¶Here begynneth thystorye of the noble ryght valyaunt & worthy knyght Parys / and of the fayr Vyēne the daulphyns dou­ghter of vyennoys / the whyche suffred many aduersytees by­cause of theyr true loue or they coude enioye the effect therof of eche other /

IN the tyme of kynge Charles of Fraunce the yere of our lord Ihesu Cryst MCClxxj / was in the londe of vyennoys a ryche baron daulphyn and lord of the lond that was named syr Godefroy of alaunson & was of the kyn­ges kynrede of fraunce / the whi­che daulphyn was ryȝt myghty and a grete lord bothe in hauoyr and in landes / & was a ryght wyse man / in so moche that for his grete wysedom he was moche made of / bothe of the kynge of fraunce & of al the lordes & ba­rons of his courte / soo that noo thynge was doon in the sayd royame but that he was called therto / & had to his wyf a moche fayre lady whiche cleped was dame dyane whyche was of so grete beaulte that she was wel worthy & dygne to be named after that fayre sterre y^t men calle dyane that appyereth & sheweth a lytel afore the day / and also she was replenysshed of all no­blenes & gentylnes that a lady may or ought to haue / The sayd daulphyn thenne and this noble lady dyane were vij yere to gy­der wythoute yssue that moche they desyred to haue / and prayed our lord bothe nyght & day that they myght haue chyldren playsaunt and redy to hys deuyne seruyce / and our lord thorugh hys benygnyte herde theyr pray­er / and after hys playsyr gaf vnto them the viij yere of theyr maryage a ryght fayr doughter for the whyche / grete gladnes [...] Ioye was made thorugh all the daulphyns londe / and the chylde was baptysed with grete honour & Ioye / & in token of grete loue they named hyr vyenne by cause the cyte where she was borne in was called vyenne / and thys doughter was delyuerd vnto a noble lady for to be nourysshed wyth hyr / the whyche lady was of the sayd cyte and had a ly­tel doughter of the age of vy­enne the whyche was named y­sabel / & so the fayre vyēne was nourysshed wyth the same ysabel from hyr tender age vnto many yere after / & soo grete loue was bytwene them bothe that they called eche other systers / & the fayre vyenne grewe and encrea­ [...]ed euer in souerayn beawte & gentylnesse / so that the renomee of hyr excellent beawte flourys­shed not onely thurgh al fraūce but also thurgh al the Royame [Page] of englond & other contrees / It happed after she was xv yere of age that she was desyred to maryage of many knyȝtes & grete lordes / & at that tyme was in the daulphyns courte emonge many hys knyȝtes / a noble mā of auncyent lygnage & of fayr londes / the whiche was wel by­loued of the daulphyn & of alle the lordes of the lande and was called syr Iames / thys noble man had a moche fayr sone that had to name Parys / & hys fa­der made hym to be taught in al good custommes / and whan he was xviij yere of age he was a­dressed to the dyscyplyne of ar­mes / & demened hym self so no­bly & worthely in al maner de­des of chyualrye that wythin a shorte tyme after he was doubed knyght by the hande of the sayd lord daulphyn / ¶Noo fayte of knyghthode ne none aduenture of chyualrye happed after but that he founde hym self at it in soo moche that the renommee of hym ranne thurgh al the world & men sayd he was one of the best knyȝtes y^t myght be founde in ony contree / & helde hym self ryght clene in armes and lyued chastly & Ioyefully / & had euer aboute hym fowles hawkes and houndes for hys dysporte to alle maner of huntyng suffysaunt y­nough for a duc or for an erle / and thurgh hys prowesse and hardynes he was acqueynted & knowen of many other grete lordes / and emonge alle other he was gretely and louyngly ac­queynted with a yonge knyght of the cyte of vyenne that hyght Edward / and were bothe of one age and moche loued eche other / and as two brethern of armes wente euer to gyder there as they knewe ony Ioustyng or appertyse of armes to be had for to gete honour / ¶And wete it wel that besyde theyr worthynes in armes they were good mu­sycyens playeng vpon alle ma­ner Instrumentes of musyke / and coude synge veray wel / but Parys passed in al ponytes his felowe Edward / Notwythstondyng Edward was amerous al redy of a noble lady of the courte of braban / but Parys as yet knewe nought of amorouste but not longe after Venus the goddes of loue fyred his thouȝt with the hert vnto a noble yong lady / that is to wete the fayre vyenne the daulphyns doughter of vyennoys that was his lyege lord / & the more he growed tow­ard his flouryng age y^e more he was esprysed & brennyng of her loue for the grrte beaute y^t was in hyr / But Parys thought euer in hys herte that this loue was not wel lykly ne cordable / ¶For he was not of so hyghe lygnage as the noble mayden [Page] vyenne was of / & therfore Pa­rys kept hys loue secrete that none shold perceyue it sauf Ed­ward his trusty felowe to whom he brake & shewed his counceyl And the fayre vyenne perceyued not that parys was amerous of hyr / nor parys also durst ney­ther shewe nor say nothynge to hyr of hyt / but the more that he sawe hyr the more grewe y^e fyre of loue within hym self /

¶How Parys and Edward hys felowe played wyth dyuers Instrumētes by nyght tofore the chambre of vyenne /

PArys thenne & edward wyth one accorde dysposed them self for to gyue somme melodyous myrthe to the noble mayde vyenne / and wyth theyr musycal Instrumentes / as recourders / they yede by nyght tyme to gyder toward that parte of the castel where as the fayre vyenne laye in hyr chambre / and there they sange ful swetely and sowned melodyously theyr mu­sycal Instrumentes and pypes / and certeyn the melodye of their songes and the sowne of theyr Instrument was so playsaunt & so swete that it passed al other melodye / And whan the daul­phyn and his wyf & the fayre vyenne theyr doughter herde this swete and melodyous sowne / as wel of mās wyces as of dyuers Instrumētes they had grete Ioye and took grete playsyr at it & had grete desyre to knowe what they were that so grete so­lace and Ioye made tofore theyr castel / and for to wete & knowe what they were the daulphyn assygned a day of a feste at the whyche he sente for alle maner mynstrellys in hys londe / char­gyng theym vpon grete payne that they shold come for to playe before hym and hys barons in hys castel of vyenne / & [...]ohan they were al come they played and sange in theyr best wyse / but [...]mong them were not foūde tho mynstrelles that the lord daulphyn sought fore / wherof he was sorouful & desyred more to kno­we what they were than he dyd afore / And whan vyenne herde alle the mynstrellys of the bonde that sowned at y^e feste she sayd to ysabel hyr damoysel & preuy felowe / by my fayth swete syster these mynstrellys playen nouȝt to the regarde of them that were wonte to come before our cham­bre / & me dysplayseth moche that I may not knowe them / for cer­teynly they come not hyther for nought / for they loue outher you or me /

WHan the daulphyn vn­derstode hys doughters wordes he wyllyng to playse hyr sayd vnto hyr that yf it were possyble she shold kno­we what they were that soo [Page] sange euery nyght before hyr chambre / wherfore he ordeyned x men of armes and commaunded them to hyde them self pryuely there as the sowne was herde / & that they shold brynge to hym other by force or otherwyse them that made that swete melodye / Now came the nyght that the ij yonge knyghtes Parys & Ed­ward that no thynge knewe of thembusshement that was layed for them came with theyr Instrumentes toward the castel & there they began to synge & sowned theyr Instrumentes so melody­ously that grete playsyr it was to here / & whan they had songe and wold haue retorned thy­der as they were come fro / the x knyghtes lepte & cam forth and sa [...]wed them curtoyslle sayeng that they nedes must come wyth them for to speke with their lord the daulphyn / Thenne sayd Parys to them / Fayr lordes abyde a lytel whyle / yf it playse you & of vs ye shal haue an / ansuer Thenne wente Parys & edward a parte and spake to gyder / ye see fayr brother sayd Parys to Edward in what party we be now and I wold not that ye shold haue by me ony dysplay syr nor harme / but soo moche I telle you that or I shold suffre me to be ledde tofore the daul­phyn I had leuer deye / therfore fayr brother aduyse we what is beste for to do / & edward heryng parys wordes sayd / brother myn haue noo fere of no thynge and lete vs doo as ye wyl / Thenne sayd they to the x men of armes lordes thurgh your curtosye suf­fre vs to retorne thyder as we came fro / for we be at my lord the daulphyns playsyr & of all the lordes & barons of his courte but in ony maner as for thys tyme we may not fulfylle hys commaundement /

WHan the sayd x men of armes saw the ij knyghtes dysobeyssaunt / they ansuerd to them ye shal now come to hym other wyth your wylle or by force / and bygan to pulle oute theyr swerdes & came ayenst the two yonge knyghtes that naked were from al armes sauf theyr swerdes and theyr bowclers / wherwyth they couerd them and so manfully deffended theyr bodyees that they hurte & wounded sore al the ten armed men in so moche that they maad them alle to voyde and flee fro the place whether they wold or not / ¶And on the morowe erly the ten men of armes came tofore the daulphyn alle woun­ded and sore hurt / And they recounted to hym how two yonge men onely had arayed them so and how they nedes must flee for fere of theyr lyues / [Page] wherof the daulphyn was ryght angry to see them so sore hurt & took grete dysplaysyr of it / and thought wel that the sayd two yonge knyghtes were of grete strengthe and vertue / wherfore he comanded an hondred men to be redy for to espye & take them the nyght folowyng yf they came a­geyn chargyng that none hurte shold be doon to them / but after theyr songe doon / they shold be brought vnto hym / but thys enterpryse came to none effect / for the two yonge knyghtes came not ageyn but kepte alle that they had doon secrete / whan the fayre vyēne sawe that she myȝt not knowe what these mynstrel­lys were she thought they were somme grete lordes that were a­merous of hyr / & she & hyr da­moysel ysabel spake of none o­ther thynge than of these mynstrelles and had grete playsyr to talke of them / Parys seyng he durst not say nor shewe the grete loue that he had to the fayr vyenne / thought he wold hyde hys courage from hyr / wherfore he took acqueyntaunce wyth the bysshop of Saynt Laurence the whyche lerned hym holy scryp­ture / The daulphyn thenne seyng hys doughter ful tryste & pen­syful for thys that she myght not knowe the sayd mynstrelles that so melodyously played to­fore hyr chambre / he ordeyned a Ioustyng place wythin his cyte of vyenne and made lystes and scaffoldes to be sette vp & sente his herauldes in fraunce in En­glond and in normandye to a­nounce & shewe vnto al knyȝtes and gentylmen that wold doo faytes of armes and of chyual­rye for loue of al ladyes and damoyselles / that the Ioustes shold be holden the fyrst day of may / in the cyte of vyenne / And he that shold doo best in armes / shold haue of the Daulphyns doughter a shelde of crystalle of grete valurr / and a garlond wyth roses and floures of fyn gold / And wete ye wel that vyenne the noble and fayr mayden was ryght gladde of the Ioustes that hyr fader ordeyned for hyr sake / Fro grete talent and desyre she had to knowe hym that was soo amerous of hyr / and she thought he wold be at the sayd fyrst day of may at vyenne /

¶After the messagers that had pronounced the Ioustes were comen ageyn to the cyte of vyenne / the moost parte of the knyghtes and gentylmen of the Royame of Fraunce of En­glond and of Normandye made them redy for to come to the cyte of Vyenne to the sayd Ioustes / ¶And in especyal many no­ble barons of the royame of En­glond & of france that amerous [Page] were of the fayre vyenne for the renomme of hyr grete beaulte / came to the sayd Ioustes wyth ryche and noble araye / emonge whome was Iohan duc of bour­bon neuew to the kyng of fraūce Edward the kynges sone of englond / Anthony sone to the erle of prouence / Gherard the mar­quys sone of Mountferat / and wyllyam sone to the duc of Car­nes / Paris thēne knowyng this noble assemble and the Ioustes that shold be the fyrst day of M [...]y thought in hym self whe­ther he shold goo thyder or not / but the grete loue that he had to the fayre vyenne constrayned hym therto / Neuertheles he took counceyl of Edward his felowe the whyche answerd to hym / yf ye goo I wyl holde you compa­ [...]ye thyder / but we must departe secretly that we be not knowen / and anone they made redy theyr harnoys & pourueyed theym of good horses whiche they harneysed al in whyt / & none other to­ken they had on them whereby they myght be knowen sauf that they were arayed al in whyt & one lyke that other / The day of the Ioustes thēne approched & al the lordes & barons afore sayd cam ij dayes before the feste to y^e cyte of vyenne where the daul­phyn for loue of them dyd doo make a noble scaffold where as the fayre vyenne was rychely a­rayed / & al that sawe hyr were ameruaylled of hyr / grete beaute To that feste came many noble knyghtes & squyers clothed and arayed rychely after the guyse of theyr contree / & there were many mynstrellys playeng vpon al maner Instrumentes / & many good syngars whyche the noble mayde vyenne herkened ful wel For hyr hert was onely sette to thynke how she myght knowe hym that was hyr louer / parys thenne came thyder and was ordeyned for to serue at the daul­phyns table where vyenne satte / & wete ye wel that ful gracy­ously and curtoysly he serued and kerued before hyr /

¶How Parys gate the prys of the Ioustes in the cyte of Vyenne /

WHan the day was comen that the lordes knyghtes & gētylmen shold Iuste for loue of the ladyes / Parys & Edward yede to a secrete place where they armed them secretly and syn came to the lystes with theyr badges & tokens and were horsed and armed ful rychely and wel / Alle other knyghtes there were knowen by theyr armes / but the two whyt knygh­tes were vnknowen /

The daulphyn thenne commaunded that euery one shold mustre [Page] or the Ioustyng began along the felde tofore the ladyes & damoyselles / and soo they mostred ry­dyng tofore the scaffold of the fayre vyenne & were so nobly & rychely armed & arayed / and so godely men they were that euery one sayd / the floure of knyght­hode may now be seen in thys place / a emonge al other pryn­ces Edward of Englond was moost amerous of al & ryght renōmed in armes / The pucelle Vyenne soyng alle these noble knyghtes / sayd to hyr damoysel ysabel / Fayr syster whyche of them al thynke you that moost dooth for the loue of me / & ysa­bel ansuerd / honourable lady me semeth he that bereth the lyon of gold in his armes dooth more for your loue than the other / Certes sayd vyenne yonder two whyt knyghtes that bere none armes in theyr sheldes are more to my fantasye than ony of the other alwaye / we shal see now what they can doo / Thēne were the knyghtes redy to do fayte of armes / And fyrst an hardy & valyaunte knyght that bare in hys armes a crowne of gold bygan the fyrst cours / & ayenst hym ranne the good knyght ed­ward parys felowe & recoūtred eche other so vygorously y^t they brake bothe theyr speres / many other mette eche other sodaynlye gyuyng grete strokes / somme were ouerthrowen to the erthe & somme brake theyr speres wor­thely & kept theyr sterops ryght valyauntly / the other recountred eche other so manfully that bothe hors and man were caste to the grounde / For euery man dyd hys best to gete worshyp there / Edward the kynges sone of englond bare hym ful wel and had the better vpon many a knyȝt there / but the strong knyȝt parys broched hys hors toward hym / and mette hym so vygo­rously that atte ende he ouer­threwe hym & had the better of hym wherof he gate grete wor­shyp and was moche praysed for hys grete prowesse / Thys Ious­tyng lasted tyl souper tyme / & whan y^t euen cam many of them were wery of the Iouste & rested them / but parys dyd thēne more of armes shewyng his meruayllous prowesse than he had doon of al that day in so moche that none durst approche hym ne with stonde his appertyse in armes / & so moche he dyd that thonour & prys of the Ioustes rested & a­bode in hym that day /

How the shelde of crystal & the garlond with floures of gold were yeuen to Parys as to the best doer in faytes of armes /

THe feste ended / grete worshyp & loenge abode to y^e ij knyȝtes with y^e whyt [Page] armes / and Parys was ledde vnto the scaffold there as vyēne was the whyche delyuerd hym the shelde of crystal & the gar­lond wyth floures of gold that she helde in hyr honde / & thenne parys with Edward his felawe departed thens in the secretest wyse that they coude and wente to v [...]arme them to y^e place where they fyrst armed them self / The [...]ons and knyghtes that were there spake wel of the prowesse & of the chyualrye of the knyghtes with the whyt armes so that the daulphyn & the other grete lordes had grete desyre to knowe what they were & to haue theyr acqu [...]yntaunce / but they depar­ted so secretly fro the felde that no man knewe where they were become nor what waye they toke

AFter al thys was thus doon the knyghtes retorned in to theyr contrees spekyng euer of the ryal feste and chere that the daulphyn had doon to them / & of the prowesse of the whyt knyghtes & of the ryght souerayn beaute and no­blesse of vyenne / And in the mene whyle there moeued a stryf betwyxte the barons & knyȝtes of Frauunce and of Englond For somme were there that were amerous of the doughter of the duc of Normandye / and somme were that loued and bare oute the bealute of the syster of the kyng of Englond / sayeng she was fayrer than Vyenne was / and other were there that helde contrarye oppynyon sayeng that the daulphyns doughter vyenne passed in beaute al other wym­men in the world / and for this reason was grete debate & stryf betwyxte the knyȝtes of fraunce & them of Englond for the beaute of these thre damoyselles / ¶Euer multeplyed & grewe more the bruyt and the renōme of the daulphyn by cause of the Ioustes and tournoyment doon in his cyte of vyenne / wherof he had grete Ioye / for they had be moche honourable and playsaunt to al knyghtes / And Vyenne euer thought in hyr self who myght he be that had goten the worshyp and prys of the Ious­tes and sayd to ysabel / Neuer truste me dere suster but y^e knyȝt to whom I haue yeuen the shelde of crystal and my garlond is he that so swetely sange for the loue of me tofore our chambre / for myn hert gyueth it me / and by my fayth syster he is ful no­ble and worthy / & in alle hys dedes ryght curtoys and gentyl as we myght haue seen whylere wherfor I say you my swete sys­ter that in hym I haue putte the rote of myn entyere herte / my wylle and al my loue / nor neuer I shal haue playsyr ne Ioye [Page] vnto y^e tyme that I knowe what he is / for my loue is al hys / & of what so euer estate he be of I neuer shal take myn herte fro hym / ¶Thenne began she to wayle and syghe for the loue of hym ful tenderly / for tyl now she had not felte the sparkles of loue that sprange out of hyr hert / but parys knewe nothyng herof y^t she desyred to haue hym & to knowe what he was / but he kepte hys loue secrete in hys hert / For he durst not shewe it vnto hyr wherfore he ledde hys lyf in grete trystesse and sorowe he went euer in the felawshyp of the bysshop of saynt Laurence & made semblaunte of nothyng And Iames the fader of Pa­rys that had seen the noble feest and the ryal Ioustes in the cy­te of vyenne / wenyng to hym that hys sone parys had not ben there was ful sory & had gr [...]te dysplaysyr of it and sayd / Fayr sone Parys I am in a grete ma­lencolye & in a thought for you that ye be not so Ioyeful ne me­ry as ye were wonte to be / here afore tyme I sawe you euer re­dy to the Ioustes and to al ma­ner faytes of chyualrye for to gete honour / & I now see you al chaunged syn ye took ac­queyntaunce wyth thys bysshop for lothe I were to see you by­come a man of relygyon as I fere he wyl brynge you to / and ryght wrothe I am that ye were not at that noble and ryal tournoyment that hath be holden in vyenne for the sake of alle the ladyes of thys londe / wherfore dere sone I praye you to take hede to your self that ye lese not your good renommee / your worshyp ne the praysyng also that ye gate afore tyme / and that ye spende not your yongthe in yo [...]enesse / And Parys heryng alle thys ansuerd noo thyng to hys fader but abode stylle pensyf [...]ll thynkyng on y^e beaute of vyēne /

