the bodyes of the .ii. louers into .ii. birdes, to the intent that there grete loue myght be had in perpetuell mynde. And yette þe same birdes flee opon the see syde, the which be called Alchions and there fedres be whyte; and whan the maryneris see theyme come, þan be they sekyr of a 90tempest.^[472] The ryght exposicion hereof may be that in mariage .ii^o. loueres loued togedir in lich wyse, the which poyetes lykeneth to the .ii^o. byrdes that hade sich a case and aventure. Therefor it is seide to the goode knyght that he shulde not put hym in no perlyous passage ayens the counsell off his good ffrendis. And Assaron^[473] seyth that the wyse man enforseth hym to draw hym fro hurtes, and the foole doth his diligence to fynde hurtes.

For to beleue Alchion, it is to vnderstond that the goode speryte by some evil temptacion is empeched with some errowe or dowte in his thowght, in the which he shuld reporte hym to the openyon off the cherche. For Seynt Ambrose seyth in the .ii. booke off Offices that he is fro hym selfe that dispyseth the counsell of the cherche, for Joseph helped kyng Pharaon more profitably with the cownsell off his prudence than though he had yoven hyme eythir gold or syluer; for syluer myȝgh not a purueyde for the famyn of Egypte the space of vii. yere. Therefor it is concluded, “trust counsell and thou shalt not repent the.” To this purpose the wyse man seith in his Proverbes to the persone of holy chirch, [“Custodi legem atque consilium et erit vita animæ tuæ”].^[474]

LXXX.

Off a chylde beleue notte the counsell,

For off Troylus remenbre the wele.

Trest^[475] ye may men aged and prouede,

That in armes hath sore bene charged.

When Kyng Priant had repared Troye ayen, the which was dystroyede because of the greuyng of theym that went into Colcos, |f. 60.| than Priant thought to take vengance for that distraccion and asemblyd his counsell, where that were many hy barons and wyse 91men, for to wete wheythir it were good that Paaris his sone shulde goo into Grece to ravyssh Elen or noon in achaunge for Esyona^[476] his sistir, the which was taken be the Thelomonailles^[477] and ledde into thraldom. But all the wyse men seyde nay, becavse of proficies and of scriptores, the whiche seide through that rauysshyng Troye shuld be dystroyed. Than Troylus, the whiche was a child and the yongest of Priantes sones, seyde that men shulde not in counsell of werre beleue olde men ne there prouerbes, the which threwe^[478] there cowardyse counselleth euer to rest; so he counselled that they shulde goo togedir. Troylus conseil was holdyn, of the which felle myche harme. Therefor it is seyde to the good knyght that he shuld not holde ne beleve the counsell of a childe, the which of nature is full lyght and lityll to consydir. An auctorite seith to this purpose that where a childe is kyng þe londe ys onappy.^[479]

That a good speryte shulde not agre hym to the counsell of a childe, it is to vndirstond that he shulde [not] be ignorant, but knowyng and full lerned in that the which may be prophyte to his helth; ffor ayens ignorant pepyll Seynt Austyn seith, “Ignorance is a full evyl modir, the which hath full evill doughteris, that is to sey, falssenes and doute; the fyrst is myschawnce, the secund is wreechednes, the fyrst is vicyous, but the secund is softer,^[480] and these .ii. is drawen away by wysdome.” Therefor the wyse man seyth, [“Sapientiam prætereuntes non tantum in hoc lapsi sunt ut ignorarent bona, sed insipientiæ suæ reliquerunt hominibus memoriam”].^[481]

92

LXXXI.

Hate Calcas and his false disseytes,

Off whome the infynyte malicis

Betrayeth many reaumes expres^[482];

Off wordly pepyll þer is no wers.

Calcas was a sootyl clerke of the cete of Troye,^[483] and, whan Kyng Priante knew that the Grekes come opon hym with a grete oste, he sent Calcas into Delphos to wete of the god Appolonie^[484] how the werre shulde fortvne. But after that the god hade aunsweryd, the which seide [that] after .x. yere the Grekes shulde haue the victorie, Calcas turned towarde the Grekes and aqwaynttyd hym with Achilles, the which was comme into |f. 61.| Delphos for the same cause, and with hym he went to the Grekes, whome he helpid for to cownsel ayens his owen cete and ofte tymes disturbed the pes betwyne the Grekys and the Troyens. And becawse he was a traytore, it is seide to the goode knyghte that he shulde hate sich evill sotell pepyll, ffor theyre traysones so done be willes may hurte gretly reaumes and empires and all maner of pepyll. Therefor Platon seith, “A soothel^[485] enemy, though he be poore and not myghty, may greue more than a ennemy myghty and ryche vnknowyn.”