NOw sayth thystorye that as ye haue herde aboue a grete stryf befyl emong the knyghtes aforesayd for the loue of the thre damoyse [...]les a­fore sayd / For the erles sone of Flaundres was gretely wrothe for thys cause wyth the Duc of brennes and had beten & hurte sore eche other so that none myȝt make the pees betwyxte theym / For eyther of hem mayntened & bare oute the beaute of his lady ¶It happed thenne that fyue knyghtes hardy and valyaunte came forth the whyche sayd that they were redy to fyght and for to proue by force of armes that Florye the dukes doughter of Normandye was the fayrest da­moysel of alle the world / And Incontynent stert vp fyue other knyghtes that said & mayntened [Page] that cou [...]taunce the kynges sys­ter of englond was the fayrest / And forthwyth other v knyghtes rose vp that mayntened and vphelde the beaute of vyenne a­boue alle other wymmen in the world in so moche that thys de­bute cam to the knowleche of the kyng of Fraunce whiche sayd that herof myght growe a grete trouble and dyscorde emong his barons & other lordes / Soo sente he worde to them that they shold come toward hym and that he shold gyue suche a sentence vpon theyr stryf that they al shold be therof contente / the whyche message p [...]sed them wel and came [...] toward hym assone as they myght / And whan they were come tofore the kyng they spake of theyr stryf / But anone the kyng ordeyned a Ioustes for the lou [...] of the sayd thre ladyes / & made his m [...]undement that they al shold co [...]e wyth theyr ar­mes and hors for to Iouste the viij day of septembre in the cyte of parys / and they that shold do best in armes at that day they shold haue the prys & the wor­shyp of the feste and the lady on whos beaute they helde with shold be reputed and holden for the fayrest damoysel of alle the world / The kyng of Fraunce thenne sente worde to the faders of the forsayd thre ladyes prayeng them to come atte same feste and that eyther of them shold brynge wyth hym a present of rychesse the which thre presentes shold be yeuen in the worshyp of their thre doughters to the best doer in armes in token of vyctorye / And thus the kyng of en­glond fyrst sent for hys syster Constau [...]ce a fayre crowne of gold alle sette wyth perlys and precyous stones of grete value / The duc of Normandye for loue of hys doughter Florye sente a ryght fayre garlond sette wyth dyuers perlys & precyous sto­nes moche ryche and of grete extymacyon / And the daulphyn for loue of hys doughter vyenne sente a moche ryche coler of gold al enuyronned wyth precyous stones of, dyuers colours / the whiche was worth a ryght grete tresour / And these thre Iewel­lys were delyuerd to the kynge of Fraunce / The forsayd knyghtes thenne made them redy and apparaylled al thynges accor­dyng to the Ioustes / & in ryche araye came al to the cyte of Parys / and wete ye wel that in Fraunce was not seen afore that day so grete noblesse of barons and knyghtes as were there assembled / for there were the moost hye prynces & barons of englond of Fraunce and of Normandye and eyther of them dyd sette al hys wytte and en [...]endement to vpholde and bere oute that they [Page] had purposed and sayd / and euery baron gaf hys lyuerey that they shold be knowen eche fro other / & the bruyt & renōme was that my lady constaunce shold haue thonour of that feste for thys that many a fayre and hardy knyght made them redy to mayntene the quarelle of hyr beaulte / but neuertheles eyther of these thre partyes hoped to haue the worshyp of the feste / & parys that was in vyenne the cyte / and that wel knewe the grete apparaylle of thys feste / took counceyl of Edward hys felawe whether he shold goo to parys or not / And Edward counceylled hym to goo thyder / so that he wente secretly / & sayd yf ye goo thyder secretly and yf god gyue you grace that ye gete the worshyp of the feste / grete wele & good shal come to you therby / and yf ye goo and be knowen the. daulphyn and the other lordes shal not preyse you soo moche as they shold yf ye were vnknowen for cause that ye be not of so grete lygnage as they be / another is yf ye goo o­penl̄y and that my lady vyenne happeth to haue thonour of the feste by your prowesse / she shal nought be sette by / consyderyng the other grete lordes that shal be there procedyng your degree / & yf she gete the worshyp of the feste by a knyght vnknowen the loue and honour shal growe the more in hyr courage toward hym that thus hath doon for hyr sake / wherfore I counceyl you to goo thyder in the moost secretest wyse that ye may / for my truste is that ye shal gete grete wor­shyp there / and but yf ye goo / truste me I shal make my self redy to goo thyder for you / For I wyl be lothe to s [...]e the beaulte of my lady vyēne to be rebuked At these wordes graunted Pa­rys to goo to the sayd Ioustes / and whan he was redy & ha [...] al thynges accordyng to a no­ble knyght he departed in the se­cretest manere that he myght to­ward the cyte of parys wh [...]re as the kyng of Fraunce maad grete prouysyon of alle maner metes and of al other thynges necessarye to suche a ryal fe [...]te / And in the myddes of the cyte of parys he ordeyned the place where the knyghtes shold Iouste and dyd doo make many fayre scaffoldes for the ladyes and damoyselles to be sette on / for to be holde the Ioustyng / Also he dyd do make thre baners ful fayre and ryche / the fyrst baner was whyt / and there was wryton vpon hit in letters of gold / vy­enne doughter to my lord god­froy of alenson daulphyn of vyennoys / the second baner was rede / and was wryton theron in letters of gold / Constaunce the [Page] kynges syster of englond / The thyrd baner was whyt and in letters of gold was wryton the­ron / Florye doughter to the duc o [...] nor [...]andye / and these iij ba­ners were pyght vp at the thre cornes of the felde / and wete ye that so grete prees was there that the peple took theyr place vpon the scaffoldes ij dayes afore the feste for to see the grete peple & the fayr ordynaunce that there was /

WHan it was so that the lordes were redy of alle [...]hynges that were ne­cessarye / and were departed fro theyr contrees they assembled al at parys the xiiij day of septembre / and neuer tofore was seen so grete a companye of nobles / For fro alle partyes was comen grete chyualrye / the sōme for to do armes / and the other for to see the feste whyche was moche sumptuous and noble / & whan the day assygned came of the Ioustes / On the mornyng erly he dyd doo sette these thre Ioy­a [...] or Iewels in the baners / the whyche shone and resplen­dysshed moche merueillously for the nombre of perles & precyous stones that were in the baners / Now it shold be ouerlonge to recyte of the barons and of the knyghtes that were in that Iourneye / For many were comen thyder fro the royame of spayne / of aragon and of many other contrees for to proue their strengthe and persones / and for to mayntene the barons that m [...]yntened the thre ladyes maydens / Of whome we shall reherce of the pryncypallest here after the shor­test wyse we may / And whan it came in the mornyng that e­uery man was armed & appa­raylled in the felde / and that the kyng of Fraunce was sette in hys hrete scaffolde / and began to say al alowde and moche meruayllously / that alle the people myght here and vnderstonde / Knyghtes and barons that been here for to do the fayte of armes goo ye eueryche vnder that ba­ner that he wyl mayntene for the loue of hys lady / and we gyue in comaundement that this felde be of loue and of curtosye / as i [...] to you appert [...]yneth / how be it we wyl wel that eche of you do valyantly hys armes and hys chyualryes for that damoysel [...] whyche he wyl mayntene / And he that shal wynne the felde shal haue the prys and thonour of the feste / and that lady or da­moysel shal be mayntened and allowed for the moost fayre da­moysel of the world / and shal haue the prys and thonour of them of Englond of Fraunce & of Normandye / and that to thys noo man be so hardy to gaynsay vpon the payne to lose his lyf / [Page] And yet after thys he sayd / ye see here a fayre crowne the why­che the quene of Fraunce hath ordeyned / to thende that it be dely­uerd to the fader of the damoy­sel that shal haue the prys and honour of the felde and of the Ioustes / And the knyght that shal gete the prys and thonour of the Ioustes shal haue all the thre baners and the thre Iewels that been in them / & comaunded that the baner of Normandye shold fyrst make hys mustre / & nexte the baner of Constaunce and thenne that of Vyenne / ¶And fyrst vnder the baner of Normandye were they that folo­we / that is to wete Iohan sone of therle of Flaunders / Phelyp of bauyers neuew of the kynge of Fraunce / Edward sone of the duke of bourgoyne / Iohan erle of Armynak / Balaxe brother of the marquys of Saluce Geffroy duc of pycardye / And after them came many other wel armed & habylled / After came the baner of Cōstaunce / the whi­che accompanyed Iohan sone of the duc of bremeos / Gastamons of gastre brother of the erle of foyes / Anthonye alegre sone of the duc of Carnes / Larer ne­uew of the duc of bourgoyne / The honourable Iohan of bra­ban / Salamon de launson bro­ther of therle of the marche / and after them came many other barons and knyghtes / and thēne after came the baner of the fayr vyēne / the whyche accompanyed hughe sone of the duc of Bourbon / Edward sone of the kyng of Englond / Wylliam sone of the duc of barry / Antonye sone of the counte of prouynce / Pa­rys sone of syr Iaques of vy­enne / Dormando of monferrant sone of the marquys / thre sones of the duc of Carnes / Iohan peryllous duc of Normandye / & after them came many other ba­rons and knyghtes wel armed & wel horsed / And whan the mustre was made / euery baner retorned in to hys place / whyche moche noble and meruayllous thynge was it to see and to by­holde the noblesse of the barons & knyghtes soo wel horsed and armed as they were / And the daulphyn and syr Iaques fa­der of Parys were comen for to see the feste & the Ioustes /

¶How Parys wan the prys at the Ioustes in the cyte of Parys /

WHan thenne it came to the houre of tyerce began the Ioustes / and cam in to the felde moche nobly armed Iohan sone of therle of flaun­dres / & ageyn hym came Iohan sone of the duke of breunes & coped to gyder so fyersly y^t they [Page] brake theyr speres / and Iohan sone of therle of flaunders tom­bled to therthe vnder hys hors / & after ayenst Iohan de breunes came Edward sone of the duke of bourgoyne / These ij knyghtes bete doun puyssauntly Iohan de breunes / vnto the tyme y^t there came ayenst hym Iohan peryl­lous duc of Normandye / whyche smote hym wyth soo grete force that he ouerthrewe hym vnder hys hors & brake hys arme & put hym in suche estate that he wyst not whether it was day or nyght / and ayenst Iohan peryl­lous came Anthonye alegre sone of the duc of carues / and dyd so moc [...] prowesse wyth his per­sone that he conquerd Iohan pe­ryllous and v other knyghtes myghty men of his partye whom he smote to the erthe by force of armes / After came ageynst an­thonie alegre Geffroy of pycar­dye and smote anthonie in suche wyse that he fyl to the erthe / & vj other stronge knyghtes of hys partye / and after dyd soo meruayllous feates of armes / that euery man sayd that he had thonour of the felde / And thēne came the free knyght parys a­yenst geffroy beryng lowe hys spere / & they gaf so grete strokes that the knyghtes and horses wente al to therthe / wherfor the kyng sayd / that sythe bothe two were throwen to the erthe / that they shold retorne ageyn to the Ioustes / & parys wyth a grete desyre consented / and soo bothe retorned & came rennyng / And Parys gaf to geffroy so grete a stroke / that hys hors slode and thenne geffroy ouerthrewe to the erthe / but by cause that the hors slode it was sayd that the hors was cause that he ouerthrewe / For moche they mayntened gef­froy and sayd that he was not vaynquysshed / & that it shold be wel doon that they shold Iuste ageyn / And by cause that Pa­rys was not knowen ther was none that mayntened hym ne susteyned / neuertheles the kyng of fraunce knewe wel that gef­froy was vaynquysshed loyally & wel / For he had wel seen the aduenture / & wold do no wronge vnto the knyght whyche was of grete strengthe and myght / and anone sente to hym an heraulde whyche sayd to hym in the name of the kynge of fraunce / that the kyng had wel seen & wel knewe that Parys had vaynquysshed hys knyght / Notwythstondyng yf he wold yet ones retorne to the Iuste by hys noblesse that he shold do hym self grete honour And thenne Parys maad hys ansuer sayeng that the beaulte of my lady vyēne was so grete that in al the world was none to hyr lyke / that yf it pleased the Kyng I am redy for to [Page] furnysshe the Ioustes for hys loue ayenst the knyght yet ano­ther tyme / and to Iuste tyl that geffroy shold be vaynquysshed / & that was wythoute ony gayn sayeng / & the heraulde retorned and tolde it to the kyng / whe­rof the kyng was wel contente & sayd that the knyght ought to be somme grete lord / For he was of grete valoyr and puys­saunce and spake moche swetely and curtoysly / And after Pa­rys chaunged and took another hors / whyche Edward hys fe­lowe had made redy for hym & retorned to the Iustes / & smote to gyder wyth soo grete myght / that by veray force geffroy went to therthe vnder hys hors ryght euyl hurte /

THenne whan it came to­ward euen the Ioustes were so grete thycke and stronge that al the thre partyes as wel of one as of other were throwen doun to the erthe / that there abode no moo of the partye of vyenne but parys allone / and of the partye of normandye thre knyghtes stronge and puyssaūt and they were Balaxo brother of the marquys of Saluces / Iohan sone of the erle of Army nack / and phelyp of bauyere / & of the partye of constaunce other thre stronge & myghty / that is to wete Iohan of braband / la­ [...]er neuew of the duc of bour­geyn / and Salamon dalanson brother of y^e counte de la marche and they sayd that the Iustes shold abyde tyl on the morne / for they were moche wery / and whan parys saw that they wold haue retorned / he fewtred hys spere / and there cam ayenst hym balaxo brother of the marquys of saluces / And Parys at the fyrst stroke strake hym doun to the erthe vnder hys hors / and in lyke wyse dyd to the other v / and moche nobly & valyauntly he wanne thonour of the Iustes and of the felde /

¶How the kyng commaunded that the thre baners wyth the in Iewellys shold be gyuen to Parys champyon of vyenne /

THe Ioustes fynysshed Parys wanne the beau­te of hys lady the fayre vyenne / and he was ledde to the scaffolde where as the kynge was / & the other grete lordes & knyghtes & there were delyuerd to hym the thre baners & the thre Iewellys that were in them / & Parys shewed them thurgh all the felde / in sygne that the sayd vyenne had goten thonour for to be the fayrest damoysell that was in alle the world by the same yonge knyght / and whan Parys had the thre fayr baners and the thre ryche Iewellys / he [Page] and Edward hys felowe de­parted out of the cyte of parys and oute of fraunce the moost secrete wyse that they myght / & retorned in to dalphyne / Parys retorned in to the companye of the forsayd bysshop of Saynt Laurence / as he had not been at the feste / & alwaye he demaun­ded tydynges of the Iustes that were made in fraunce / and who had thonour of the Ioustes /

WHan the feste was made al the barons & knygh­tes that were there had [...] desyre to knowe who was [...] that so valyauntly & so nobly [...] wonne the Iourneye & the honour of the Iustes for to doo to hym worshyp / but they coude neuer knowe hym / wherof they had grete dysplaysyr / & sayd that the knyght was of grete wysedom / by cause he wold not be knowen / And after this the barons & knyghtes took leue of the kyng / and retorned in to theyr londes al dyscomforted / by cause they had not goten the honour of the feste / and yet were they more angry by cause they knewe not to whome the honour was gyuen of the feste ne of the Iustes / The kyng of Fraunce whyche moche loued the dolphyn made to hym grete feste & moche grete honour / And the kyng delyuerd to hym the crowne that the quene had gyuen / for to gyue to hyr that shold haue the honour of the Ioustes / to thende that he shold gyue it vnto hys doughter vyenne in sygne & to­ken that she was the moost fayr damoysel of the world / & whan al thys was doon / the dolphyn and the fader of parys retorned in to dolphyne in moche grete honour and gre [...]e Ioye / whan vyenne knewe that hyr fader came she came and mette hym as she was accustomed / Thenne whan the dolphyn sawe hyr / he kyssed hyr & sette on her hede the crowne whyche the kynge had gyuen hym / and tolde to hyr how she had goton the honour for to be the moost fayrest damoysell of the world / and loo here is the fayr crowne that the quene of fraunce sendeth to you in token that ye haue goten the honour / Not wythstondyng fayr dough­ter / that ye haue had many contrarye therto / but ye haue had a good deffendour & ryȝt stronge and hath wel quyted hym in your nede / For of eche partye were abyden thre knyghtes mo­che stronge and p [...]yssaunte / and on your partye was left but one knyght onely whyche vaynquysshed al the other / wythout ony token / and is departed alle se­cretly that no man knewe hym ne the kyng of fraunce hath no knowleche of hym / but he hath [Page] borne awaye wyth hym the thre baners & the iij Iewellys that were in them & also the prys & thonour of the feste / wherfore swete & fayr doughter ye wote neuer to whom to gyue thankynges of so moche honour as hath be doon for you / but I praye to god of heuen & to the glorious vyrgyn marye / that it playse hym to gyue to hym good & ho­nour / Ioye & excellence & in alle his feates vyctorye / lyke as he is chyef & hede of al honour and of al chyualrye in thys world For I neuer sawe ne herde of knyght that so gracyously and so curtoysly bare hym in his ar­mes & in his chyualryes / And whan vyēne herde sp [...]ke of these tydynges / & sawe the grete ho­nour & prys that she had goten and al was comen by this noble knyght / she sayd to ysabeau hyr damoysel / My suster sayd I not to you wel but late / that I was byloued by the moost noble and valyaunt knyght of fraunce / & and by my fayth my swete sus­ter / this is he y^t so swetely songe & that wanne the Iustes in this cyte & bare with hym the shelde of crystal & my garlonde / and went his waye so that noo man myght knowe hym / aduyse you wel fayr suster what hanour is comen to me by his prowesse & by his bounte / I may wel be so­ry & dolant / whan I may not knowe who he is / & myn herte is moche heuy & myn entend [...] ­ment that I neuer can fynde the moyen to see & knowe hym / and yet she sayd / Certes my swete suster ysabeau / I byleue that my dayes be shorte / & that I shall deye of somme cruel & fals deth for the grete desplaysyr that I haue contynuelly in my herte / for I can none other thynge doo but wepe & waylle / & alwaye to contynue in sorouful lyf & heuy but none apperceyued it but o­nely hyr damoysel ysabeau /

THe fader of parys why­che had ben with the dol­phyn in that feste had not seen there hys sone Parys / wherof he had grete sorowe in his herte / for he had seen that he was accustomed to be in al noble Iustes / but thenne he sawe hym goo with the bysshop of saynt Lau­rence / and dysposed hym not to doo armes as he was woned / wherfor he sayd to hym on a day My sone I had hoped to haue had in the grete consolacyo [...] / but now thou byngest me in to grete heuynesse and dysplay­syr / whan I see that thou wylt not departe from thys bysshop wherfor I praye the that y^u leue hym / & doo soo that it may be to me playsaunt and to the hon­neste / Parys herde hym wel / but he gaf not a word to ansuer [Page] The fader of Parys seyng thys went to his secrete felowe Ed­ward and sayd to hym / I see wel that the grete amytye & loue that ye haue to my sone / and knowe ye for certayn that I haue in my hert grete melancolye whan I remembre that Parys hath had grete honour & fame of chyualrye / and now I see that he gooth al wyth thys bys­shop / and leteth hys hawkes / his houndes and hors to deye for hongre / wherfore I praye you that ye wyl gyue me somme counceyl / whyche am soo mes­chaunt that I deye for sorowe / And whan he had sayd these wordes / Edward had pyte of hym / & comforted hym the beste wy [...]e he coude / and departed fro hym / and wente strayte to hys felowe Parys and sayd to hym I knowe wel that loue constrayneth the so strongely / that thou hast noo power ouer thy self / wherfore thy lyf may not longe endure / And also thy fader and thy frendes ben euyl contente a­yenst the / and I say to the that for to be vertuous and valyaunt it playseth moche to god / And for the loue of one woman thou doost moche desplaysyr to thy fa­der / And also for noo persone what someuer he or she be / thou oughtest not to lese the wele & renomee that thou hast of chy­ualrye / It appyereth not in the / that thou hast ouy vertue or cou­rage / wherfore I praye the that thou wylt do somme thyng that it may be playsaunt to thy fader whych hath desyred & prayed me that I shold soo say to the / whan parys had herde al this / he an­suerd to edward and sayd to hym / I knowe wel that these thynges that thou hast sayd to me been vertuous & honnest / but they been to me greuous / for to put me from the thoughtes in whyche I am contynuelly / Ne­uertheles I praye the that thou gyue me counceyl what is beste that I doo / Thenne sayd edward it shold wel playse me / yf it were thy playsyr that we shold goo in to braband / For it is vj monethes passed that I haue not seen my lady / & there shall we do armes / by which we may gete fame and honour / & paris agreed therto sayeng that he was contente yf it playsed hym so to do / & Incontynent they made redy theyr harnoys & horses and alle thynges necessarye to them / & or Parys departed he put in hys chambre al the thynges & pryses that he had wōne by chyualryes & closed them fast in his chābre / & delyuerd the keye to his moder & prayed hir moche derly that she shold not open it / ne suffre y^t ony persone shold entre therin / And after they wente toward Bra­band / where as they dyd grete [Page] feates of chyualrye & Ioustes wherof they gate grete honoure and worshyp / and were moche praysed of ladyes and damoy­sellys / And parys made countenaunce for to haue abyden in braband for the loue of edward but hys herte drewe vnto the fayre Vyenne / whome he so mo­che loued in hys herte secretely /

¶How Dyane and vyenne hyr doughter wenten to vysyte the fader of Parys the whyche was seek /

NOw it happened that duryng thys tyme that Parys and Edward duel leden in Braband / the fader of Parys fyl in to a sekenesse of foures or accesse / And the cause came of the thought that he had of [...]ys sone Parys / And he beyng seek the doulphyn wente on a day to see hym / and de­maunded the cause of hys maladye / and comforted hym the best wyse that he coude / and after re­torned home / and sayd to hys wyf / that it were wel doon that she shold goo see and vysyte messyre Iaques whyche was seke / And forthwyth Inconty­nent my lady dyane / hyr dough­ter Vyenne and ysabeau hyr damoysel wyth a grete companye wente to the castel of Syr Ia­ques / and salewed hym moche nobly as it wel apperteyned / & the best wyse that they myght ¶And whan they were in the chambre where messyre Iaques was and laye / Dame dyane demaunded hym of his sekenesse And messire Iaques sayd that al hys dys [...]ase came for hys sone Parys / by cause he loste so hys tyme / and that he went alway wyth the bysshop of Saynt laurence / wherof I fere me that he shal become a man of relygyon / I haue no moo chyldren but hym / I wote not what I shall doo wyth the goodes that god hath gyuen to me / And my la­dy dyane comforted hym and sayd that hys sone was moche wel byloued of the doulphyn / & that he had moche grete amytye of many grete lordes / barons & knyghtes / & also she sayd that emong al thynges he shold or­deyne for hys helthe / & after all thys the moder of parys prayed hyr that it myght playse hyr to come see the castel / and she an­suerd that she moche desyred it Thenne the moder of parys she­wed hir al the castel / & ledde hir in to an halle al ful of armes and abylemens of warre for to fyght in batayll / After she ladde hyr in to anothrr halle where as were many hawkes / faul­cens / and many other fowles of chace / And after in to many [Page] other halles & chambres rychely arayed whyche were ouer longe to reherce / And after the moder of Parys shewed vnto hyr the chambre of Parys where that he slepte / wherin were many abyl­ments / whyche shold wel suf­fyse y^e chambre of a grete prynce And in the sayd chambre were two grete standardes couerd af­ter the guyse of Fraunce / That one was ful of clo [...]he of gold and sylke / and that other of harnoys and of many other thynges / Thenne sayd Vyenne to y [...]abeau / by my fayth fayr sys­ter I haue noo grete meruaylle of th [...]s yonge knyght Parys though of hym be maad grete m [...]ncyon / For thordynaunce of thyse thynges shewe wel that he is of grete valure / And in by­holdyng of these thynges she sawe a couerture of an hors alle whyte / And hyr semed that it was the same that the knyght b [...]re that wanne the prys of the Ioustes that was made in the cyte of Vyenne / and that had the shelde of crystal & the gar­lond whych she tolde to ysabeau And ysabeau ansuerd to hyr / neuer thynke ye soo / For all day been made semalable couertures and tokenes whyte / wherof ye may wel be deceyued / Vyenne enforced alle waye hyr self to t [...]ke better hede / and of the grete Ioye that she had she sayd to hyr moder / Madame I am a lytel crased and sodeynly taken / wherfore yf it playse you I wold fayne reste a lytel in this chambre / and late me be alle allone wyth my suster ysabeau / for I wyl haue none other / and a­none eche body auoyded oute of the chambre / and ysabeau dyd shytte the dore that none myght come in / ¶Thenne sayd vyenne now we shal see yf we may fynde ony thynge that we may haue better knowleche of / For myn herte sayth yes / After that they had serched and vy­syted alle the chambre / they cam on a syde of the chambre where they fonde a lytel dore / of why­che henge a lytel keye by a thwonge / and anone they ope­ned the dore and entred therin And there was a lytel cham­bre whyche was xij foot longe / and was an oratorye / where as was the mageste of our Lord Ihesu Cryst vpon a lytel aulter and at eche corner was a can­styke of syluer / and thyder cam Parys for to make hys sacre­fyse whan he aroos / and whan he wente to hys bedde /

¶And there were the thre ba­ners that the noble knyght Pa­rys had wonne in the cyte of Parys / And the thre Iewel­lys of the thre damoyselles afore sayd / And in the same place was also the shelde of Crystal [Page] and the garlond that Vyenne delyuerd to hym whan he wāne the prys at the Ioustes in the cyte of vyenne / And all these he kepte secrete in that place / And whan vyenne sawe these thyn­ges / she was sure that Parys was he whome she had so moche desyred to knowe / and that soo moche honour had doon to hyr / and for the grete Ioye that she had / she sette hyr doun on the grounde / and there abode a grete whyle / and coude not speke a word / And after she spake to ysabeau / & sayd my swete sys­ter / blessyd and preysed be our lord of thys good Iourney / For me thynketh I shold neuer de­parte oute of thys chambre / Alas I haue so longe abyden to knowe / who he was that so swetely played in his Instrumen­tes so nygh vnto me / and now he is so ferre / & thenne ysabeau began to repreue hyr and sayd to hyr / Swete lady I praye you that ye say ne do ony thyng whi­che myght torne you to folye / and be ye ruled by wysedom and reason / For not wythstondyng that parys haue so moche good & vertues / yet ye ought to consyder that he is not [...]gal to you in lygnage ne in estate / For I knowe wel that many noble & puyssaunt lordes haue demaun­ded you in maryage / & loue you & do grete thynges for you / and also thonour of Parys whyche is your vayssal and subget is not egall ne worthy vnto you / ¶Thenne vyenne was moche angry on ysabeau and began to say / A veray god I am wel dyscomforted and deceyued by the / that thus agayn sayest me of hym that I so longe haue desyred to knowe / Alas I had supposed that in noo thyng ye wold haue dysplaysed me / And in good fayth I say to the / that this man I wyl loue and demaunde / and I promyse the in good fayth / that yf thou ony more gaynsaye me I shal slee my self / and thenne thou shalt be caus [...] of my deth / For I wyl not lese hym that I haue so longe loued / but I say to the for trouthe / that yf thou euer say to me suche wordes of my frende parys / that thou shalt neuer after haue space to say them ageyn another tyme / for yf thou consyderest wel hys noble con­dycyons and custommes / thou sholdest preyse hym better than thou doost / And knowest thou not wel that the kyng of fraūce wold that it had coste hym half hys Royame that hys sone Lo­wys were as valyaunte as pa­rys is / ¶And also there be many notable lordes that desyre to knowe his nam [...] / and to haue hys amytye /

¶Thenne take hede and byholde by my fayth yf euer thou sawe [Page] man that myght be compared to hym / certaynly alle vertues been in hym / And sythe that fortune hath brought me to hys loue / he is worthy to haue my loue / and yet more than is in me / And haue I not reason & cause thēne to loue hym / whyche hath doon to me so grete good and honour and doubtyng noo peryl of hys persone / and is it not wel grete worshyp to my fader to haue for vaissal and subget the beste knyght that is in all the world For in alle the world is noo knyght that I wold forsake parys fore / ne oone that hath doon so moche for me / And thus to speke of the feates of Parys she doude not stynte /

¶Thenne came two / damoysel­les knockyng at the chambre dore sayeng / Vyenne ye must come to my lady / And ysabeau sprange oute sayeng that she shold come anone / And vyēne seyng that she must nedes departe fro thens sayd to ysabeau / My suster syth we must departe hens late vs take somme of these Ie­wellys / and we shal kepe them secretly tyl that Ptrys be comen and we shal see what counte­naunce he shal make in hym self ¶Thenne they took the colyer and the whyte baner of vyenne and other Iewellys and hydde them vnder theyr clothes / and wente in to the chambre of mes­syre Iaques / but vyenne desy­red gretely to speke with pari [...] and thought longe or he came home / And in the mene whyle messire Iaques recouerd of his maladye and bycam alle hool wherof Vyenne had grete Ioye but she durst not shewe it /

¶How Parys and Edward retorned oute of braband /

AFter certeyn tyme that Parys had be in Bra­band wyth hys felowe Edward / he desyred strongely to see the fayr vyenne / For the loue of hyr destrayned hym mo­che strongly / ¶Neuertheles he durst not telle it to hys felowe / to thende that he shold take noo dysplaysyr of hys departyng / And sone after the space of v dayes Parys receyued a letter that hys fader was seek / & thēne he sayd to Edward / Ryght dere brother & felowe / pleseth it you to wete that my fader is sore seke / & me semeth it were good that we departed yf ye consente but I praye you that ye take noo desplayryr in thys depar­tyng / for yf it playse god we shal sone retorne / And edward seyng the Iuste reason of Pa­rys and hys good wylle / sayd to hym that he was wel content & plesyd / wherfore Incontynente they departed oute of braband [Page] and came in to the cyte of vy­enne / of whos comyng messyr Iaques had souerayn playsyr specyally / by cause he had herde that Parys hys sone had doon valyauntly feates of armes / ¶Now it happed that whan Parys was arryued at home wyth hys fader lyke as he was accustomed / Allewaye tofore or he wente to hys [...]edde / he wente to make hys orysons and prayers / and after he aduysed yf he lacked ony thynge / and fonde that tho thynges that he loued beste were taken awaye / wherof he was moche angry / and quasi half in despayr in suche wyse that alle the nyght he coude not slepe And whan it came i [...] the mor­nyng he came to hys moder and sayd / Moder how is it that ye haue not kepte my chābre cloos and shytte / For I lacke cer­tayn thynges whyche I wold not gladly lese / and haue for them grete dysplaysir / To whom hys moder ansuerd / My sone by my fayth there neuer entred therin persone / but on a tyme whan your fader was seek came my lady dyane and hyr dough­ter vyenne / and whan they had vysyted your fader / they wente al aboute for to see thys castel / and thenne they entred in to your chamber / But I can not thynke that they took ony thyng for they taryed not longe / sauf onely vyenne whyche taryed o­nely allone sauf hyr damoysel / by cause she was euyl at ease at hyr hert / wherfore my sone I praye you to take noo dysplay­syr / And thenne Parys sayd to hym self / yf none other theef haue taken it sauf she I shal not be dyscouerd / Neuertheles I wote neuer yf Vyenne hath taken it awaye for ony thynge / ¶And after he arayed hym self and cladde hym moche no­bly / & wente to do the reuerence to the daulphyn / and to dame Dyane / And after to Vyenne theyr doughter / And the dol­phyn receyued hym moche cur­toysly / ¶And the daulphyn demaunded hym tydynges and of many other thynges / ¶And whan the fayre lady Vyenne sawe parys of the grete desyre that she had to see hym / and of the grete loue that she bare to hym / alle hyr ch [...]re was coloured lyke a fresshe rose in the monthe of Maye / and coude not be contente ne fylled to be­holde hyr fayre loue and frende Parys / And the more she by­helde hym / the more grewe and encreaced hyr loue toward hym ¶And Parys beyng tofore the dolphyn on his knee moche humbly durst not boke on Vyenne / But in hys herte he had grete payne / And who had wel by holden hym / had wel seen in his [Page] vysage hys thought / And after that the dolphyn had demaun­ded hym of that it plased hym Parys took leue of the dolphyn and of my lady dyane & of vy­enne theyr doughter & retorned home to hys faders hous /

AFter a fewe dayes Vy­enne in suche wyse as loue destrayned hyr said to hyr damoysel ysabeau / my suster knowe ye for trouth that me semeth that parys is moche pen­syf / and I byleue that it is for hys thynges whyche he fyndeth not in his oratorye / me semeth it is [...]este that we lete hym haue knowleche that we haue them / Isabeau ansuerd / it were wel doon soo / but that it be doon ho­nestly and secretely / Thenne sayd vyenne I shal aduyse the manere After certeyn dayes vyenne sayd to hyr moder / Madame I lete you wete that I am a lytel char­ged in my conscyence / & I wold fayn confesse me to somme good persone / And it is tolde me that the bysshop of saynt laurence is a moche honest man & deuoute / wherfore madame I praye you to sende for hym y^t I myght speke wyth hym / And my lady dyane seyng the good wylle of hyr doughter sente for to fetche the bysshop / And vyenne confessyd hyr to hym moche deuoutely spekyng alwaye of our lord & of hys commaundementes / & after that she was confessyd / she prayed y^e bysshop that he wold come ageyn on the morne / for she fonde grete comforte in his wor­des / & that she wold telle hym somme thynges in grete secrete / And on the morne the bysshop came ageyn to vyenne / & vyēne sayd to hym thus / My ghoostly fader somme thynges haue been taken away in a place / the whi­che longen to parys sone of mes­syre Iaques / And the persone that hath them hath therof con­scyence / And therfore I praye you as moche as I may / that by your benygnyte ye say to hym that yf he may / he come to morne hyther wy [...]h you / & the bysshop whyche aduysed hym noo thyng of thentencyon and thought of vyēne said that he shold brynge hym wythoute faute /

¶How vyenne dyscouuerd hyr courage to Parys

ON the morne the bysshop came moche dylygently & brought parys wyth hym / And vyenne salewed pa­rys wythoute to make ony semblaunte of loue / and parys ren­dred hys salewes [...] ageyn moche humbly / And thenne Vyenne wythdrewe hyr fro the bysshop and the other / and said to parys It is not longe sythe ye were [Page] goon in to braband / and that I accompanyed my lady my mo­der for to goo vysyte your fader whyche thenne was seek / & we sawe and byhelde al the castel vntyl we came to your oratorye & there I sawe certayn Iewellys whyche moche wel pleased me and I took them & haue kepte them vntyl thys present tyme / And I shal now rendre them to you ageyn / & therfor I praye you that yf I haue doon ony dysplaysyr or maad ony defaulte that ye wyl pardonne me / for I promyse to you by my fayth that I haue doon it for none euyl / To whome parys answerd humbly and wyth grete reuerence & sayd moche curtoysly / Madame by your curtosye ye came to vy­syte my fader / of whyche vysy­tacyon not onely my fader / but all̄e our frendes haue receyued grete & souerayn honour / wher­fore myn excellent lady / my fa­der / my moder / and I been alle youres / and alle that we haue also / And yf by aduenture your ladyshyp had ony playsyr to take of my Iewellys / I ensure you by my fayth / that myn hert hath therin moche gretter play­syr thā hert of man may thynke and yet more shold haue yf the sayd Iewellys were better the half than they be / Soo thenne I praye you ryght honourable da­moysel that ye wyl pardōne me For not al onely these Iewelles whyche been of lytel valewe but my fader my moder and I been al youres / and al redy to obeye to your seruyce / and knowe ye verayly that it is not longe sy­then / that the sayd Iewels were by a frensshe knyght gyuen to me /

THenne sayd Vyenne ye nede not to say to me fro whens these Iewels ben comen / For I knowe them as wel as ye / And vyenne sayd / I merua [...]le me gretely how ye so longe haue hydde your loue fro me / I praye you as moche as I may / and by the fayth that ye haue toward me that ye say to me the trouthe of that whyche I shal demaunde you / for moche I desyre it to knowe / ¶Thenne sayd Parys ryght honourable damoysel / ye ought not to praye me / where ye haue power to commaunde me / For alle that / your ladyshyp shal plese to demaunde me / I shal say to you the trouth wyth good hert & good wylle / Thenne sayd vyenne I wyl fyrst that ye say the trouthe / that yf ye were he / that in suche a yere cam euery nyght syngyng and sownyng Instrumentes so swetely tofore my chambre / After I wyl that ye telle me yf ye wāne the Iustes that were made the fyrst day of may in this cy­te / And yf ye bare awaye the [Page] shelde of crystal and the chape [...] ­let whyche I haue seen in your oratorye / After I wyl that ye say to me / yf ye wanne the Ius­tes the xviij day of septembre whyche were made in the cyte of parys / where as were so ma­ny noble knyghtes & barons / & yf ye had goten there the iij ba­ners whyche I haue seen in your oratorye / & I praye you that ye telle to me / yf ye haue doon to me suche seruyce / for suche thyn­ges ye ought not to hyde / And yf by aduenture ye haue doon them for the loue of my fader or of hys courte / we be moche hol­den to you & be boūden to thanke you / And yf by aduenture for ony lady or for the loue of me ye haue doon it / I thanke you as moche as I may / and it is wel reason that ye therfore be rewar­ded / And yet sayd Vyenne to Parys / knowe ye for trouthe / that it is long sythe that I haue desyred to knowe / & yet desyre strongely to knowe it / wherfore yf ye wyl do me ony playsyr / I praye you that ye say to me the trouthe / wythout leuyng of ony onely thynge or word /