Calcas, the which shuld be hatyd, may be vnderstonden that the good speryte shulde hate all fraudelous malice ayens his neyghburgh, for he shulde in no wyse consent thertoo. For Seynt Jerom seith that a traytoure will not be sowpled, neythir for familiarite off felachep ne for homlynes of mete and drynke ne for grace of seruyce ne for plente off benefices. Off this vice seith 93Seynt Poule the aposstell, [“Erunt homines cupidi, elati, superbi, proditores, tumidi”].^[486]

LXXXII.

Be thou notte harde for to graunt, I say,

Sich a thyng as welle enploy thou may;

To Hermofrodicus^[487] haue tendyyng,^[488]

The whiche tooke harme for his denying.

Hermofrodicus was a beauteous yong thyng, and on of the fayree^[489] was sore enamourede of hymme, but he in no wyse had leste to love hire and she purswed hym ouer all. Yt felle on a tyme that the yong thyng was full wery of the purswte wherein he hadd trauelled all the day. Than he come to a well-spryng sette abovte with salwes,^[490] by the whiche was a fayre stanke, styll and clere, ffor the which a lest he hade to bathe hym.^[491] He dyde of his clothes and went into the water. Whan she off the fayree sawe hym onclothyd and all naked, she went in to hym and for grete loue tooke that yong thyng in hir armes; but he, the which was full froward, put hire fro hym ryght rudely, so she myght not wynne his hert for no prayour. Than she of the fayree, full of woo, prayde to the godes that she myght neuer parte from hire loue, the whiche put hire so fro hym. The godes of pete harde hire deuoute prayere; than sodanly they chaunged the .ii^o. bodies into oone, the which were of .ii^o. seytis.^[492] This fabill may be vnderstondyn in many maneres, lich as sothell clerkes and philosopheris hath hide there grete secretes vndir couertoure of fable. Thereto it may be |f. 62.| 94vnderstondyn sentence longyng to the science of astronomy, and as wele of nygromancye,^[493] as that maystrys seyth. And because that the matyr of loue is more delictable to here than othir, gladely^[494] they made there distinccions^[495] opon loue for to be the more delectable to here, anamly to rude pepill, the whiche take but the barke, and the more agreable to subtile, the which sowketh the lyquor. But to owre purpose we may vndirstond that it is velany and a fowle thyng to refuse or to grawnte wyth grete daunger that the which may not turne to vyce ne to preiudice, thowgh it be grawnttyd. For Hermes seyth, “Make no long delay to put it in execucion that the which þou shuld doo.”

The goode speryte shulde notte be harde to graunt there where he seyth necessite, but reconforte the nedy to his power. As Seynt Gregore seith in his Moralles that, whan we wyll reconforte any that is afrayed in heuynes, we shulde fryst make heuynes with theyme, for he may not veryly reconforte the hevy person which cordeth hyme not with his heuines. For leche a man^[496] may not ioyne oon yren to anothir yf thei be note hote bothe .ii^o. and softyd with the fire, on the same wyse we may not redresse anothir yif oure hertes be not softted be compassyon. To this purpose Holy Scripture seith, [“Confortate manus dissolutas et genua debilia roborate”].^[497]

LXXXIII.

Thou mayst wyth the pleys the solace

Off Vlixes, when thou hast tyme and space

In the tyme of trwes and of fest,

For they be both sotel and honest.

95Vlyxes was a baron of Grece and off grete sotylte and duryng the long seege afore Troye, the whiche lestyd .x. yere, [when] that trwes were, he fond pleys full sotyll and feyre for to disporte knyttes therewyth in the tyme of soioure and rest. And some seyne that he fonde the game of the chesse and sich othir lich. Therefor it is seide to the good knyght that in dwe tyme men may wele play at sich games; for Solyn seith, “All thyngges that is sottyl and honest is lefull to be doone.”

The pleyes of Vlixes may be vnderstondyn that, when the knyghtly speryte shall be wery off prayer and of beyng in contemplacion, he may wele disporte in redyng of Holy Scriptures; ffor, as Seynt Jerom seith, Holy Scripture is sete in the yen of owre^[498] |f. 63.| hertis as a merowre, to the entent that we shuld se the herdly face^[499] of owre sowle, and therefor may we see the lewdenes, there may we see who myche^[500] that we profyte and how fayre we ben [fro] profyte.^[501] To this purpose owre Lord seith in the Gospell, [“Scrutamini scripturas, quia vos putatis in ipsis vitam æternam habere”].^[502]

LXXXIV.

Yif thou wilt yeff the to Cupido,

Thy hert and all abaundon hire to,

Thynkke on Cresseides nwefanggyllnesse,^[503]

For hire hert hade to meche dobylnesse.