THēne sayd parys moche humbly with grete sha­mefastnes that he had to vtter the folye that he had enter prysed / Ryght honourable and fayr lady I am not worthy to be named hym whiche hath doon thys / whyche it hath pleased you to demaunde of me / but notwythstondyng that I be a man of lytel estate I humbly supplye you that in caas ye shal fynde dys­playsyr in my wordes that it playse you to pardonne me / and that ye take noo dysplaysyr in that I shal say / for your noblesse shal not be the lasse in valure / For my caas enforceth me to say that / whyche is to me folye to thynke / Thenne Parys al sha­mefast and in grete reuerence knelyng vpon hys knee sayd / Ryght worshypful damoysel parys your Indigne seruaunt is he of whome ye haue spoken & de­maunded / & shal to you obeye and serue in al thynges that ye haue me demaunded / For sythe that I haue had ony remembe­raunce / my wylle & my thought hath be submysed to your persone and shal be as longe as I shal lyue / Thenne sayd vyenne / Parys my swete frende it is not now tyme that I make ansuer to your wordes / for it shold be ouerlonge to recounte / But that not wythstondyng I wyl wel that ye knowe that your loue destrayneth me so strongely / that there is no thynge in the world that I loue soo moche as you / wherfore abyde in good hope Ioyously / for yf it playse god ye shal s [...]e that th [...]s whyche I sa [...] [Page] shal be trewe / Thenne sayd pa­rys / Madame who may thynke the Ioyouste in whyche I am by your ansuer whiche is to me ryght swete / For I neuer supposed to haue had so swete an ansuer of you / but for to haue en­dured in payne & in languys­shyng / For not onely to me / but vnto a kyng shold be ouer moche to haue your loue / & I praye god that I may doo suche thynges as may be to you playsaunt / and that I neuer lyue to do to you thynge that shold des­playse you / ne torne you to me­lancolye / & thus departed that one fro that other in gretter loue than tofore / and took terme to see eche other ageyn as hastely as they myght / and vyenne re­torned more Ioyously than she shewed / and wente in to hyr moders chambre / and after the bysshop departed / & parys ac­companyed hym vnto his paleys and took leue of hym / & retor­ned home vnto hys faders lod­gyng / & after tolde to edward hys felowe / alle the parlament that he had had wyth vyenne / & Edward sayd to hym / fayre brother and frende / herein is no Iape ne truffes / but I praye you that ye do your thynges secretly for there ben many false tonges And Vyenne was moche more Ioyous than she had ben accustomed / and Parys also / And the sayd Parys & edward hys felowe made grete chyualryes & dyd grete armes / whyche were moche playsaunt to the fayre vyenne / Thenne it happed that af­ter certeyn tyme seyng the dol­phyn that hys doughter was come to xv yere of age / treated for to gyue to hyr an husbond / And many tymes he had ben requyred of many noble prynces but by cause he had but hyr one­ly and no moo sones ne doughters / vnnethe he wold consente And in treatyng thus of maryage Parys herde somme thynges wherof he was sore ennoyed in hym self / and thought / why thynke not I to haue this noble lady whyche is so moche desy­red of so many noble prynces & barons / and sore bewaylled hym self / and dyd soo moche that he spake to vyenne and sayd / O swete Vyenne / where is your fayr and agreable promesse that ye made to me whan I departed fro you / and how may it be / that your fader speketh for to marye you /

WHan vyenne herde Pa­rys speke in thys ma­nere / she sayd to hym parys yf my fader speke to me of maryage / it is noo grete mer­uaylle / for I may not deffende hym / Neuertheles I haue not consented to ony maryage / And ye knowe wel that maryage is [Page] nothyng worth / wythout the consentyng of bothe partyes / wher­fore I praye you to be contente / for I promyse to you that I shal neuer haue man in mariage but you / and I wold that it shold be shortly accomplysshed yf it pleased god / honestly & Iustly and not in synne ne in ordure / Therfore I wyl that ye assaye one thynge / which shal be moche dyffycyle to doo and ryght pe­ryllous / but neuertheles it byho [...]eth that it be doon / thēne sayd Parys / honourable lady / that whyche shal playse you to com­maunde me / I shal accomplisshe it with good hert though I shold deye / & thanne sayd Vyenne / I wyl that Incontynent ye say to your fader / that he goo to my lord my fader / and requyre hym that he gyue me in maryage to you / and that herein ther be no deffaute / & whan Parys herde the wylle & desyre of vyenne / he was quasi al abasshed & sayd / Ryght honourable lady & how / wyl ye that I deye thus / I praye you yf it playse you / that it be not doo / Thenne vyēne sayd sette ye so lytel by me / that ye wyl not enterpryse this / Alas where is your entendement / Certes it must nedes be doon / Incontynent Parys ansuerd / worshypfull lady / sythe it playseth you / I shal accomplysshe your cōman­dement though I shold deye ther­fore an hondred thousand tymes & thus took leue of vyenne and wente to hys fader Incontynent and sayd to hym / Dere fader alwaye ye haue shewed to me grete loue / wherfore I byseche al myȝty god that he rewarde you lyke as I desyre / Dere & honourable fader I wold praye you of one thynge / and by cause it is doubtous I wyl that ye promyse it to me tofore I say it to you / for ellys I wyl not say it vnto you / & hys fader sayd to hym / My sone there is nothyng in the world that I may doo for the / but I shal accomplysshe it by the grace of god / therfor say to me thy playsyr & wylle / & thenne parys tolde to hys fader a parte of the pryuete and promesse that he had wyth vyenne / by cause he shold wyth the letter wylle doo that / whyche he wold requyre hym / Thenne sayd parys to his fader / the prayer that I praye & requyre you is / that it playse you to say to the dolphyn / that he gyue to me hys doughter to wyf and in maryage / And I humbly byseche you that herein ye wyl not faylle me / & messire Iaques heryng hys sone thus speke / almoost he was fro hym self for the grete folye y^t he sayd to hym / & he sayd in repreuyng hym that he neuer shold speke more of that fayte / for he wold not deye for hys doughter / and [Page] that he shold demaunde of hym somme other thynge / for it were grete folye to speke to hym of suche a thynge / And parys sayd worshypful fader / as moche pe­ryllous is it to me as to you / therfor I am not abasshed thugh ye reffused to doo it / But loue enforceth and constreyneth me so strongely / that I am half confused / and am as wel contente that he do it not / as to doo it / but that ye do your deuoyr one­ly / and so longe parys prayed hys fader / that be promysed hym to doo it /

¶How messire Iaques demaū ded of the doulphyn hys doughter vyenne in maryage for hys sone Parys /

THenne went messire Iaques to the dolphyn all chaunged of colour and sayd to hym / My ryght redoub­ted and souerayn lord a certeyn requeste is made to me / whyche I must say vnto you / the whiche me semeth is of passyng lytel reason / and therfore it must be at your mercy / and in caas ye fynde therin dysplaysyr / that ye pardonne me / and to take noo regarde to my grete folye / The doulphyn trustyng in the grete wysedom of messire Iaques graū ted hym to say what someuer he wold / Thenne sayd messire Ia­ques / Myn hye and souerayn lord / Parys my sone hath prayed me so moche that I shold re­quyre of you vyenne your dou­ghter to be hys wyf / the whiche thynge is not onely to say / but also to thynke grete presumpsy­on and grete folye / but the loue of my sone constrayneth me soo strongely / that by force I must say it to you / And sodeynly the doulphyn was moeued in grete felonnye / and wold not suffre hym to ende hys wordes / but repreued hym moche hardly say­eng / vylayne & vassal that thou arte / how kepest thou my wor­shyp / by god I shal wel chastyse you / that ye shal neuer thynke suche thynges / and comaunded hym that Incontynent he shold departe thens / and that neuer bene hys sone shold come in hys syght / wherfore messire Iaques departed thens moche rebuked holdyng doun hys heed / and retorned in to hys hous / & tolde to hys sone Parys al that had be sayd and doon bytwene hym & the Doulphyn / wherof Parys thanked moche hys fader /

THe doulphyn wente in grete thouȝt thurgh the paleys hauyng grete Indygnacyon and alle angry in soo moche that none durst speke to hym ne come in his waye / and he beyng thus in thys manere [Page] he sente for his doughter vyēne & made hyr to come to hym / and sayd to hyr / we haue had wor­des of grete dysplaysyr / Thys vyllayne messyre Iaques hath sayd to vs that we shold gyue you to wyf and in maryage to hys sone Parys / Aduyse you what wysedom it were / by god or that I shold do it / I wold ra­ther make you a nonne or a menchon / & it shal not be longe to / but that ye shal be hyely ma­ryed / so that ye shal holde you conde [...]e / & here I swere to you that yf it were not for the grete seruyces that he hath doon to me Incontynent I shold do smyte of hys hede / & whan vyenne sawe hyr fader in so grete angre ayenst messyre Iaques & hys sone / she sente for to seche Edward for to come speke to hyr / & whan Ed­ward was come Vyenne sayd to hym / Edward it is soo that my fader is moche angry ayenst messire Iaques & ayenst parys wherof I haue grete dysplaysyr & haue grete doubte that my fa­der wyl do somme harme to Parys / & therfore I wyl that ye say to hym / that he kepe hym self in the moost secretest wyse that he may / and I shal also see the manere yf I may appease his felonnye and angre / Thenne ed­ward Incontynent took leue of vyenne / & went & sayd to paris all that vyenne had sayd to hym & sayd fayr brother / me semeth that it were good that ye departed oute of this contrey for to absente you for a space of tyme For it may be that to the doul­phyn shal longe endure hys angre / as I vnderstonde by that whyche vyenne hath sayd to me / Thenne ansuerd Parys / sythe that ye haue counceylled me soo I shal so do / not wythstondyng that it shal be to me a sorouful & an heuy departyng / but er I departe I shal take leue of Vy­enne though I shold deye /

THenne Parys dyd soo moche that he spake vnto vyenne on a derke nyght at a lowe wyndowe / where as they myght wel say what they wold / I am certeyn sayd vy­enne that my fader hath wylle to hurte you / wherof I lyue in grete melancolye / For in al the world is no thynge that I loue so moche as you / & yf by aduenture ye deye I wyl not lyue / Thenne sayd parys / h [...]nourable lady it semeth me beste that I departe fro hens a certeyn tyme tyl my lord your fader be more peased & hath passed hys euyll wylle / how be it / that it shal be to me a moche sorouful thynge to wythdrawe me fro you / For my lyf shal be moche heuy / Ne­uertheles I shal ac [...]omplysshe your wylle in alle that ye shall [Page] commaunde me / what someuer come therof / And vyēne seyng the good wylle of parys after many wordes she sayd to hym / Parys my frende I knowe well the grete loue that ye bere to me / & sythe it so is / I swere to you by my fayth / that ye shal neuer departe fro thys cyte wythoute that I goo wyth you / For it is my wylle / wherfore assone as ye may / make you redy of al thyn­ges necessarye / and / fynde ye the manere that we may escape oute of the royame of fraunce / and that we may goo in to somme other lordshyppe / where as we may lyue Ioyously and surely Neuertheles tofore or we departe from hens I wyl that [...]e promyse two thynges / The fyrst is / that ye touche not my body vnto the tyme that we be lawfully maryed / The second is that ysabeau parte in al the goodes that we shal haue / and other thynge wyl I not as for thys present tyme / but that onely our depar­tyng may be shortely / and I shal pourueye somme Iewels & money for our necessyte / and al thys Parys promysed to hyr / and eche departed fro other for tadresse suche thynges as to them shold be necessarye /

WHan Parys was departed fro vyenne he wente to a man named george and sayd to hym / George my frende alwaye I haue trusted in you / and haue alwaye loued you / wherfore I praye you now that to thys that I shal say you ye faylle me not / for I promyse you ye shal not lese therby / and George promysed to hym to doo al that shal be to hym possyble wyth ryght [...] good hert / & thenne Parys sayd to hym / knowe ye for cartayn that I haue wrath & rancour to a man of thys to [...]ne for certayn desplaysyr that he hath doon to me / wherfor I wyl slee hym / and Incontynent as I haue slayne hym / I wyl departe out of the royame of Fraunce / wherfore I praye you y^t ye wyl goo to Aygues mortes / & that ye there make redy a galeye furnysshed of al thynges necessarye tyl that we be arryued there as we wold be / And also I praye you that ye doo ordeyne fro hens to aygues mortes fro v myle to v myle alwaye good horses redy to thende that we may surely refresshe vs yf it be nede / & also I wyl that ye do thys as secretly as ye may / and loo here is money ynough for to furnysshe these sayd thynges / George sayd / I shal doo al thys gladly / And Incontynent made hym redy / & whan he came to aygues mortes he hyred a galeye / and establis­shed al the passages / and dyd wel al that parys had charged [Page] hym / & came ageyn / and tolde to parys how he had pourueyed al that he had charged hym / wherof parys was moche Ioyous / & anone parys wente and tolde to Vyenne that alle thynges that she had comaunded were doon And thēne they concluded that the nexte nyght folowyng that at a certeyn houre eche of them shold be redy / thēne he took leue of hyr and wente home / and bad George to take two hors out of hys stable / and that he shold sadle them and abyde hym wyth­oute the cyte in a certayn place tyl he shold come / & Edward the felowe of Parys wyste noo thynge of alle thys / wherof he was moche abusshed and mer­uayllously angry whan that he knewe it /

¶How parys ladde awaye vy­enne and ysabeau by nyght /

WHan Parys was pour­ueyed of money and of al other thynges beyng to them necessarye / he wente al­lone the secretest wyse y^t he myȝt and came to the place emprysed at the houre taken / and he made a tokene whiche vyenne knewe And anone vyenne and ysabeau cladde them in mannes araye & [...]epen oute of y^e castel by a fauce porte / and so came these two da­moyselles to the place where as parys was allone / whyche a­wayted vpon theyr comyng / & Incontynent they departed and went where as theyr horses were whom they took & rode as faste as they myght / and george rode alwaye tofore by cause to knowe wel the waye / and whyles they thus rode / aroos a storme wyth a grete rayne whyche endured tyl on the morne at nyght / and thenne they arryued nygh vnto a lytel towne / but they entr [...]d not by cause they wold not be knowen / and wente & lodged them in a lytel chyrche nygh vn­to the toun / where they fonde a chapelayn whiche receyued them gladly the best wyse he myght / & thenne whan the nyght came Parys and the chapelayn slepte in a lytel hous Ioynyng to the chyrche / George and parys ser­uaunte slepten in the stable with the bestes / And vyenne & ysa­beau slepten in the chyrche / and in the mornyng erly they wente lyghtly to horsback / & rode tyl they came nyghe vnto a ryuer / whyche was rysen hye by cause of the rayne that had fallen / Thenne parys was moche angry by cause he sawe wel that it was moche peryllous / & sayd to Ge­orge / that he shold serche & ad­uyse somme good place where they myght passe ouer / & george wythdrewe hym a lytel from them / and chaas a place whiche [Page] thought hym good / and took the ryuer wyth hys hors / And whan he was in the myddes of the streme hys hors faylled hym that he was drowned and hys hors also / ¶Parys seyng that george was drowned was mo­che sore abasshed / and durst make noo semblaunte / by cause that fayre vyenne shold haue noo me lancolye / And after Vyenne demaunded of Parys where ge­orge was bycomen / and parys answerd to hyr / that he had sent hym for to serche somme good passage / and they wold torne in to the chyrche ageyn tyl Ge­orge were comen / And vyenne ansuerd to hym that it playsed to hyr wel soo to doo / For she had grete doubte and fere for to passe the water / ¶And whan they were in the chyrche / Parys was moche aferde to abyde longe in that place / for he sawe that it was / not sure / wherfore he de­maunded the chapelayn / yf they myght in ony wyse passe that water / And the chapelayn sayd not in thre dayes tyl the water were decre [...]ed and aualed / ¶And parys sayd to hym that he shold goo in to the towne to seche and see yf he myght fynde ony men that wold make a brydge soo that they myȝt passe And that he shold spare for no money / For I shal paye to them as moche as they wyl haue / & the chapelayn sayd that he shold doo hys beste / Thus dyd Pa­rys noo thynge but thynke how they myght passe the ryuer / Now leue we Parys and torne we to the doulphyn / whych had lost his fayre doughter vyenne /

¶How the doulpyn dyd doo serche and seche vyenne by hys seruauntes /

ON the morne that vyēne was loste & departed fro the hous of hyr fader / & that the doulphyn knewe it / he supposed to haue goon oute of hys wytte / & al the courte was troubled / & sente hastely men on horsback & a fote by dyuers partyes the moost secretely that he myght / & prayed them that they shold brynge home to hym vy­enne quyck or dede / It happed by aduēture that one of his men a fote that was sente to seche Vyenne came in to the towne where as the chapelayn was co­men to seche men to make the brydge / The foteman demaun­ded euery man yf they had seen two damoyselles whyche were fledde fro the doulphyns courte / Thēne the chapelayn said to hym that it was not longe syth suche tweyne departed wyth other men ¶And the man supposed that the sayd chapelayn had sayd it [Page] in Iape or in mockyng / And sayd that the Doulphyn was moche angry / and had sworne that yf ony mā or woman kne­we where they were and shewed it not / that he shold make them to lose theyr hedes / And whan the chapelayn herde these wordes he remembred hym of them that were hyd in hys hous / And in grete drede sayd to hym / that he shold tarye there a lytel / & that for the loue of my lord doul­phyn he wold gladly seche for them / and assone as he myght fynde tydynges of them he shold lete hym wyte / And so departed fro thens / and retorned home ageyn / and tolde al thys to parys / and what he had herde in the toune / sayeng also that he doubted that it was for them of hys companye / wherfore he sayd to hym ferthermore / syr I praye you that ye departe from hens / and suffre not that I lese my lyf / but take ye the beste coun­ceyl ye can / For there ben fyfty men on horsback that seche you / whan Parys herde hym say this it nedeth not to demaunde yf he were heuy and melancolyous / and for the grete sorowe that he had he chaunged al his colour / And he sayd to the chapelayn / I praye you that ye tarye a ly­tel & I shal make you an an­suer / & thenne Parys went to vyenne / for to telle to hir al thys feat / And whan vyenne sawe hym entre / and so chaunged in hys colour sayd to paris / what tydynges brynge ye whyche are so pale and your colour chaun­ged / I praye you as hertely as I can that it playse you to telle me / Thenne Parys sayd to hyr The tydynges that I brynge ben euyl for you and for me / For shortly shal be accomplisshed our aduenture / and therfore [...] I wyl slee my self / and also he said complaynyng / O god how my lyf is sorowful and heuy to haue brought thys excellent lady as ye ar in suche daunger / O good god why gaf thou not to me the deth tofore or that I fette hir out of hyr faders hous / O alas my fader and my moder what shal be falle of you / whan the doul­phyn shal knowe / that I haue stolen from hym hys doughter / ¶O my good felowe Edward why counceylled not I wyth the tofore or I had doon thys folye And after he retorned to vyēne sayeng / and what shal falle of you my lady / whan your fader shal see you / Certes I thynke that how cruel that he be / whan he shal see your noble persone / his hert shal not suffre to do you ony harme / O god almyghty do to me that grace y^t I onely may bere the payn of this fayt & none other / O lady vnhappy was that day for you and for me whan [Page] fyrst ye had acqueyntaunce of me / And whan Parys had fynysshed hys complaynte / he tolde to Vyenne al that the cha­pelayn had sayd to hym / And forthwyth as a persone despay­red / took hys swerde and wold haue ryuen it thurgh hys body / And Vyenne as vertuouse and valyaunte took to hyr hert / and took the swerde fro hym and comforted hym and sayd / ¶O free knyght / my Ioye / my lyf / and my solace / what wyl ye doo / knowe ye not wel / that who that sleeth hym self wytyngly / sleeth the soule and the body / and yf ye deye / I assure you I shal deye also / and so shal ye be cause of my deth as wel as of your owne O Parys where is your wyse­dom and your prowesse / Now whan ye shold haue moste stren­gthe & moost vertuous courage ye be aferde / O my knyght thys is noo newe thynge that the persones that lyuen in thys world haue trybulacyons / of what so­meuer lygnage they be / Certes thys is not the courage of one so valyaunte knyght as ye be / For now whome that ye ought to comforte / she must now comforte you / And therfor my fayr brother and frende I praye you as moche as ye may / that Incontynente ye departe fro hens / and that ye goo your waye / and yf ye do not so I shal slee my self wyth your swerde / For your departyng is as greuons to me / as myn shal be to you / but it by houeth to eschewe of two euyls the werse / And also ye ought to consydere one thyng / that not wythstondyng the grete faulte and trespaas that I haue made to my fader / yet therfore he shal not put me to deth / consydered the grete loue that he hath a [...]way had toward me / and yf ye were taken / I wote wel that ye and I shold bothe deye / And yet I haue good hope / that myn en­tencyon shal come vnto a good ende / For be ye sure though he neuer pardonne me / I shal ne­uer haue other husbond but you and that I promyse you by my fayth / But alle waye of one thyng I praye you / that for none other lady ye forgete not me / And whan ye shal be in ano­ther contreye wryte vnto me of your aduenture / And to thende that ye the better remembre me loo here is a rynge of gold wyth a dyamonde / the which I praye you that ye wyl kepe for the loue of me

¶How Parys departed from Vyenne / and lefte hyr in the chyrche /

AFter moche other lan­gage paris kyssed vyēne wyth grete syghes and [Page] thoughtes / and she comforted hym the best wyse she myght / in prayeng our lord Ihesu Cryste that in short tyme she myght see hym / lyke as hyr herte desyred moost of ony thynge that was in the world / And thenne Parys departed fro Vyenne wyth grete sorowe and heuynesse / And took his waye wyth hys seruaunte tyl he came to the ry­uer wh [...]re they coude not tofore haue passed / and as despayred doubted noo thynge but entred the [...]m / and the water was soo aualed that they passed wyth­oute ony peryl / And they rode two dayes wythoute ony mete / for they durst not passe thurgh ony toun / And they passed tyl they came to aygues mortes / And there he founde the galeye that george had hyred / whyche anone he took / and so longe saylled and rowed tyl that they arryued at Gene / Parys made meruayllous countenaunces in the galeye / that alle they that were therin / had supposed he had be a fool / for allewaye he was pe [...]syf / and ymagynatyf / and vnnethe wold speke ne say a word / ¶Thenne whan he was at gene he hyred hym a lodgyng & lyued there in grete heuynesse & sorowe / Now leue we to speke of Parys and retorne we to vyenne whyche abode in the chape­layns hous

¶How vyenne was founde in the chyrche by a foteman / and how she was brought ageyn to hyr fader /

WHan Parys was depar­ted fro vyenne she abode allone wyth ysabeau makyng the grettest sorowe of the world that it was a grete pyte to byholde / lyke as she had as leef to deye as to lyue / And whan she was wel wery of we­pyng / and that it was force that she must retorne to the mer­cy of hyr fader the doulphyn / she appeased hyr self / And anone the chapelayn went for to seche the foteman and brought hym in to the [...]hyrche / And whan Vyenne sawe hym / she knewe hym wel / For she had oftymes seen hym in hyr faders hows / And thys man sayd to hyr alle hys charge / & that many knyghtes were oute for to seche hyr / And Vyenne sayd to hym goo & telle them that thou hast founden me here / & brynge them hy­ther / Thenne the man wente & fonde the knyghtes that thenne were comen in to the towne / and tolde to them how he had foūden hyr / & that they shold come with hym & he wold brynge them to the place where she was / whan y^e knyȝtes herde these tydynges a­non eche made grete haste tyl they cam to hyr / thēne whā they were [Page] tofore vyenne they salewed hyr and sayd to hyr that the doul­phyn had doo seche hyr in dy­uers contreyes / and after they comforted hyr / and sayd that she shold not be aferde of hyr fader / for he wold doo to hyr noo desplaysyr / for be shal haue so grete Ioye / whan he shall see you / that he shal pardonne you and appease hys yre /

¶And than Incontynent they wente to horsbacke / and brought forth the chapelayn wyth hyr to thende that he shold excuse hyr tofore hyr fader / and tolde how she was pure and clene of hyr body /

NOw sayth [...]hystory that whan Vyenne was co­men tofore hyr fader the doulphyn / he made toward hyr heuy and euyll [...]here / But not wythstondyng Vyenne kneled doun on bothe hyr knees to the erthe sayeng and in wepyng / Redoubted fader I see wel and knowe in my self that I haue mesprysed and faylled toward you / wherof I haue grete des­playsyr / Neuertheles folysshe loue hath enforced me to loue hym / whyche is wel worthy to be byloued of the moost grettest lady of the Royame of fraunce allewaye seen the noblenes that is in hym / For I wene that in alle the world is none to hym lyke ne pareylle / ¶And also I thynke that I am not the first that haue trespaced by sembla­ble reasons / wherfore redoubted fader I am in your mercy / and take of me vengeaunce / suche as shal playse you / and to me chastysement / and example to other Neuerth [...]les I wyl wel that ye knowe and that I [...]swere by my soule / that I am as pure and clene of my body as I was▪ that day that I departed fro hens / And loo here is the chapelayn whyche can say to you the trou­the / And thenne the chapelayn tolde how she came wyth in men of whom that one was a moche fayre knyght yonge & curtoys the whyche I byleue is drowned in passyng a ryuer / And they were in myn hous / and the two damoyselles slept to gyder in the chyrche / and the knyght slepte wyth me / And the other two slepte in the stable with the hor­ses / Thenne whan the doulphyn herde these tydynges he had ryȝt grete playsyr / of which he made noo semblaunte / and gaf to the chapelayn moche money & g [...]te yeftes / and bad hym retorne / ¶After the doulphyn took vy­enne by the hande / in repreuyng hyr moche gretely / and lad hyr in to hyr moders chambre wyth ysabeau / for hir moder was seke of the grete sorowe that she had for hyr doughter / and there the [Page] moder blamed them bothe two / And ysabeau sayd that vyenne was as pure and clene of hyr body as she was the day that she departed / Alas sayd the doul­phyn / thou hast put vs in the moost grettest shame of y^e world And I promyse that alle they that haue consented therto shal be wel punysshed / [...]nd in espe­cyal that euyl traytre Parys whych is cause of al thys fayte and yf euer I may haue hym I shal make dogges deuoure hym and also bothe ye tweyne shal suffre therfore grete penytence / Thenne sayd vyenne wepyng / I see wel and knowe that ye haue enten [...]ion to do to me moche gryef and harm / and I see wel that my lyf shal not longe en­dure / Therfore I swere to you in good fayth / that there is noo man in the world that I so mo­che loue as I doo hym whom ye so menace and thretene / For in hym I haue my thought & cou­rage wythoute euer to faylle hym / and yf ye shortly gyue to me my penaunce / so moche shortly shal be my deth / And yf ye suffre me to endure it longe / so moche more shal I bere it / and my soule shal be the more sure to fore almyghty god / & knowe ye for certayn that for hym and hys loue I am redy to deye / Thēne the doulphyn yssued out of the chambre in grete Indyg­nacyon / and commaunded that the fader of Parys shold be put in an euyl pryson / And that al hys goodes shold be taken fro hym / And also that vyenne & ysabeau shold be enclosed in a chambre / and that wel lytell mete shold be gyuen to them / and moche he menaced and thre­tened them / and thus they a­bode a longe tyme in that cham­bre / and contynuelly Vyenne dremed of Parys /

¶And whan she myght haue ony space to speke to Edward felowe of Parys / she requyred hym that he shold serche yf he myght haue ony tydynges of parys / and that he shold lete hyr knowe therof / ¶In thys maner vyenne passed hyr tyme in grete sorowe & in grete thought alle waye desyryng for to here somme tydynges of that noble knyght Parys /

WHan Vyenne had ben a grete tyme in thys ma­nere / The doulphyn by­thought hym that thenne hys doughter Vyenne had been wel chastysed /

¶And thennne the Doulphyn fader of Vyenne ordeyned that she came oute of pryson / And thēne he purposed to gyue to hyr an husbond / and sette hyr in hyr fyrst estate / wherof alle the [Page] courte was moche Ioyous / and in especyal Edward felowe of Parys / ¶And after certayn tyme the doulphyn wrote to the Erle of Flaunders that he wold doo marye hys doughter vyēne wherupon he requyred hym that he wold gyue to hym counceyll in thys mater / For it was vnto hym chargeable / And duryng the tyme that vyenne was oute of pryson hyr herte was neuer in reste / but euer she was heuy and sorouful for hyr swete and faythful frende parys / whome she myght not see / and knewe not whether he were dede or a lyue / And whan the doulphyn sawe hyr so heuy / On a day he sayd to hyr / My swete dough­ter / wherfore be ye so sorouful / gyue your self to playfyr / For as to me I remembre nomore the thynges passed / And there is noo thynge in the world that ye demaunde me but I shal doo it for you / And thenne vyēne whyche had not forgeten Pa­rys sayd to hym / Honourable fader yf I were sure of the thynges passed that they were for­goten by you / I shold be more sure than I am / but I byleue fermely / that ye haue them yet in your remembraunce / For ye holde alwaye messyre Iaques in pryson the fader of Parys / whyche is not culpable of ony parte of thys dede ne cause / And yf ye wold do to me soo moche grace that ye wold par­donne hym and rendre to hym al hys goodes & thynges I shold be moche Ioyous / And the doulphyn for the playsyr of hys doughter sayd to hyr / that it wel playsed to hym / and Incon­tynt the doulphyn dyd do dely­uer messyre Iaques out of pry­son / and dyd do retorne to hym al hys goodes and thynges that had be taken from hym / wherof messyre Iaques had grete play­syr / for yf he had abyden leng [...]r in pryson he had be dede for hun­gre / for there was none that comforted hym but edward / whiche comforted hym the best wyse he myght / & gaf to hym dayly that whyche was necessarye for hys lyf / whan vyenne knewe that messyre Iaques was oute of pryson / she was moche Ioyeful and had grete playsyr / Ne­uertheles al the consolacyon of vyenne was whan she myght speke wyth edward of hyr loue Parys / And thus she passed hyr tyme in ryght grete payne and heuynesse the beste wyse she myght /

WHan the Erle of flaunders had redde the let­ters of the doulphyn & vnderstood that he wold marye his doughter vyēne whych was [Page] of the age ef xv yere / he trayted that she shold haue of two ba­rons that one / that is to wete the sone of the kyng of englond / or the sone of the duke of bour­goyne / whyche thenne had grete renomme [...] in fraunce / and that was for the grete prowesse that was in hym / and the sayd erle made thys sayd traytye / & sente word vnto the doulphyn / that hym semed best that the sone of the du [...] of bourgoyn were beste for [...]yr / by cause that it shold be grete playsyr to the Kynge of fraunce / and that he was a no­ble knyght and of grete pro­wesse / and whan the doulphyn had receyued these letters fro therle of Flaunders / he sente to the kyng of fraunce to wyte of hym whyche shold best playse hym of these two prynces afore­sayd that shold haue his doughter For whome that he wold shold haue hyr / wherof y^e kyng had grete playsyr / and reputed it to hym grete honour / And he sente to hym worde / that it shold playse hym best that he maryed wyth the sone of the duc of bourgoyn hys neuew / and in so do­yng he shold doo to hym ryght grete playsyr / and wold do as moche for hym whan tyme and place requyreth / And seyng the doulphyn the wylle of the kyng of fraunce sente worde to therle of flaunders / that he had coun­seylled wyth hys barons / & also that it was the wylle of the kyng of fraunce that his doughter shold be maryed to the sone of the duc of bourgoyne / And thenne therle laboured so moche in thys mater that he made the sayd sone of the duc to agree as for hys partye /

¶How Parys sente a letter to hys felowe Edward /

NOw late vs leue to spe­ke of thys mater / and retorne we vnto Parys whyche abode in the cyte of gene moche heuy / and whyles thys maryage was in trayty Parys dwelled in gene out of al Ioy­es and pl [...]ysaunses worldly / & al for the loue that he had to the fayr vyenne whome he had soo moche at his hert / And abode alwaye in hys lodgyng allone / and bycame so deuoute and soo humble toward god / that it was grete meruaylle / and also for the good countenaunces that he made / he was moche wel by­loued of al the peple of the cyte and they helde hym for a noble man / and sayd he must nedes be the sone of a grete lord / And Parys beyng in thys manere had grete desyre to haue tydyn­ges of vyenne / and what was hyr aduenture / And anone [...] ­dry [...]ed two letters / that one to [Page] hys fader / & that other to hys felawe Edward / Of whyche the letter to hys fader sayd in thys manere /

RYght dere & honourable syr and fader playse it you to wete that I am moche sorouful and heuy of my cruel aduenture / and also I en­dure grete heuynes / sorowe and afflyctyon / doubtyng that for me ye haue suffred grete payne and trybulacyon / and I late you wete that I am at genes / & dwelle in a lodgyng allone de­posed fro al Ioyes and consola­cyons mondayne / For myn en­tendement is to serue god and our lady fro hens forth / & pur­pose that ye shal see me nomore / for I wyl departe & goo thurgh the world to seche holy pylgry­mages / And yf by aduenture I shal deye tofore that ye shal see me / I praye you that it may playse you that I deye not in your euyl wylle / but humby by seche you that it playse you to pardonne me / and to gyue to me your benedyctyon / Also dere syr and fader I praye you & supplye that my dere brother and felowe Edward ye wyl take in my name and place / and that he be recommaunded as your sone in stede of me / as wel in your herytage as in other thynges / and the grace of the holy ghoost be wyth you / Recomaunde me to my moder & c̄ / And the letter of Edward sayd thus /

DEre and specyal brother and synguler frende ed­ward the peryl of pa [...]ris and of hys aduenture is pour­syewed of alle euyl and cruel fortune / I comaunde me to you as moche as I may say or thynk Neuertheles lyke as we haue ben accustomed to wryte letters of loue and of chyualrye / Now I must wryte letters anguys­shous of sorowe and of euyl fortune / for alas I am vnhappy al allone in a strange contre / & exyled fro al Ioyes and fro alle playsyr / and out of al worldly playsaunce thynkyng nyght & day on the bele vyenne / the why­che I thynke that for me hath suffred mortal sorowe / and I say to you that yf I knewe that for me she suffred payne and sorowe I shold be in despayr / for I am worthy for to be punysshed cru­elly for that fayte & none other wherfore I praye god and alle hys sayntes that she may be kepte from al euyl / and gyue hyr grace to prospere in al good and honour lyke as she is wor­thy and myn herte desyreth / ¶My dere broder & felowe the moost dere thynges that I loue in thys world is fyrst the fayr and swete vyenne / & next you to whom I praye you yf it may [Page] be in ony wyse that ye wyl say to hyr in my name / how that I am lyuyng in genes / Passyng my lyf moche heuy and sorouful for thabsence of hyr noble per­sone / and for the cruel & euyl fortune that hath poursyewed me / and also say ye to hyr that I crye hyr mercy / & that it may playse hyr to pardonne me / yf by me she haue ony dysplaysyr and god knoweth myn entency on / & in what trybulaciō I lyue And syth that it hath not play sed to our lord / that we accom­plysshe not our desyre & wylle / we ought to bere it pacyently / And also ye shal say to hyr / that I praye and supplye her as moche as I may that she yet take no husbond / vnto the tyme that she shal see thende of our aduenture / & after thys I praye you dere broder of the consolacyon of my fader & my moder / and that ye be to them as a sone / For se­yng the loue that alwaye we haue had to gyder / I haue wry­ton to my fader / that in the stede of me he take you for hys sone / and that after hys lyf / he wyl leue to you hys herytage / for so moche broder & felowe I praye & bysoche you that ye be to theym humble and obeyssaunt / & the better parte shal be youres / and yf by aduenture ye wryte to me ony letter late the letter be kepte in my faders hous / y^e holy ghoost haue you in hys kepyng / And he delyuerd thys letter to a courrour whyche wythin fewe dayes was at vyenne / and secretely delyuerd hys letters to edward the good knyght / whan Ed­ward had receyued these let­ters and knewe that paris was a lyue / he had ryght as grete Ioye as ony man coude thynke or byleue / Neuertheles he helde y^e courrour secretely in his hous to thende that the dolphyn shold not knowe therof / and whan he had herde the letters / he went to the hous of messyre Iaques the fader of the noble parys & sayd to hym / ¶Messyre Iaques I brynge to you thys letter / And whan messyre Iaques had redde the letter / [...] coude not be sacyat of redyng / he took so grete playsyr therin / ¶After that he had redde it at his playsyr / he pray­ed Edward to wryte to hym an ansuer wel at large of alle that was byfallen syth hys de­partyng / & thys doon edward departed fro hym / & wente vnto beale vyenne / whome he fonde moche heuy and sorouful for hir loue and frende parys / and Ed­ward sayd / honourable lady / & how is it / that ye be thus heuy / and vyenne sayd to hym / alas fayr broder Edward / I haue good reason and cause to be heuy For myn herte abydeth thyn­kyng day & nyght on my good [Page] knyght Parys / and I knowe not whether he be alyue or dede / of whyche thynge I moche desyre to knowe / For yf he be deed I am cause therof / And certes yf he be dede I may not lyue after hym / yf our lord wold doo soo moche grace that he be a lyue / fayn wold I knowe in what londe he is / to thende that I myȝt sende to hym a lytel money / soo that he haue noo necessyte for hys persone / And edward sayd to hyr / Madame what wyll ye gyue me / yf I telle te you good tydynges and sure of hym / ¶Thenne sayd Vyenne / by my fayth there is noo thyng that I haue in thys world / whyche I may gyue wyth myn honour / but that I shal gyue it to you Thenne sayd Edward / loo here is a letter whyche he hath sente to me / and whan vyenne sawe the letter she opened it and redde it al allonge / & whan she had redde it she had soo grete Ioye / that hyr semed god had appyered to hyr / and the Ioye that she had in hyr hert shewed wel in hyr vysage / For sythe that she departed fro parys she had not so good vysage ne chere as she had thēne & whan the solace had ynough endured Edward sayd to hyr Madame gyue to me ageyn my letter / that I may make to hym an ansuer / And Vyenne sayd it pleseth me moche that ye make to Parys my swete frende an ansuer / but surely the letter shal remayne wyth me / Thenne he sayd / Madame haue ye not promysed to gyue to me that thyng that I shal demaunde you / yes sayd she / Thenne edward sayd I desyre ne wyll haue none o­ther thynge / but that ye gyue to me my letter / for assone shal I gyue to you my lyf / but and yf ye wyl demaunde ony other thynge / I wyl wel / Thēne sayd Edward I am contente that the letter abyde wyth you / & after he ordeyned another letter to Parys which sayd in this manere /