Cresseide [was] a gentilwoman of grete beaute, an[d] she was yit more qwaynte and sotell to drawe pepill to hir.^[504] Troylus, the yongest of Priantes sones, [the which] was full of grete gentilnesse, 96of beaute and of worthines, loued hire ryght hertily and she hade youen hym hir loue and promysyd to hym that it shuld neuyr fayle. Calcas, fadir to the gentilwoman, the which knew by science that Troye shuld be distroyid, dide so myche that his doughter was delyuered to hym and browght owte of the cete and ledde to the seege among the Grekes, where hir fadir was. Grete was the sorowe and full petous the^[505] complayntis of the .ii^o. louers at the departyng. Neuerthelesse within a while aftir Dyomed, the which was a hye baron and a full worthi knyght, aqweynttyd hym with Cresseide and labowrd so soore to hir that she loued hym and only^[506] foryate hir trwe loue Troylus. Because that Cresseide was so lyght of corage, it is seide to the gode knyght that, yf he will sette his herte in ony plase, late hym be ware that he be not aqwauyntyd with sich a lady as Cresseide was. And Hermes seith, “Kepe the from evill felachepe, that thou be not on of theyme.”

Cresseide, of whom a man shulde be ware to aqweynt hym, is veyne glori, with the which the good sperite shuld not aqwaynte hym, but fle it onto his power, for it is to lyghte and commyth to sodenly. And Seynt Austyn opon the Sauter seith that he the which hath wele lerned and asayed by experiens to ouergoo degrees of vices, he is coume to the knowlyge that the synne of veyne glory is holy or most specyaly to eschwe of perfyȝte men, ffor emong all othir synnes it is hardest to ouercom. Therefor the apostil Seynt Poule seith, [“Qui gloriatur, in Domino glorietur”].^[507]

LXXXV.

When thou hast kylled Patroclus,

Ware of Achilles, I counsell þe thus,

Yf thou loue me, for thei be all on, |f. 64.|

There goods betweyne theym be comon.

97Patroclus and Achilles were felawes togedir and ryght dere freendis, so that there were neuer to^[508] brethere loued better togedir, and thei and here goodes were comon as all o thyng. And because that Hector slew Patroclus in batayle Achilles had grete hate to Hector, and fro theyns forthe swore his dethe. But because he doutyd meche his grete streynght, he lefte neuer to wayte how he myght fynde hym discouered to betray hym. Therfor Othea seide to Hector, as by profecye of that which was for to come, that, when he hadde sleyne Patroclus, it were nede for hym to be ware of Achilles. That is to vnderstond þat euery man the which hath slayne or mysdoon to anothir mannys trwe freen, his^[509] felawe will take vengance if he may. Therefor Magdare^[510] seith, “In what [place] that euer thou be wyth thy ennemye, holde hym euer in suspecte, thow^[511] that thow be myghtyer than he.”

Where it is seide that, when thow hast sleyne Patroclus thou shulde be ware of Achilles, we may vnderstond that, yf the goode speryte suffir hym by the feend to bowe to synne, he howte^[512] to dowte euerlastyng dethe. And Solyn seith,^[513] “This present lyue is but a knyghthode an[d] in tokyn theroff this present lyf is called werre in deference of that aboue, the which is called victorius, for it hath euer of enemyes.” To this purpose the apostil Seynt Poule seith, [“Induite vos armaturam Dei, ut possitis stare adversus insidias diaboli.”]^[514]

98

LXXXVI.

Be ware thou voide note fro the Echo,

Ne hir^[515] petous complayntes also;

Susteyne all hir wille, yif it may be,

For thou wote not what may com to the.

The fabill seith that Echo was a fayre woman, and because she was wont to be to grete a iangelere and by hir iangyllyng on a day accused Juno, the which for ialousie on day lay in awayte on hir husbond, the godesse was wroothe and seide, “For hens forth thou shalt no more speke fryst, but after anothir.” Echo was anamored on faire Arcisus,^[516] but neyther for prayer ne for sygne of love that she made to hym he lyst not to haue pete off hire, in so mych that the faire creature diede for his love. But dyeng she prayed to the godesse that she myght be vengyd of hyme in whome |f. 65.| she hade fownde so mych cruellnes that ons yit thei myghte make hym to fele the charpenesse of loue, whereby he may preue the grete woo þat veray louers haue the which in loue be refussede; þan she died. So Eccho made an ende, but hire voyse remaneth, which lestyth yitte. And there the godes made it perpetuall for memorie of that aventure, and yit it answheris to pepill in valeyys and on reueres aftyr the woyse of othir, but it may not speke fryst. Eccho may syngnyfie a persone the which off grete necessite requyryth the voyse that is youen to anothir; that is to sey, of nedy pepyll there is abydyng enowe, for they may not helpe themselffe withowte helpe of othir.^[517] Therefor it is seyde to the good knyght that he shuld haue pete of nedy pepill that reqwyrith it. And Zaqualquin^[518] seith, “Who so will kepe wele the lawe, shulde helpe hys frend with his goode and leue to nedi pepill and 99be gracious, not denying iustice to his enemy, and kepe hym fro vice and dishonour.”