¶How Edward [...] sente ansuer of his letter to Parys / whyche abode in the cyte of genes /

RYght dere brother frende and felowe parys / your fader and your moder grete you wel / the whiche haue suffred for you moche dysease / payne and desplaysyr / and in especyal your fader whiche hath longe been in pryson / & alle hys goodes were taken fro hym / and also I certefye you that by the grace of god and at the request and prayer of Vyenne / the doul­phyn hath pardonned hym alle hys euyl wylle / and delyuerd hym oute of pryson & restored to hym alle hys goodes ageyn / And plese it you to wete fayre [Page] brother that vyenne hath had so moche Ioye and so grete playsyr whan she had knowleche that ye were a lyue / that it is wonder to byleue / For al hyr consolacyon was for to haue tydynges of you / & she recommaundeth hyr to you as moche as she may / & hath moche grete desyre to see you & also prayeth you not to wyth­drawe you fro hyr ne fro that contreye / [...]ut that ye wryte ofte to hyr of your estate / And she sendeth to you an eschaunge of thre thousand floryns / of whiche she wyl that ye take your play­syr & Ioye / for al hyr hope is in you / Also ye shal vnderstonde that she hath be kepte in pryson a certayn tyme / but thanked be god she is now oute / Also I haue shewed to hyr your letter / whyche she reteyneth / and after that she had redde it / I myght neuer haue it ageyn / but she sayd / that she had leuer to lese al that she had / than the said letter & ye shal knowe that the doul­phyn treateth a maryage for hyr the which is the sone of the duc of bourgoyn / & he hopeth fro day to day / that it shal be accomplysshed / Neuertheles I truste soo moche in vyenne / seyng y^t whiche she hath sayd to me / that she wyl neuer haue other husbond but you / wherfore lyue ye forth Ioyously in hope / Dere brother I thanke you as I can or may for the presentacyon that ye haue doon for me / your soule be wyth god / to whome I praye that he kepe you in hys holy warde & protectyon &c̄ / whan thys letter was wryten he delyuerd it to the courrour / whyche made hasty Iourneyes so that he arryued at genes / where as the good knyȝt Parys dwelled and abode /

WHan the noble paris had redde the letter / & knewe that vyenne had been in pryson / almoost for sorowe he was oute of his wytte cursyng his euyl fortune / & after he cursed the day that he was borne & moche dyscomforted hym self / & also he cursed the doulphyn say­eng / O cruel fader and vncon­nyng / how may your hert suffre to put in pryson hyr that is soo noble a creature / whyche is ful of al vertues / that is the fayre vyenne / whyche is noo thynge cause of thys fayte / For I my self onely haue doon it / & ought to bere allone the penaunce / alas & wherfore dyd not god to me so moche grace / that I had be taken in stede of hyr / O fayre vy­enne what haue I doo for you / whyche haue suffred soo moche payne for me / Thus he made a grete whyle hys sorowe in we­pyng strongely / After Parys sawe that the fayr vyenne was [Page] retorned in to hyr fyrst estate / wherof he was moche Ioyous / & whan he had receyued the es­chaunge that vyenne had sente hym he hyred a moche fayr hous & cladde hym honestly & rychely & took acqueyntaunce & amytye wyth the grettest & beste of the cyte / in so moche they dyd hym moche good and honour / & thus duellyd parys a grete whyle / alway remembryng in hys hert the loue of vyenne / for alleway hys loue encreaced / And euery moneth they wrote letters eche to other / of whyche here is made noo mencyon / for it shold be o­uer longe to reherce / & torne we here in to flaunders for the fayte of the maryage of the excellent vyenne /

NOw sayth thystorye that whan therle of Flaun­ders had accorded the maryage with the duc of bourgoyn he made redy hys sone and apparaylled hym of companye and of horses / and lete it be knowen to the doulphyn / that he shold make redy al thynge necessarye / & that he shold hastely sende to hym his sone / whan the doulphyn herde these tydynges / that he / whome he so moche desyred shold come he was moche Ioyous / and In­contynent dyd doo make redy many grete & meruayllous fes­tes / & duryng the same dyd doo make redy hys sone the duc of bourgoyne / horses and peple for to accompanye hym whiche was a fayre thynge to see / ¶And after sent hym to therle of flaū ­ders / whyche receyued hym wyth grete Ioye & wyth grete honour & fested hym two dayes / and delyuerd to hym hys sone in his companye / and sente hym to the doulphyn / & whan the doulphyn knewe theyr comyng / he dyd do make redy to receyue hym / and whan they were by a day Iour­neye nygh vnto vyenne / he rode oute wyth moche grete chyual­rye / & receyued them with muche grete Ioye and playsyr / & eche made grete feste to other whyche were ouer longe to recounte / Neuertheles tofore that the doulphyn came to the sone of she duc of bourgoyn / hee & hys wyf en­tred in to the chambre of vyenne to whome the doulphyn sayd / Fayr doughter it was the play syr of god that I & your moder were to gyder vij yere wythoute hauyng ony chylde / and in the viij yere our lord comforted vs wyth you / in whom we haue al our affectyon / For we haue neyther sone ne doughter but onely you / ne suppose neuer to haue / so we truste that by you we haue one / It is trewe [...]hot so as god wyl and hath ordeyned we wyl assemble you to a moche honou­ble maryage / the whiche to vs [Page] playseth moche / for I ensure you the doughter of the Kynge of Fraunce hath moche desyred to haue hym / that ye shal haue / for god hath endowed hym with so moche good & honour as hert of knyght may haue / thus to the playsyr of god / & of the vyr­gyn marye / we haue made the maryage of the sone of the duke of bourgoyne & of you / wherfor we praye you / that therto ye wyl gyue your good wylle & play­syr / and also that ye wyl haue the maryage agreable / Thenne vyenne ansuerd to hyr fader / Honourable fader & lord I wote wel that thys that ye entende is for my wele & prouffyt / But not wythstondyng that I be in age for to marye / & that in thys maryage I shold receyue honour more than I am worthy / Neuertheles I shal not yet be maryed for yf we haue not thys man / yf it playse god we shal haue another as good or better / And thynke ye not myn honourable lord / that I say thys for ony excusacyon / but it is sythen xv dayes that I haue be euyl dys­posed of my persone / & the maladye that I haue causeth me to take noo playsyr for to be ma­ryed / For I haue auowed vnto god neuer to be maryed to thys man ne to none other / as longe as I shal be in thys maladye / ¶Thenne thought the dolphyn that vyenne sayd it for shame­fastnes / Neuertheles he trauaylled hyr euery day wyth fayre wordes that she shold consente to thys maryage / but it auayl­led nothyng all that he dyd / for the wylle of hir was more in parys than in ony man of the world /

THenne on the morne the sone of the duc of bour­goyne / & the sone of the erle of Flaunders entred in to the cyte of vyenne / wherof the doulphyn had grete Ioye & playsyr / and thys feste endured wel fyftene dayes / that they dyd no thynge / but daunce / synge / and dyd other dyuers playsyrs / and duryng thys feste the doulphyn sayd to the sone of the duke of bourgoyn to thende that he shold thynke none euyl by cause he a­bode so longe or he myght espouse hys doughter / ¶Fayr sone I praye you & byseche that ye take you to playsyr and Ioye / And gryeue you noo thynge of thys longe abydyng here / for certayn my doughter is so seke / that vn­nethe she may speke / whyche doth to hyr grete desplaysyr and shame / for fayn she wold be out of hyr chambre / And thenne the sone of the duc of bourgoyn as he shat mente but good fayth / byleued it lyghtly / Neuertheles the doulphyn dyd nothyng nyȝt [Page] ne day / but admonested hys do­ughter one tyme in fayr wor­des / and another tyme in me­naces / but in no wyse he coude make hys doughter to consente / And comaunded that she shold nothyng haue but brede & water and vyenne abode one day soo in thys manere / and al thys dyd the doulphyn / to thende that she shold consente to the maryage / and alwaye he dyd to hyr more harme & payne / & vyenne was alwaye more harde / and ferther fro hys desyre / wherof the doul­phyn had moche grete dysplay­syr / and not wythoute cause / & seyng the Doulphyn that hys doughter was soo Indurate / he thought that by somme good moyen he wold sende home ageyn the sone of the duc of bourgoyn for he doubted that yf he abode longe / that this feat myght be dyscouerd / and he gaf to hym fayr Iewellys / and after sayd to hym / Fayre sone I wyl that ye take noo desplaysyr in that I shal say to you / Me semeth wel that at thys tyme this maryage may not goo forth of you and of my doughter / for after that I see / & as me semethe the wylle of god is ferther than I wold at thys tyme / For he wyl not that the maryage of you and of my doughter take now effecte / wherfore I haue ryght grete des­playsyr in my hert onely for the loue of you / Thenne the sone of the duc of bourgoyne seyng that at that tyme he myght doo noo thyng / toke leue of the Doul­phyn and retorned in to his contree by cause that Vyenne was not in helthe / and promysed that assone as he myght knowe that she shold be hool / he wold retorne for to accomplysshe the mariage lyke as the doulphyn had pro­mysed to hym /

¶How the doulphyn dyd doo enprysonne vyēne by cause that she wold not consente to the maryage to the sone of the duke of bourgoyne /

AFter certayn dayes that the sone of the Duke of bourgoyn was departed fro the cyte of vyenne / the doul­phyn for grete desplaysyr that he had dyd do come tofore hym the mayster Iayler of hys pry­son / and dyd doo make wythin hys paleys a lytel pryson derke and obscure / and he dyd do put vyenne and ysabeau in to that pryson / and commaunded that they shold haue nothyng to ete but brede and water / and one damoysel in whome the dolphyn trusted shold brynge it to them And in thys manere vyenne & ysabeau passyd theyr tyme in grete sorowe / And thynke not that for thys pryson / the hert of [Page] vyenne wold in ony wyse con­sente to the wylle of hyr fader / but alway encreaced wyth hyr y^e wylle toward hir swete frende Parys / and wyth swete wordes she comforted ysabeau sayeng / My dere suster abasshe you not for thys derkenes / for I haue confydence in god / that ye shal haue yet moche welthe / For my fayr suster / It is a moche ryght ful thyng that for the good knyȝt parys whyche for me suffreth so moche payne / that I suffre thys for hym / and also I say to you that al the paynes of this world be nothyng greuous to me whan I thynke on hys swete vysage / And in thys manere that one comforted that other / in spe­kyng alle day of the valyaunte knyght Parys /

¶How the sone of the duc of bourgoyn departed fro hys con­treye for to come see the fayre lady Vyenne /

WHan the sone of the duc of bourgoyne had abyden longe tyme in hys contree / On a day he had grete thought of vyenne / & that was for the grete beaute of hyr / and it dysplesed hym moche that at hys beyng there he had not seen hyr / and so concluded to goo & see hyr / and it was not longe after that he cam to the dolphyn and the doulphyn receyued hym moche gladly and with grete ho­nour / Thenne prayed he the dolphyn that it myght plese hym to shewe to hym vyenne also seke as she was / For in the world was nothyng that he soo moche desyred to see as hyr / And the doulphyn seyng the wylle & de­syre of hym wold noo lenger hyde hys courage / but sayd to hym / My fayr sone by the fayth that I owe to god / I haue had grete desyre that thys maryage shold be made / but my dough­ter for thys present tyme wyl take noo husbond ne be maryed wherfore I haue grete desplaysyr and that for the loue of you / & to thende that ye knowe / that it holdeth not on me / I swere to you that sythe ye departed fro thys toun / I haue doon hyr to be kepte in a pryson derke and obscure / and hath eten nothyng but brede and water onely / and haue sworn that she shal not goo oute of pryson tyl she shal con­sente to haue you in maryage / And thus I praye you that ye take noo desplaysyr / yf at thys tyme ye see hyr not / for ye may not faylle to haue grete mary­age / in caas that this faylle you and thenne he ansuerd / honou­rable syr I praye you moche hertely / syth that it is so / that er I retorne I may speke to hyr / and I shal praye hyr as moche as I [Page] shal mowe / and shal see yf by ony manere I may conuerte hyr fro hyr wylle / thenne sayd the doulphyn he was contente / Thenne he sente to his doughter clothyng and vestymentes for to clothe hyr / and also mete for to ete / For in two monethes she had eten but brede and water / wherof she was moche feble / and that shewed wel in her vysage / & thus he dyd by cause she shold consente to the maryage / And thenne it was concluded / that the sone of the duc of bourgoyn shold come see hyr & speke with hyr / and thenne whan Vyenne sawe thys and had re [...]yued all & knewe that the sone of the duc of bourgoyn [...] speke wyth hyr she [...] hir damoysel / fayr [...] how my fader & moder we [...] by these vestymentes & thys [...] that I shold ete to deceyue me and put me fro my purpoos / but god for bede that I shold do so / & thenne she took the henne / & sayd to hyr that brought it / syth it playseth to the sone of the duke to come & speke to me / say ye to hym that he may not come these iij dayes / & whan he cometh that he brynge with hym the bysshop of Saynt laurens / She that had brought to hyr the henne sayd alle thys vnto the doulphyn and to dame [...]y [...]ne hir moder / ¶Thenne vy­enne took the two quarters of the henne and put them vnder hyr arme hooles / and helde them there so longe / that they stonken moche strongely / ¶And whan it came to the thyrd day / the bysshop of Saynt Laurence and the sone of the Duke of Bour­goyne camen for to see vyenne / and or they entred they ope­ned a treylle whyche gaf lyght in to the pryson /

¶Thenne whan the sone of the duc sawe Vyenne in the pryson he sayd to hir by grete pyte that he had / Noble vyenne how wyl ye deye thus for hungre soo fo­lyly by your owne defaulte / ¶And knowe ye not wel that your fader hath gyuen you to me to haue to my wyf / wher­fore I lyue in grete payne / and in moche grete sorowe for the duresse of your courage / wherof ye doo ryght grete synne / And doubte ye not that god punys­sheth you for thynobedyence that ye doo to your fader and to your moder / wherfore I praye you fayre Vyenne to telle to me for what cause ye wyl not haue me in maryage to your husbond / Doubte ye that whan ye shall be wyth me / that ye may not serue god as wel as ye now do that suffre thys payne / I promyse you by my fayth y^t ye shal haue playsaunces and lybertees in al the maners that ye shal conne demaunde / Thenne I praye you [Page] that ye wyl not here deye so dolorously / and yf ye wyl not doo it for the loue of me / yet at the leste do it for the loue of your fader and of your moder whyche lyue for you in grete sorowe and in grete heuynesse / wherfore ye ought to haue pyte on them /

WHan Vyenne had herde these wordes she was quasi abasshed and sayd syr sauyng your honour I am maryed / how be it ye knowe hym not whome I haue in myn hert / And also I knowe and graunte ryght wel that ye be worthy to haue one moche gret­ter and more hye a lady than I am / and I la [...]e you wete that for hym that I desyre I shold suffre more payne than I fele / And therfore I praye you that fro hens forth ye speke to me no more of thys mater / And also I am so euyl dysposed in my per­sone that yf it endure in me / my lyf shal not be longe / and yf it were honeste I shold shewe it you and than shold ye see how it stondeth wyth me / Neuertheles approche ye ner to me / & ye shall the better byleue me / And the sone of the duke of bourgoyne & the bysshop of saynt laurence approuched vnto vyenne / fro whom yssued soo grete a stenche / that vnnethe they myght suffre and endure it / whiche sauour came fro vnder hyr arme holes of the two quarters of the henne / whi­che were roten / And whan vy­enne sawe that they had felte y­nough of the stenche she sayd to them / lordes ye may now knowe ynough in what aduenture I am dysposed / Thenne they took leue hauyng grete compassyon on hyr / And they sayd to the dolphyn that vyenne was thēne half roten and that she stanke / and demed in them self that she myght not lyue longe / qnd that it shold be grete damage of hyr deth for the souerayn beaute that was in hyr / And Incontynent the sone of the duc of bourgoyn took hys leue of the doulphyn / and retorned in to hys contrey / and recounted to hys fader the lyf of vyenne / wherof alle they that herde hym had grete pyte in theyr herte /

WHan the doulphyn sawe that the maryage was broken / by the deffaulte of his doughter Vyēne / he sware that she shold neuer departe fro thens / but yf she wold consente to hys wylle /

And so she abode longe tyme in that pryson where she had grete thought and sorowe for hyr swete and trewe frende parys / & hyr desyre was on noo thyng but for to here tydynges of pa­rys hyr loue / But in the estate [Page] that she was in / no man myght brynge hyr tydynges / And Edward the felowe of Parys se­yng that Vyenne abode in soo grete payne / and that none durst speke to hyr / he had in his herte grete sorowe / & was moche moe­ued of grete pyte / and also for the grete loue that he had to pa­rys / And concluded to make a chapel in the chyrche that tou­ched the palays of the dolphyn and in a corner he dyd do dygge so depe that it was nyghe to the foundement of the pryson / where in vyenne was / and by cause he wold not haue the thyng dys­closed / he wold that they shold dygge no ferther / and whan the chapel was achyeued and fy­nysshed / Edward alle allone dygged hym self so ferre / that he made an hole / by whyche he spake to vyenne whan he wold whyche caue was made so secret­ly that no man myȝt apperceyue it / Soo it happed on a day Ed­ward byhelde vyēne thurgh this hole / & salewed hyr / & thenne whan vyenne herd hym & kne­we hym / she had so grete Ioye & consolacyon / that she semed that she was rysen fro deth to lyf / & the fyrst tydynges that Vyenne demaunded of hym were yf he knewe ony tydynges of parys & edward tolde to hir that it was not longe syth / that he had recey­ued a letter fro hym / wryton at genes / Thenne said vyēne al wepyng to hym / alas whan shal y^e day come that I shal see hym / & that doon I wold be cōtente that god shold do his wylle of me / for none other thyng I desyre in this world / Alas fayr brother what semeth you of my lyf & of this fayr chambre in whyche I dwelle in / certeynly I byleue veryly / that yf parys knewe it / y^t for his loue I suffre thus moche sorowe / that the hert of hym shold swelte for sorowe / and after she tolde to Edward the parlament that she had with the sone of the duc of bourgoyne / & also of the henne / & prayed hym y^t he wold sende worde of al thys to parys & that she recommaunded hyr to hym / & also that she had none other hope in thys world but in hym / Edward brought to hyr euery day fro thēne forthon mete & drynke / & al that was necessarye to hyr / for hyr lyf / & comfor­ted hyr with fayr wordes the best wyse he myght / & Edward wrote al playnly to parys / how for hungre she shold haue been dede / ne had he ben / whyche dayly pourueyed for hyr al that was to hym necessarye / and he wrote to hym alle the manere that Vy­enne had holden wyth the sone of the Duke of Bourgoyne And that thys fayre lady Vy­enne desyred noo thynge in this world but for to see hym onely [Page] And also that she prayed hym that he shold not departe oute of the contree that he was in /

WHan the noble Parys had receyued the letter fro Edward and knewe that vyenne abode in pryson / it is no nede to demaunde yf he had grete despaysyr / & almoost was in suche caas / as to l [...]se his wytte for sorowe / And on that other pa [...]e he had grete drede that she shold be maryed in eschewyng of the grete harme & payne that she suffred / and herein he was pensyf nyght and day / sayeng to hym self / I see wel that I may not escape but that vyenne must nedes be maryed / and by that moyen hyr loue and myn shal faylle / Alas now see I wel that now me byhoueth noo hoope ne truste / Alas caytyf and vnhap­py what shal byfalle of me / I shal goo so ferre / that fro hyr I may neuer here tydynges / ne al­so she fro me / and after this he bygan ageyn hys complaynte sayeng / O ve [...]ay god of heuen wherfore hast thou not doon to me soo moche grace / that in the stede of hyr I myght suffre the payne that she suffreth for me / ¶O cruel fortune ful of cruel tormente / and what hath vyēne doon or made that she must suf­fre so gr [...]uous penaunce / Alas were it not more reason / Iustyce and cause that I whyche haue doon alle thys euyl bere the pu­nycyon / certes yes /

¶How Parys sente a letter to Edward hys felowe /

AFter that he had made hys cōplaynte / he wrote a letter vnto Edward / doyng hym to wyte how he had souerayn sorowe for vyēne whi­che was in pryson / and he than­ked hym of the goodnes and dylygence that he had doon to­ward hyr / in prayeng hym that he neuer wold faylle hyr / but contynuelly ayde and helpe hyr / ¶And after he wrote to hym how for veray dysplaysyr and melancolye he wold goo in to somme straunge contreye / And that fro than forthon he shold sende to hym noo moo letters / And that he neuer reiche for to here moo tydynges fro hym / no­more than of a deed persone / ¶Thenne whan Edward had receyued these letters fro Paris and knewe that he wold [...]s­traunge hym fro that contree of genes / and wold goo in to a strange contreye he was moche wroth and sore agryeued / ¶And thenne Incontynent pa­rys wente and tolde it to the fader and moder of Parys / [Page] wherof they toke so grete sorowe that they supposed to haue loste theyr wytte / And after edward wente and tolde it also to vy­enne / wherof it nedeth not to de­maunde the grete sorowe that she, had / for it was so grete and o­uermoche / that yf edward had not comforted hyr / she had been dede / And thenne she complay­ned to ysabeau sayeng that sy­then she neuer entended to here tydynges of hyr loue Parys she was ryght wel contente to deye and that she wold neuer more haue playsyr of no thynge that was in thys world / and that thenne she wold that she were dede / And ysabeau comforted hyr alwaye

¶How parys wente to shyppe at venyse / for to goo to the holy sepul [...]re in Iherusalem /

AFter that pari [...] had sent the letter to Edward In contynent he departed fro genes wyth hys seruaunte / and wente to venyse where he took shyppyng / and saylled so ferre that he cam to alexandrye / where he abode a space of tyme / & after in that contrey he enformed hym & lerned the waye to the moūte of caluarye and of Iherusalem / and how he myght passe surely / And afterward Parys con­cluded to goo in to that contrey a pylgrymage / but tofore or he took hys waye / he lerned for to speke the langage of moores / And whan Parys coude wel speke mouryske / he and his varlet took the waye toward ynde / And [...] so ferre laboured by theyr Iourneyes / that they arryued in the londe of prester Iohan / In whyche he dwelled a longe tyme And in that whyle hye berde grewe longe / and after he took the habyte of a more / and also lerned alle the custommes and maners of the contree / And he had alle waye faste by [...]ue in our lord Ihesu Cryste / and in the gloryous vyrgyn marye hys swete moder / And thus aby­dyng in thys maner he had grete wylle to goo to Iherusalem to the holy sepulture / for to see the holy sayntuaryes / & for tacoom­plysshe the holy pylgremage / Thēne whan he was in Iherusa­lem / he sette al his courage in de­uocyon / & bycam so deuoute that it was meruaylle / and prayed contynuelly our lord that by the meryte of his passyon he wold gyue to hym saluacyon of hys soule / & consolacyon for his body & also for fayr vyenne / & after he departed fro thens and wente in to Egypte / and arryued in the contree of the soudan / & hys money bygan to faylle / & hyred hym a litel hous wherin he dwellyd moche heuy and sorouful [Page] for hys Infortune / And also he had grete desplaysyr whan he sawe other tryumphe and wexe bordes / Now it happed on a day that parys wente to playe and dysporte hym out of the toun in the feldes / and there mette with the faulconuers of the soudan / whyche came fro hawkyng / and emonge them was [...]ne fawcon moche seke / and that fawcon the sowdan loued beste of alle the other / Thenne demaunded Pary [...] of the fawconner what se­kenesse the fawcon had / And the fawconner sayd to hym that he wys [...] not / Thenne sayd paris truly yf he contynue in the ma­ladye that he hath he shall not lyue [...] dayes / but yf ye doo that [...] shal say to you / and yf he be not ho [...]e therwyth he shal ne­uer be hole / Thenne sayd y^e fawlconner to hym / I praye you that ye wyl telle me what I shal do for I ensure you faythfully / that yf ye may make hym hole / it shal mowe auaylle you and me also and that I promyse you / for the souldan had leuer lose the beste cyte that he hath than this faw­con / Thenne Parys wente and sought certayn herbes / and gaf them to the fawlconner and bad hym to bynde them to the feet of the fawcon / and so he dyd / and sone after the fawlcon amended and becam as hole as euer he had be tofore / wherof y^e souldan was moche Ioyous / and for loue of thye faulcon / the souldan made the fawlconner a grete s [...]rd in hys courte / Thenne the faulcon­ner seyng that by the moyen of parys he had goten thys lord­shyp / he dyd to hym moche playsyr / & shewed to hym as grete amytye and frendshyp as be had ben hys brother / & brought hym in the grace of the souldan / and was receyued in to hys courte / & the souldan loued hym soo wel / that he gaf to hym grete offyce / and mayntened hym in grete honour / ye shal vnderstonde that in thys tyme regned a moche holy pope / the whych was named In­nocent / and was a moche holy persone & [...]uoute / And it ple­sed soo hym that he gaf oute a croysee / ayenst the fals myscre­auntes & hethen men / to the ende that the name of our lord Ihesu cryst were more sayntefyed and enhaunced thurgh out al crystyente / And therfore was maad a grete counceyl emonge the car­dynals and prelates / & was concluded by theyr parlament that thys croysee shold be wry­ton to the kyng of fraunce / and to other kynges crysten / dukes / Erles and other grete lordes / and so was it doon /

¶How the doulphyn came to­ward the kyng of Fraunce /

[Page]WHan the kyng of france had receyued the letters fro the pope / Incontynēt he sente for the doulphyn of vy­ennoys / that he shold come and speke wyth hym / the whiche In­contynent came at his commaundement / Thenne the kynge sayd to hym / Syr Godefroy / we haue made you to come hyther / for ye be one of y^e moost wysest of our courte / & also ye be of our lyg­nage / And we late you wete that our holy fader the pope hath wryton to vs that he hath yeuen a croysee ayenst the mescreaūtes wherfore we for the loue and re­uerence of god entēde for to goo thyder / Neuertheles we haue aduysed / that ye shold goo fyrst in to thoo partyes / & we praye you for the loue and reuerence of god that ye take on you the charge for to espye the contrees and also the passages / Thenne the doulphyn sayd / I am redy & apparaylled to do your comaun­dement wyth good wylle / But how shal I mowe doo it for to passe surely emonge the hethen peple / For yf they apperceyue in ony wyse that I goo for to espye theyr contree / I shal not conne escape / but that I must deye by cruel deth yf god kepe me not / Thenne sayd the kyng ye may goo and your companye surely clothed in habyte of pylgryms / for ye knowe wel that thys is not the fyrst tyme / that many crysten men haue been in the holy londe / wherfor I praye you yet eft ones that in y^e name of Ihesu cryst that ye make you redy for to goo thyder / and take wyth you of our knyghtes as meny as it shal playse you / ¶Thenne the doulphyn seyng the wylle of the kyng / and that Incontynent he must departe / he sente letters to hys wyf / that he wold goo in to the holy londe to seche the holy sayntuaryes & pylgrymages / and prayed hyr that she moche wysely shold go­uerne hys londe / & that vyenne hys doughter shold not escape oute of pryson tyl he retourned for in shorte tyme he wold come ageyn /

¶How the Doulphyn took hys shyppyng for to goo in to Iherusalem /

AFter that the doulphyn had taken hys shyppe / & passed in to Surrye and damaske / to Iherusalem and in many other places / & had ad­uysed and espyed moche wysely and wel alle the contree / And enquyred of the crysten men that dwellyd there many thynges / without dyscoueryng his wylle and entente / Neuertheles somme euyl crysten men for to gete money tolde it vnto the souldan of [Page] babylone / ¶Thenne whan the souldan knewe it / he maad noo semblaunte / but Incontynent he made all the passages to be kept where as the pylgryms went by in suche manere as the doulphyn was taken & alle hys companye wyth hym in a place called Ra­mon not ferre fro Iherusalem / whyche was brought tofore the souldan / and he ordeyned that the doulphyn shold be tormen­ted and pyned / The doulphyn seyng hym self in suche a poynte sayd that they shold not tor­mente hym / and he wold say to them the trouthe / & thus he re­counted to the souldan how the Pope had gyuen oute a croysee ayenst them / & how he was comen to espye the contreye / whan the souldan sawe thys / he sayd that he wold aduyse hym of what deth he wold do hym to deth / in maner that al other shold take ensaumple / And commaunded that anone he shold be ledde in to alysandrye / & there to be put in to an harde pryson / and also that none shold gyue to hym but brede and water / Thenne the doulphyn was brought in to Alysandrye / & was put in to an hard and stronge toure / & there he suffred a myserable lyf / and had kepars that kept hym nyȝt and day / Thus was the doul­phyn in grete sorowe / thynkyng neuer to yssue out of y^e pryson but dede / Neuertheles the Pope and the kyng of Fraunce / dyd ofte tymes grete payne to haue hym out by fynaunces / but they myght not haue hym / ¶For the souldan sayd that he shold do on hym suche punycyon / that al other shold take ensaumple [...] / Now late vs leue to speke of the doulphyn / and retorne we to Parys that knewe no thynge of these tydynges

NOw recounteth thystorye that parys was in baby­lone lyke as ye haue to­fore herde / whyche knewe noo thynge of thys fayte / So it happed that by aduenture ij freres relygyous sought thyndulgen­ces of the holy lande & aryueden in babylone / where they wold see the seygnorye & the puyssaunce of the sowdan / For thenne the sowdan helde hym in Babylone wyth moche grete puyssaunce / These two freres were of these partyes / whyche beyng in tho partyes it happed as they wente in the towne parys fonde them / Thenne parys salewed them & demaunded of these partyes and sayd to them in thys manere / After that I haue herde say e­monge you crysten men ye haue a Pope / the whyche is moche stronge & puyssaunt / And also ye haue many kynges / & grete lordes / & so grete townes cytees [Page] and castellys / that I haue mer­ueyll how ye suffre that we that be not of your lawe haue the seygnorye of the holy lande whiche ought to apperteyne to you as ye say / And whan the freres had herde Parys thus speke / they were sore aferde / And one of them ansuerd in the langage of moure / For they wyst none other but parys was a moure / & so dyd al they of the contrey / & he sayd to hym / Syr I byleue wel that ye haue herd say / that in our partyes been assembled grete companyes of peple & men of warre for to come in to thyse partyes / by cause that our holy fader the Pope / hath graunted oute a croysee / and in the tyme whyles our men of warre assembled / the kynge of fraunce whi­che is the grettest of crystyente / sente a noble baron whyche is named the doulphyn of vyen­noys for to vysyte and espye these partyes / Thenne he beyng in these partyes / the souldan sette men in suche places where as the pylgryms were accustomed to passe / And sodeynly he dyd do tak [...] hym in a cyte named Ra­mon / and after sente hym in to Alysandrye / and there sette hym in an euyl pryson / wherein I suppose that he be dede / and thus for thys cause / the fayt was dyscouerd / Thenne sayd Parys how is that lord named / Thenne sayd the frere / he is named godefroy of Allaunson doulphyn of vy­ennoys / And whan parys herde thys he was moche abasshed / but he made noo semblaunter / And thought in hys hert / that hys aduenture myght yet come to good and effecte / Thenne he demaun­ded them of many thynges / and sayd to them / that he wold more speke to them another tyme / and demaunded them where they were lodged / and they tolde hym more for drede than for loue / for they thought he wold haue doon to them somme harme /

WHan Parys was departed fro the freres / he was moche pens yf how and in what maner he myght goo in to Alexandrye for to see the doul­phyn / & how he myght gete hym onte of pryson / and so moche he thought on his fayte / that he purposed to goo to the hostry where the freres were lodged / and soo wente thyder / & whan the freres sawe hym / they were sore aferde Thenne parys took them by the handes / and ladde them to solace thurgh y^e cyte spekyng of many thynges alwaye in the langage of moure / & sayd to them / I haue grete desyre to see that crysten knyght whiche is in alexandrye For I haue alwaye had good wylle to the crysten men / perad­uenture I myght yet wel helpe [Page] hym / & yf ye wyl come with me I promyse you by my lawe / that I shal make you good chere / & doubte ye nothyng / and thenne whan the freres herde hym thus speke they wyst not what to an­suer / they had so grete fere / Neuertheles they trustyng in the mercy of god / they promysed hym / that they shold goo wyth hym / though they shold deye / & prayden god in theyr courage that he wold graunte grace that he myght come oute of pryson / Thenne Parys had grete play­syr of the ansuer of the freres & wende neuer to see y^e houre / that he myght be wyth the doulphyn for to see the ende of his aduen­ture / and so departed fro the fre­tes / and wente strayte to the faulconner of the souldan wyth whom he had grete knowleche / & sayd to hym / Seynour I thanke you of the grete honour / curto­sye & gentylnes that ye haue do to me / & playse it you to wyte that I wyl departe fro hens in to alysandrye / and I promyse to you that for your loue I shall not tarye longe / but that I shal retorne hyther ageyn / And by cause I am there vnknowen / and that I neuer was there / I praye you ryght humbly / that I myȝt haue a maundement [...]f the souldan / that he commaunde to the gouernours that I may goo thorugh alle hys londe surely / For ye knowe wel that one may not kepe hym ouer wel fro euyl pe­ple / Therfore I praye you and requyre that ye wyl gete me suche a maundement / and also that ye wyl commaunde me humbly to the good grace of my lord the souldan / and forthwyth the faulconner wente to the souldan and made hys requeste for Pa­rys / & Incontynent the souldan graunted hym al hys desyre / sayeng that it moche desplaysed hym / of the departyng of parys & yf he wold abyde & dwelle in hys courte he wold make hym a grete lord / Thenne the faul­conner sayd / Dere syr he hath promysed me / that in short tyme he shal retorne / Thenne the soul­dan dyd do make the maunde­ment lyke as he wold deuyse / chargyng al his lordes offycers & subgettes of townes cytres & castellys of his londe that they shold do to hym grete honour / & that they shold gyue & delyuer to hym al that shold be necessa­rye to hym wythout takyng ony money or ony other thynge of hym / And also the souldan gaf to Parys many ryche clothes & vestymentes of cloth of gold and of sylke / and also he gaf to hym grete tresour / prayeng hym that he shold not longe tarye / but hastely retorne ageyn / & promysed hym that he shold make hym a grete lord / and delyuerd hys [Page] maundement / the whyche was sealed wyth the propre seale of the souldan / and sygned wyth hys owne hande

WHan Parys had recey­ued alle these thynges that the souldan had gyuen to hym / he took leue of hym and of hys courte & went with the freres in to Alexandrye / In­contynent after he was comen he shewed the maundement to the admyral / the whyche anon after he had seen it dyd grete honour to Parys / and delyuerd to hym a fayr lodgyng pourueyed of al thynges necessarye / and de­lyuerd another to the freres / Thadmyral came euery day to see parys in hys lodgyng for to do hym honour and companye / and wente & rode to gyder tho­rugh the cyte / and by cause that Parys was rychely clad / euery man made to hym grete honour and sayd that he semed wel to be the sone of sōme grete moure And on a day as they rode in the cyte they passed forth by the toure where as the dolphyn was in pryson / ¶Thenne Parys de­maunded of the admyral what toure it was that was so fayre / Thenne he tolde to hym y^t it was a moche cruel pryson & terryble In whyche the souldan helde a prysonner a grete lord & baron of the theste / whyche was comen for tespye these contreyes / Thēne sayd parys I praye you late vs goo see hym / & the admyral sayd he shold gladly / Thenne they a­lyghted fro their horses / & en­tred in to the pryson / and whan parys sawe the doulphyn / he had in hys hert grete desplaysyr / by cause of the myserable & sorouful lyf that he suffred / & Parys de­maūded of y^e kepars what man he was / And they sayd / that he was a grete baron of Fraunce / Thenne sayd parys / vnderston­deth he mourysshe / and they sayd nay / but that notwythstondyng yf he wold speke to hym / that they shold fynde tour [...]hem [...]n [...] ­nough / Thenne sayd Parys he wold retorne another day for to demaunde of hym of the partyes of the weste / & prayed thadmyral to gyue comandement to the ke­pars / that as ofte as be sh [...]d come / that they shold shewe hym to hym / & Incontynent he coman­ded lyke as parys had desyred / & thenne they departed / & a fewe dayes after parys retorned and came to the pryson and brought one of the freres wyth hym that coude speke mouryske / & whan they were wythin the pryson / pa­ris sayd to the frere that he shold salewe hym curtoysly / Neuertheles the frere knewe noo thynge that parys coude speke frensshe / Thenne the frere sayd to the doulphyn / that that lord was come [Page] for to vysyte hym / & that he loued wel crysten men / & that he was wel in the grace of the souldan / and that he trusted ys moche in hym as in ony man of hys con­treye / & thus the frere demaun­ded many thynges of the doul­phyn in the name of parys / and sayd yf he myght doo for hym he wold gladly