Be Echo, the which shuld not be refusyd, may be notyd the mercy þat the good sperite shulde haue in hym selfe. And Seynt Austyn seith in the book of owre Lo[r]dis Sermon that he made on the Hille that blyssyd be thoo that willyngly socourith poore pepill, the which be in penowrye, for thei discerue mercy of God opon them that is in penuery. And it is a iust thyng that who so will be holpyn of a souereyne more myghtye than he shuld helpe^[519] a sympler than he is, in as myche that he is mythyer than he. Therefor the wyse man seith in his Prouerbis, [“Qui pronus est ad misericordiam benedicetur.”]^[520]

LXXXVII.

Iff thou wilte haue a croune of victorie,

Which is better than ony good wordly,

Damee^[521] thou most folue and purswe

And shalt haue hir, if thou will wele swe.

The fabil seith Damee was a gentylwoman that Phebus loued hertily, and he purswede hire sore, but she wolde not agre to hym. It felle on a day that he sawe the fayre creature go in a way and he folowed and, whanne she sawe hym come, she fledde and the god aftir. And when he was so nere that she sawe well she myght not scape hym, she made hir prayers to the godes Diane that she shulde save hire virginite, and the body of the maydyn chaunged into a grene lorier; and when Phebus was come nere therto, he tooke of the brawnches of the tre and made hym a chaplete in syngne of victorie. And anamly in the tyme^[522] of the Romayns greete felicite the victorius pepill of theyme were crowned with |f. 66.| lorier. This fabill may haue many vndirstondynges. It myght happe that some myty man with long traveyle swed a lady in so 100mych that with his grete pursvte he com to his will vndir a lorier, and for that cavse fro theyns forth he loued the lorier and bare it in his devyse in signe of the victorie that he hade of his love vndir the lorier. And allso the lorier may be take for golde, the which betokynyth worchippe. It is seide to the good knyght that he most pursue Damee, if that he will haue a croune of lorier, that is to seyne, payne and traveyle, yf he will com to worchippe. To this purpose Omer seyth, “Be grete diligence a man comyth to grete perfeccion.”

That Damee wolde be purswede for to have a croune of lorier, we may vndirstonde that, yf the goode speryth will haue a glorius victorie, he must haue perseuerance, the which sall lede hym to the victorie of paradyse, of the which the ioies be infynite. As Seynt Grygory seith, “Who hath þat tong that may suffice to tell it, and where is the vndirstondyng that may or canne comprehend it, who^[523] many ioyes be there in that souereyne cete off paradyse, euer to be present^[524] ... visage of God, to se the vnscribable lyght, to be in surte neuer to haue fere off deth, to be mery with the gyfte of euerlastyng clennes?” To this purpose Dauid seith in þe Savter, [“Gloriosa dicta sunt de te, civitas Dei”].^[525]

LXXXVIII.

To the also I make mencion

Off Andromathais^[526] vision;

Dispite not thi wyfe, I counsell the,

Ne othir wemen that wise be.

Avdromatha was Hectoures wyffe, and the nyght afore that he was sleyne there com to his wyfe in a vision that the next daye 101that Hector went to the batayle withowten dowte there he shuld be sleyne. For the which Andromatha with grete seghens and vepynges dide hire power that he shuld no goo into the batayle; but Hector wold not beleue hir and there he was slayne. Wherefor it is seide that a goode knyght shuld not holy disprayse visions of his wife, that is to sey, in avice and the counsell of his wyfe, if he be wyse and well condiciond, and anamly of othir wise women. For Platon seith, “Thou shuld not disprayse the counsell of a lytill wise person, for, þough thou be neuer so olde, be not ashamed to lerne, though a childe wolde teche the, for some tyme the ingnorant may avise the wise man.”

The avision of Andromatha, the whiche shulde not be dispreysed, |f. 67.| is that a good purpose sent by the Holy Gost Jhesu Cristis knyght shuld not sette it at nought, but anoon sette it in effecte vnto his power. Thereoff spekyth Seynt Gregory in his Moralles that the good Sperite for to draw vs to goodnes andmonychit vs, meveth vs and techitht vs. He admonychyt owre mynde, he meuith oure will and techyt owre vnderstondynges. The Sperite, softe and swete, suffirth no maner of litell spote of chaffe^[527] abydyng in the habitacion of the herte where he inspiryth, but broyleth it anoon with his subtile circunspeccion.^[528] Therefore the postile Seynt Powle seith, [“Spiritum nolite extinguere”].^[529]

LXXXIX.

If that thoue haue grete werre and besy,

In Babilonies streynght verely

Troste not, for be Minos^[530] and that soone

It was take; trosteth not than thereone.

102Grete Babilony was founded bi the grete gyaunt Nambroth,^[531] and it was the streyngest cete that euer was; but notwithstondyng it was take by knynght Minos.^[532] Therefore it is seide to the good knyght that he shuld not so myche truste in the streynght of his cete or off his castell in tyme off werre, but that it be full purveide off pepyll and of all thyng that behoueth for dwe defence. For Platon seith, “Who so trostith all only in his streyngth is often ouercomen.”

Be the streynth of Babilonie, wherein men shuld not trost, it is to vndirstonde that the good sperite shulde not trust ne attende to thynges that the worlde promysith; and Seynt Austyn spekith therof in the booke of Syngularite of Clerkes,^[533] that it is to lewde a trust^[534] to name his lyffe to be swre ayens the perell of this worlde. And it is a folych hope to wene to be saue among the byttynges^[535] of synnys; yit the victorie incerteyne is as long as men be among the dartes of there enmyes and kepith theyme vnhurte,^[536] but who so is envirouned with flawmes is not lyghtly delyuered withowtyn brennyng. Trost to hym that hath the experience; though the world lawith^[537] on the, tryst it not, lete thi hoope be sette in God. Therefor seith the prophete Dauid, “Spera in Domino,” etc.^[538]

103

XC.

Hector me must pronunce thi deth smerte.

Wherefor grete sorwe bitteth my herte.

That shall [be] whene that Priant the kyng

[Thou] woldest not trost, which come the praying.^[539]

The day that Hector was sleyne in bataile Andromatha his |f. 68.| wiffe come to pray Kyng Priant with full grete compleyntes and wepynges that he wolde not that day suffre Hector to goo to bataile, for withowte dowte he shulde be sleyne yf he went thedir.^[540] Mars, the god of bataile, and Minerve, the godesse of armes, hade veraly shewed it there in hir slepe,^[541] where thei apperid to hir. Priant dide all that he myghte for he shulde not fyght that day, but Hector stale fro his fadir and stirte owte of the cete by a waye vndir the erthe and went to the bataile, where he was sleyne. And for because he neuer dishobehed his fadir but that day, [it] may be seide the day that he shulde dishabey his ffadir than shulde he die. And it may be vnderstond that noon shulde dishobey his souereyne ne his good ffrendes, when they awyse hym as in reson. And therfor Aristotil seide to Alexandir, “As long as thou trustist the cownsell of theyme that vsith wisdom and that loued the truly, thou salt reigne glorously.”

Where she^[542] seide to Hector that she most pronounce his name,^[543] [it] is that the good sperite shulde haue contynell mynde on the owre of deth. Thereof seith Seynt Bernard^[544] that in mankyndely thynges men fynde no thyng more certeyne þan deth, ne lesse incerteyne than is the owre of deth; for deth hath no mercy of pouerte and dothe no worshippe to reches; it sparith neythir 104wisedom, condicions ne age; men hath non othir certeyne of deth but that it is at the doores of aged men and it is in the mydwes^[545] of yong men. To this purpose the wise man seith, [“Memor esto, quoniam mors non tardat”].^[546]

XCI.

I purpose yet to make the sadde and wyse,^[547]

That thou vse in batailes ffor no gise

Off thyne harneis discouered for to be,

For thi deth than it will opyn to the.

In the bataile Hector was founde discouerede of his harneis, and thanne he was sleyne. And therefor it is seide to the goode knyght that he shuld not in bataile be discouered of his harneis. For Hermes seyth that deth farith as the stokke^[548] of an arrowe and lyff farith as an arrowe that is sette to shoote.^[549]

There where it is seide that he shuld kepe hym couered with his harneis it is vndirstond that the good sperite shulde kepe his wittis cloose and not voide. Seynt Grigori seith hereoff that a person the which departhit hys vittis fareth as a iowgolowre the |f. 69.| which fyndeth no wers hous than his owyn; therefor he is euer owte of his hows, euen as a man that kepith not his wittes clos is euer vagaunt and owte of the hous of his conscience and farith as an opyn hall where men may entre on euery syde. Therefor [our] Lorde seith in the Gospell, [“Clauso ostio, ora Patrem tuum in abscondito.”]^[550]

105

XCII.

Of Pollibetes^[551] coveite not hastly

His harmes, for thei be vnhappy;

Of his dispoylyng folowed, parde,

Thi wofull deth be theyme þat sewed þe.

Polibetes was a full myghty kyng, the which Hector slewe in the bataile after many othir grete dedes that he hadde done that day. And becawse that he was harmede with ffayre harmes and reche, Hector coveite theyme and stowpyd doung of his hors nekke for to dispoyle the body, and than Achilles, the which swede after hym with hole will to take hym discouerte, smote hym beneth for fawte off his harmure and at oo stroke kylled hym, of whom it was grete harme, ffor a worthier knyght was neuer gyrte whyth swerde of the which stories maken mencion. And that sich couetyses may be no noyens^[552] in sich places it shewith bi the seide cas. Therefor the philosophir seith, “Disoordnet couetise^[553] ledith a man to deth.”

That we shulde not couete Polibetis armis, we may vndirstond that the goode speryte shuld haue no couetise to no maner of wordly thynges. For Innocent seith^[554] that it ledith a man to deth, for covetise it is a fyre that may not be stawnched. The couetous person is neuer content to haue that the which he desyrith, for, whan he hath that he desiryd, he desyrith euer more, euer he setteth his ende in as mych as that he tenteth to have more and not to that the which he hath. Averyse and covetise be .ii^o. saus makers,^[555] the which sesseth neuer to seye, “Bryng, bryng”; and to the value that 106the money waxeth the loue of the mony waxeth. Couetise is the way to the gostly deth and oftetymes to bodily deth. Therefor the postyll Seynt Powle seith, [“Radix omnium malorum cupiditas est”].^[556]

XCIII.

Assote the not in love of strawnge kynde;

The deede of Achilles haue in mynde,

Which wende to make of hys enmye |f. 70.|

His veri lyffe and that interely.

Achilles was asotyd in lowe of Polexene the faire mayden, the which was sister to Hector, as he sawe hir in the begynnyng of the yere at the servise off Ectoris yeris meynde^[557] in the trwes tyme, where many Grekis went to Troye to see the nobilnes of the cete and of the reche terrement, that was the most solemny made that euer was made for the body of a knyght. There Achilles sawe Polixenne, where he was sore takyn with hir loue that he myght no wyse endure, and therefor he sent to Hecuba the qwene that he wolde treite of mariage and he wolde make the werre to sesse and the sege to departe and he shuld euer be there frend. It was long after or Achilles armed ayens the Troyens becawse of that lowe and [he] dede grete peyne to make the ost to departe, but he myght not doo it and therfor the mariage was notte made. After that Achilles slew Troylus, the which was so full of worthines that he was ryght leke to Hector his brothir, standyng the yong age that he hadde. But the qwene Ecuba was so full of woo for hym that she sent for Achilles to come to hir to Troye ffor to treite of the mariage. He went thedir, and there he was slayne. And þerfor it is seide to the good knyghte that he shuld not assote hym vpon strawnge loues, ffor by ferre loues comyth harme. And therfor the 107wyse [man] seith, “When thyn enemys may not venge theyme, than hast thou nede to be ware.”

That a goode spyryte shulde not assote hym vpon strawnge loues, that is to vndirstond that he shulde chawnge^[558] no thynge but yf it comme holy of God and [be] determined in hym. “All strange loues” is the worlde, the which he shuld flee. That he shulde flee the worlde Seynt Austyn seith in expownyng of Seynt Jonis Pistil,^[559] “The world passith [and its] concupiscens.^[560] O resonable man,” than seith he, “whethir had thou leuer loue the temperell worlde and passe with the tyme, or be with^[561] Cryst Jhesu and lyfe perpetualy with hyme?” To this purpose Seynt Jon seith in his fryst Pistill, [“Nolite diligere mundum neque ea quæ in mundo sunt”].^[562]

XCIV.

Vndirtake non harmes folely;

It is perell for sowle and body

A naked harme and no shelde to take;

Off Ayaux may thou example make.

Ayaux was a full prowd knyght of þe Grekis and trostid to mych on hymselfe, but yet he was a goode knyght of his hand. |f. 71.| And for pride and soleynnes he vndyrtooke to doo armes with his arme naked discouered withowte a chelde, and so he was boron through^[563] and ouerthrowen dede. Therefore it is seide to the goode knyght that to doo siche armes, thei be neythir profitabill ne worchipfull, but rather thei be named lewde and prowde, and thei be to perlyous. Aristotil seith that many erreth be ignorance and fawte of knowyng and woote not whate it is to do ne to leue, and some fayle be arrogance and pride.

108How armes shulde not be vndertake follely is þat þe good sperite shulde not tryst in his owyn fragilite. As Seynt Tawstyn^[564] seyth in a sermon, þat non shulde presume in his owyn herte when he pronownceth a worde ne non sulde^[565] [trust] in his streynghte when he sufferith tentacion, for, when we speke wysely goode wordes, thei coume of God and not of owre wytte, and when we endure aduersitees stedefastly, it cometh of God and not of oure pacience. To this purpose the apostyl Seynt Powle seith, [“Fiduciam talem habemus per Christum ad Deum, non quod simus sufficientes aliquid cogitare ex nobis quasi ex nobis”].^[566]

XCV.

Antenor exile and chase away,

Which purchassed ayens his contrey

Bothe treson, falsenes and grete vntrouth;

But yif he were yolden it were routh.

Anthenor was a baron of Troie, and when it com at the last to grete Troyenne bateylles, the Grekys that hadde long kepte sege afore the cete they wost not how they myght haue a conclusyon to take the cete, ffor it was of ryght grete streynghte, than by the tysyng^[567] of Anthenor. For angre that he hadde to kyng Priaunt, he comforted theyme and seide that thei shulde make a pes with the kyng, and by that mene thei may putte theyme selue into the cete and they shall be youen a wey. Thus thei dede, by the which Troye was betrayed. And because that the treson hereoff was to grete and to evill, it is seide to the good knyght that all sich semblable, where he knoweth theyme, he shulde exile and chasse theyme awey, for sich pepill be gretili to hate. Platon seyth that disseyte is capteyne and gouernowre off shrewes.^[568]

109Be Anthenor, the which shulde be chassed awey, we may |f. 72.| vnderstonde that the goode sperite shulde dryve away all thynges whereby ony inconuenyence myght come to hyme. To this Seynt Austyn seith that he that is not besy to eschewe inconueniencees^[569] is leche a b[u]tyrflye that turnyth so ofte abowte the fyre of the lampe that he birneth his wenges and thanne is drowned in the oyle, and to the birde that flieth so ofte abowte the glewe that he lesyth his feddris. Example of Seynte Petir, the which aboode so long in the princes courte of the lawe that he fell into sich an inconuenience to renye^[570] his Maystir. And the wyse man seith, [“Fuge a via malorum, ne transeas per eam”].^[571]

XCVI.

In Mynervez tempell to offir

Thou shulde not thi ennemye suffre.

Take thou goode hede to the hors of tre;

Troye hadde yet bene, had that not be.

The Grekes hade made a feynte pes^[572] with the Troyens by Anthemores trayson. Thei seyde thei hadde avowed a gifte to Mynerve the godes, the which thei wolde offyr, and the[i] hadde made a horse of tre of an huge grettenes, the which was full of men of armes, and it was so grete that the yate of the cete most be brokyn for to late it cum in. And the hors was sette opon whelis, that rolled it forth to the temple; and when nyght come and when the tovne was most in rest, than the knyghtes lepid owt of the hors and vent abowte in the cete, the which brente and kyllid and distroiid the towne. The[re]for it is seide to the good knyght that he shulde not trost in no sich fantasies ne offerynges. To this 110purpose a wyse man seith, “A man shulde dowte the sotiltees and the spies of his enemie, yif he be wise, and his shrewdenes,^[573] yf he be a foole.”

By Minerve temple we may vnderstond holy chirch, where shulde not a been offird but prayer. And Seynt Awstyn seith in the booke of Feyth, that withowte the ffelechippe of holy chirch and baptym no thyng may availe, ne the dedes of mercye may not vaile to euerlastyng liffe, for withowte the lappe of the chirch non helthe may be. There[for] Dauid seith in the Sauter booke, [“Apud te laus mea in ecclesia magna”].^[574]

XCVII.

Trost not to haue a sure castell;

For Ylyones towre, sette full well,

Was take and brent, and so was Thune.^[575]

All is in the handes of fortune.

Ylyon was the mayster doongon of Troye and the faryst and |f. 73.| the strengest castell that euer was made of the which stories makyth mencion; but notwithstondyng it was take and brent and broute to nowte, and so was the cete of Thune, the which was some tyme a grete thyng. And becavse that sich causes falleth bi the chaungabilnes of fortvne, it is desirid that the good knyght shulde not be prowde in hyme selfe ne thynke hym selfe sure for no streyngh. Therefor Tholome^[576] seith, “The hyer that a lorde be raysed the perlyouser is the ouyrthrowe.”

That man shuld not wene to have a svre castell, we may vndirstond that the good sperite shulde take non hede to no maner delite; for as delitees be passyng and not svre and ledith a person to dampnacion, Seynt Jerom seith that it is inpossibile for a person 111to passe fro delittes to delyttes, that is to sey, for to pase and lepe fro delites of this worlde to the delyttes of paradyse, the which fillyth the wombe here and the sowle there. For the diuine condicion is vnbounde, for it is not yoven to thoo that weneth to haue the worlde euerlastyng in delittes. And to this purpose is wreetyn in the Pocalipce, [“Quantum glorificavit se et in deliciis fuit, tantum date ei tormentum et luctum”].^[577]

XCVIII.

Eschwe thou shulde þe swyn of Circes,

Where that the knyttes^[578] off Vlixes

Were turnyd to swyne as to the ye.

Vmbethynke the wele of this partie.

Cyrces was a qwene, whos reaume was opon the see of Ytaile, and she was a grete enchaunteresse and knew meche of sorcery and wichcraft. And whan Vlixes, the which wente to the se after the destruccion off Troye, as he went to a returnyd^[579] into his cuntre, throwe many grete and perlyous tormentes that he hadde he aryved at a hauen of the same lande. He sent to the qwene by his knyghtes to wete wheythir he myght swrely taken hauen in her lond or noon. Circes reseyuyd his knyghtes full gentely and of curtesei made ordeyne for theyme a potage full delicious to drynke, but the potage hade sich a strengh that sodenly the knyghttes were chaunged into swyne. Circes may be vnderstond in many maners. It ma[y] be vndirstonde be a lande or a cuntre where that knyghtes were putte in fowle and veleyns preson; and allso she may be lekened to a lady full of wantonnesse and ydilnes, that by hire many errant knyghtes, that is to sey, sewyng armes, þe which anamly were of Vlixes pepill, that is to vndirstonde, malicious and noyens, were 112kepte to soiorne as swyne. And therefor it is seide to þe good knyght that he shulde not reste in sich a soioryng. For Arystotill |f. 74.| seith, “He that is holy^[580] in fornicacion may not be aloved^[581] in the ende.”

Cyrceses swyne may we take for ypocrysy, the which the goode sperite shulde eschewe off all thynges. Ayens ypocrytes Seynt Gregory seith in his Moralles,^[582] that the lyfe of ypocrytes is but a frawdelous vysyon and as a fantasye ymagenid, the which shewith owtewarde lykenes of an ymage, the which is not in very dede inwarde. To this purpose owre Lorde seith in the Gospell, [“Væ vobis, hypocritæ, quia similes estis sepulchris dealbatis,” etc.].^[583]

XCIX.

Thou shulde no grete reson shewe to þe man

The which as that tyme vndirstond ne can.

Yno, the which the soddyn corne dide sowe,

Noteth it to the well inowgh, I trowe.

Yno was a qwene, the which made sothyn^[584] corne to be sowen, the which comme not vppe. And therfor it is seide to the goode knyght þat gode resons and weele sette and wyse autorites shulde not be tolde to the pepill of rude vndirstondyng and that cannot vndirstond them, ffor they be lost. And therfor Aristotile seith, “As reyne avaylith notte to corne that is sowen on a stone, no more availleth argumentes to an onwyse man.”

That faire and wise wordis shuld not be tolde to rude and ignorant pepill, the which cannot vnderstond theyme, it is to sey that it is as a thyng loste, and than ignorance is to blame. Seynt Bernard seith in a book of xv. Degrees of Mekenes that fore noght 113tho ascuse theyme of fragilite or off ignorance,^[585] standyng that siche as syne most frely be gladly ffreel and ignorant, and many thynges the which shuld be knowen be some tyme vnknowen, outhir be necligence to kune it....^[586] All sich ignorances hath non excusacion. Therefore the postil Seynt Povle seyth, [“Si quis ignorat, ignorabitur”].^[587]

C.

Auctorites I haue written to the

An .c.; late theyme be take agre,^[588]

For a woman lerned Augustus

To be worchipped and taught hym thus.

Cesar Augustus was Emperoure off the Romayns and off all |f. 75.| the worlde, and because thet in th[e] tyme of his reygne pes was in all þe world and that he reyngned pesibily, lewed pepill and misse-beleueres thought that the pes was becawse of his goodnes; but it was notte, for it was Crist Jhesu, the which was borne off the Virgine Mary and was that tyme on þe erth, and as long as he was on erth, it was pes ouer all the worlde. So they wold haue worchippede Cesar as God; but thanne Sebille bad hym to be well ware that he made hyme note to be worchipped, and that ther was no God but on alone, þe which had made all thynges. And thanne she lede hyme to an hy mounteyn withowte the cete and in the sone by the will of owre Lord aperyd a Vergine holdyng a Childe.^[589] Sibille shewed it to hym and seyd to hyme that ther was very God, 114the which shuld be worchipped, and than Cesar worchippede hym. And becaus that Ceesar Augustus, the [which] was prince off all the wor[l]de, lerned to knowe God and the Beleve off a woman, to the purpose may be seide the auctorite that Hermes seith, “Be not ashamed to here trowth and good techyngges of whom that euer seith it, for trouth noblyth hym þat pronounceth it.”

There where Othea seith that she hath wreten to hym an .c. |f. 75b.| auctorites and that Augustus lerned of a woman, it is to vndirstond that good wordes and good techynges is to prayse of what persone þat seith it.^[590] Howe^[591] de Seint Victor spekyth hereof in a boke called Didascalicon, that a wyse man gladdely herith all maner of techynges; he dispisyth not the Scriptur, he dispyseth not the person, he dispiseth not the doctrine; he sekyth indifferently ouer all, and all that euer he seth the which he hath defaute; he considerith notte what he is that spekyth, but [what] that is the which he seith^[592]; he taketh no hede how myche he can hymme selfe, but how mech he cannot. To this purpose þe wyse man seith, [“Auris bona audiet cum omni concupiscentia sapientiam”].^[593]

115