WHan the doulphyn herde the relygious frere thus speke in the persone of the moure / he was moche abas­shed in hys courage / bysechyng our lord that he wold put hym in suche courage & good wylle for to brynge hym out of pryson Parys desyred to here tydyn­ges of the fayr vyenne sayd to the frere / that he shold aske of the doulphyn yf he had ony wyf or chyldren / Thenne the dolphyn began to wepe / & said that he had a wyf / & a doughter holden for the fayrest of Fraunce / whom he helde in pryson bycause she wold take noo husbond / Thenne paris began to comforte hym by the mouthe of the frere / sayeng that he shold take alle in pacyence / & god shold yet ones delyuer hym oute of pryson / by whyche wor­des the doulphyn was so reioy­ced & Ioyous / that hym semed that god had appyered to hym / & the doulphyn sayd to the frere that it was grete pyte that the moure was not crysten / & pray­ed our lord that he wold gyue to hym puyssaunce to kepe hym in that good wylle that he had & so departed that one fro that other moche comforted / Thenne parys sayd to the kepars that he had founde so grete playsyr in the prysonner / that he wold ofte tymes come for to dyspo [...]te hym and they sayd whan it playsed hym he shold retorne & be wel­come / and thenne parys sayd to the freres that were in y^t place yf I thought to be sure of you / I thynke wel to fynde the moyen to brynge thys prysonner out of pryson / & the freres were moche admerueylled of thys whiche parys had sayd to them / and they sayd to hym / by the fayth that we owe to our god / that of vs ye nede not to doubte / & in caas that ye be in wylle late vs assaye but it must be doon secretely / for ye see wel how many kepars been there contynuelly / Thenne sayd Parys I shal gyue to you good counceyl and remedye of alle thys / but I wyl haue two thynges / The fyrst thynge is I wyl that ye goo wyth me / That other is that he shal gyue to me my lyuyng honourably in hys contre / for I am in grete doubte whan I haue delyuerd hym / and shal be in hys contreye that he wyl sette nought by me / and I can noo mestyer ne crafte / and [Page] soo I myght be wel deceyued / Therfore yf he wyl assure me / & that he wyl gyue to me a yefte suche as I shal demaunde hym whan I shal be in hys contreye / I shal delyuer hym & shal leue my contree for loue of hym / & ye may see in what estate I am /

On the morne Parys and the freres came in to the pryson & the frere recoun­ted al thys to the doulphyn / & whan the doulphyn vnderstood thys / hym thought that god bare hym awaye / & sayd / I thanke god & thys moure of the good wylle that he hath toward me / For I neuer dyd hym seruyce ne playsyr wherfore he ought to do so moche for me / Neuertheles I hope that is the playsyr of god that he shal delyuer me oute of pryson / I am redy to swere vpon the body of Ihesu Cryst or I euer departe from hens / that assone as I shal be in myn owne lande I shal mayntene hym in more gretter estate / than he ne is here and I wyl that he doo alle hys wylle of al my londe / for it shal suffyse to me onely that I haue a [...]yuyng for me and my wyf / and I shal do al that he wylle / and so say ye to hym on my be­halue / And thenne the frere tolde al to parys that whych the doulphyn had sayd and promysed to do / and to thende that parys shold be more sure / he sayd to the frere that he shold brynge to fore hym the body of our lord Ihesu cryst / and that tofore hym he shold swere to holde alle that he promysed / and the frere tolde it to Parys / and the doulphyn sware it tofore Parys to accom­plysshe alle that he had promysed And whan he had sworne / to the ende that Parys shold be the better contente / the doulphyn re­ceyued the precyous body of our lord Ihesu Cryst / sayeng that it shold be to the dampnacyon of hys soule / in caas that he accom­plysshed not al that he had pro­mysed whan they shold be in his londe / and whan thys was doo parys and the freres departed fro the doulphyn / and wente to the porte / for to wyte yf there were ony fuste that wold come hytherward / and by aduenture they fonde a fuste / and Parys wyth the freres spake to the pa­trone / and promysed hym a M besaunts of gold yf they wold lete haue passage fyue persones / The Patron seyng the grete tre­sour / sayd to them that he was contente / but he wold haue half at the porte / and sayd to them / lordes I praye you make you re­dy / For in caas that the mou­res of thys londe fonde vs we shold be al dede ¶ / Thenne sayd Parys make your self al redy / for thys nyght at mydnyght I [Page] shal come / And after thys Pa­rys retorned to hys lodgyng & dyd do make redy moche vytayll and the best wynes that he coude gete & he with the freres maad prouysyon of alle other thynges and mantellys and towellys /

WHan al was redy parys wente to the kepars of the pryson and sayd / I thanke you many tymes of the playsyrs that ye haue doon to me / I wyl now departe fro hens for to retorne to my lord the souldan / but for your loue I wyl soupe wyth you thys nyght and praye yow that we may soupe to gyder / & they ansuerd that it wel pleased them for his loue Thenne Parys sente for the vy­tayll & for the wyn / and after it was come / they souped to gy­der / And the kepars which had not been accustomed to drynke wyn / dranke so moche that they alle were dronke / & Incontynent l [...]yed them doun to slepe / & slepte so faste / that for noo thyng they coude not awake them / & whan parys sawe that / he sayd to the freres / that they shold vnfeter the doulphyn / & that they shold opene the yates of the pryson / & yf ony of the kepars awake I shal slee hym / Thenne the fre­res began to vnfetere the doul­phyn wyth grete drede / prayeng god to be theyr ayde and helpe / And whan the doulphyn was loos he cladde hym lyke a moure After Parys slewe alle the ke­pars one after another by cause yf they awoke they shold not come after them /

THys doon / the doulphyn wyth parys and his varlet / and the two freres camen to the porte / and hastely entred in to the fuste which was al redy / and wonde vp theyr saylle / and by the helpe of god began so fast to saylle that wyth in fewe dayes they arryueden in a place that thenne was crysten and there the doulphyn wente a londe by cause he was moche greued and annoyed as wel of the see / as for the harme that he had suffred in pryson / and there borowed money / and fro thens came in to cypres / where was a kyng whyche had dwellyd in the courte of the kyng of fraunce The whiche as sone as he knewe that the doulphyn of vyennoys was come / he went to mete hym and prayed hym that he wold come and lodge in hys paleys / And the doulphyn wente thy­der / wherof the kyng had grete Ioye / & there he made hym grete chyere / for many tymes they had seen eche other in y^e kynges court of Fraunce / and after the kyng demaunded hym of his aduen­ture / & the doulphyn recounted [Page] it to hym al alonge / and bycause of the comyng of the doulphyn he made moche grete feste / and receyued hym moche hyely / and made hym to soiourne there as longe as it playsed hym / And whan the doulphyn had sojour­ned there at his playsyr / he took leue of the kyng and of al hys courte / thankyng hym moche of the grete playsyr y^t he had doon to hym / The kyng seyng that the doulphyn wold departe / he gaf to hym grete yeftes / and dyd do arme two galleyes whyche ac­companyed hym / and brought hym vpon the see / and had soo good wynde that in fewe dayes after they brought hym in to ay­gues mortes /

WHan the doulphyn was arryued / the knyghtes of the doulphyne herde it anone / and forthwyth maad them redy & went to horsback & mette wyth hym at aygues mortes / & there receyued hym in grete honour / & so came forth the ryȝt waye to vyenne / and for Ioye of hys comyng / al they of the cyte made a moche noble and mer­uayllous feste / whyche endured wel fyftene dayes / & the play­syr & Ioye was so grete emonge them by cause they had recou­uerd theyr lord / that noo man shold and coude haue thought it / Parys in alle this wyse ne­uer chaunged hys vesture ne clothyng but contynuelly wente to masse / and by the commaunde­ment of the doulphyn the people dyd hym grete reuerence & ho­nour / so moche that parys was ashamed therof / and spake noo thynge but mouryske / And he had a grete berde / and made to noo pers [...]ne of the world ony knowleche / and after a whyle of tyme / the doulphyn for tac­complysshe that he had promysed to parys by the frere / dyd do say to parys and do demaunde yf he wold haue the seygnourye of hys londe and contree / For he was al redy for taccomplysshe that / whyche he had promysed / And Parys made to hym an­suer / that he shold kepe stylle hys londe / Thenne the doulphyn dyd do demaūde hym yf he wold haue hys doughter vyenne / and parys made the frere to say ye / for that pleased hym wel / And thenne they wente to hyr / ¶Thenne whan they were to­fore Vyenne the frere spake first Madame ye knowe wel that my lord your fader hath ben a grete whyle in pryson / and yet shold haue been / ne had haue been / thys moure / whyche hath saued hym / puttyng hys persone in ryght grete peryl and daun­ger for the loue of my lord your fader / And thus ye may wel [Page] knowe how moche he is holden to hym / & by cause herof your fader is subget to hym euer / wher­fore your fader prayeth you that vpon al the playsyr that ye wyl doo for hym / that ye wyll take hym for your husbond / And he shal pardonne all the desplaysyr that euer ye dyd to hym / whan the frere had fynysshed his wordes / vyenne ansuerd to hym say­eng / The bysshop of saynt lau­rence knoweth wel that is here present that it is longe syth that yf I [...]old haue be maryed / I myght haue ben maryed wyth more honour vnto my fader / than vnto this moure / for the sone of the duc of borgoyne had espou­sed me yf I wold haue consented but god hath put me in suche a maladye / that I may not longe lyue in this world / & euery day my maladye encreaceth & so en­payreth me that I am half roten wherfor I praye you to say to my fader that he holde me excused / for at thys tyme I wyl not be maryed / Thenne they took theyr leue of vyenne & recounted alle thys to the doulphyn / Thēne the doulphyn sayd to the frere that he shold say it to the moure / & so the frere tolde it al to parys / and thenne parys which was aferde to lese the loue of vyenne / wente for to see hyr in the pryson with the frere & the bysshop of saynt laurence / Thenne whan Parys sawe vyenne in that dysposycy­on / he had moche grete sorowe & grete merueylle / and thenne he made the frere to salewe hyr in hys name / and vyenne ansuerd vnto hys gretyng ryght curtoysly / & the frere sayd in the name of parys / Madame ye knowe wel I haue delyuerd your fader oute of pryson / wherof ye ought to haue synguler playsyr / & yet he shold haue been there yf I had not haue been and holpen hym oute / & he pardonneth you with good hert and good wylle alle the desplaysyrs that euer ye dyd ageynst hys playsyr / And prayeth you that ye take me for your husbond / and wyll that we haue the lordshyp of the doulphyne / and therfor I praye you / that neyther ye nor I lose not thys honour / ¶And yet more though thys were not / ye ought not to dysobeye the com­maundementes of your fader / ¶And thenne vyenne ansuerd to the frere as to the persone of Parys sayeng / I knowe well that ye haue delyuerd my fader oute of pryson / Not wythston­dyng my fader shal haue suche regarde ageynst you that ye shal lese noo thynge / ¶And I wote wel that ye be a man of grete lygnage / & are thorthy to haue a gretter lady than I am / But the bysshop of seynt Lau­rence whyche is present knoweth [Page] wel that for the maladye that I am in / I may not longe lyue / & thēne sayd the frere in his name this is by cause I am a moure that ye refuse me / I promyse you that I shal become crysten / but I thynke wel that yf ye kne­we who that I am / and what I haue lefte for to brynge your fader oute of pryson / that ye wold preyse me more than ye doo / knowe ye for certeyn that your fader shal be pariured / for he hath promysed that ye shal be my wyf wherof ye shal haue blame / therfore yf it playse you graunte ye hym hys wylle / Thenne sayd vyenne / lord I haue herd say mo­che good of you / & that ye be he that haue doon so moche for my fader / but neuertheles in the maladye in the whyche I am / none ought to counceyl me to take an husbond / For my lyf may not longe endure / and by cause that ye may knowe that I say trouth approche ye ner to me / & ye shal fele and smelle in what dysposycyon I am of my persone / And thenne they approuched ner to hyr / and vyenne had put two quarters of an henne vnder hyr two arme hooles / and there ys­sued so grete stenche that the bysshop ne the frere myght not suf­fre it / Neuertheles the▪ stynche was to parys a good odour / for he smellyd it not & sayd I wote not what ye smelle / for I fele none euyl sauour / And they meruaylled strongely / by cause he felte not the odour / And the frere sayd in parys name / For this odour shal I neuer leue you & I assure you I shal neuer de­parte fro hens vntyl ye haue consented to that your fader wyl / and vyenne answerd moche angrely & sayd by the fayth that I owe to god I shal rather rēne wyth my hede ayenst the wa [...]e that I shal make my brayn ys­sue oute of my mouth / & so shal ye be the occasyon of my dethe / Thēne sayd the frere ye shal not so doo madame / For I promyse you fro hens forth / that I shal neuer speke more to you / sythe that it is not your wylle ne ple­syr / but atte leste of one thyng I praye you / that this nyght ye ad­uyse you / and I shal retorne to morn for to haue of you an an­suer / and ye shal take counceyll of your felowe / and I praye to god that ye may be wel coun­ceylled / and alle these thynges sayd the frere in the name of parys to vyenne / And after they took theyr leue of vyenne / and sayd alle to the doulphyn / wherof he was thenne moche dysple­ased / and bad the frere to telle it alle vnto Parys for to excuse hym / and that he shold not leye the blame on hym / ¶And whan they were departed fro vyenne / she sayd to ysabeau / My [Page] fayr suster / what semeth you of the wysedom of my fader / that thynketh that I shold take thys moure to my husbond / and haue refused the sone of the Duke of bourgoyne / but god forbede that euer in my lyf I haue other lord than Parys to myn husbond / whome I hope yet to haue / & ysabeau sayd / Certes Madame I wote not what to say of your fader whyche wold gyue you to a moure in maryage / I haue therof grete thought / for he hath sayd that he shal retorne to morn to see you / and hath sayd that ye shold remembre and aduyse you /

¶How Parys came to see vy­enne in the pryson / and how she knewe hym /

ANd on the morn bety­mes Parys cladde hym moche more rychely than he had be accustomed / & gyrde wyth a moche ryche swerde / and came to the pryson with the frere and the frere sayd to hyr / Ma­dame we been retorned for to knowe your good answer / and your entencyon / And vyenne ansuerd / lordes myn entencyon is that I shal neuer breke my promesse that I haue made / For I haue auowed that I shal ne­uer take husbond / ne goo oute of this pryson / but dede sauf hym to whome I haue promysed / and therfore retorne ye in good tyme ¶Thenne sayd the frere / by my fayth I wote not what to say / for it is grete dommage that ye suffre so moche sorowe & payne / and syth it is thus your wylle & that ye wyl none otherwyse do / Neuertheles the moure prayeth you / that it may playse you to do to hym so moche grace / that syth ye wyl not take hym in maryage / that ye wyl were thys rynge for the loue of hym / Now thys rynge was the same rynge that vyenne gaf to parys whan he departed fro hyr in the hows of the chappelayn / and vyenne by cause they shold nomore come ageyn took the rynge / & whan she had receyued the rynge / pa­rys sayd to the frere / I praye you that ye tarye a lytel wyth­oute / For I wyl see what coun­tenaunce she wyl make of the rynge / and the frere sayd glad­ly / Neuertheles he meruaylled moche / and Incontynent the frere wente onte / and vyenne began to beholde the rynge / and whan parys sawe that vyenne byhelde the rynge so strongely / he began to speke in hys playne tongue / and sayd / O moche noble lady why be ye so moche admeruayled of that rynge / Thenne sayd vy­enne / Certes to my semyng I sawe neuer a fayrer / ¶Thenne sayd parys / Therfore I praye [Page] you that ye take therin playsyr for the more that ye byholde it the more ye shal prayse it /

WHan Vyenne herde the moure thus speke / thēne she was more admeruaylled than tofo [...] / and was as a persone al abasshed and sayd / Alas am I enchaunted / & what is thys that I see and here speke And in sayeng these wordes she wold haue fledde for fere oute of the pryson / by cause she herde the moure so speke / thenne sayd parys / O moche noble lady vy­enne / meruaylle ye noo thynge / ne haue ye noo doubte / lo here is parys your true seruaunte / and vyenne was thēne abasshed more than tofore / Certes sayd she this may not be but by werke en­chaunted / & parys sayd / Noble lady hit is none enchaunted werke / For I am your seruaunt parys whyche lefte you with y­sabeau in suche a chyrche / & there ye gaf to me the dyamond whi­che now I haue delyuerd to you and there ye promysed to me that ye wold neuer take husbond but me / and be ye noo thynge admeruaylled of the berde ne of the vesture that I were / for they take awaye the knowleche of me / & many other wordes sayd parys to vyenne / by whyche she knewe clerely that he was parys and for the souerayn loue that she bare to hym / & for the grete Ioye that she had / she began to wepe in hys armes / and tem­brace and kysse hym moche swe­tely / and there they comforted eche other wyth swete wordes / & so abode longe tyme / vyēne coude not ynough kysse hym & enbrace hym / and also parys demaun­ded of hyr of hyr aduenture / & she tolde hym alle / And of alle thys ysabeau had nothyng herde of / for she was faste a slepe by cause she had watched alle the nyght byfore / and for the grete Ioye and swetenes that parys & vyēne demeaned bytwene them she awoke / and whan she sawe vyenne beyng enbraced with the moure she sayd / Madame what is thys that ye do / haue ye loste your wytte / that so enbrace this moure / hath he enchaunted you that ye suffre hym soo famylyer wyth you / and is this the fayth that ye kepe to parys / for whom ye haue suffred so moche payne & sorowe / and vyenne sayd / Swete suster say ye noo suche wordes / but come & take your parte of the solace that I haue / for also wel haue ye founden good ad­uenture as I haue / See ye not here my swete parys / whome so moche we haue desyred / Thenne ysabeau approched ner to hym & byhelde hym wel and sawe that it was parys / and she wente & kyssed hym / & demened so moche [Page] grete Ioye bytwene them thre / that there is noo persone in the world that myght say ne thynke it / but so abode a grete whyle in thys soulas and Ioye / tyl atte laste parys spack / Swete vy­enne it byhoueth that we goo hens tofore my lord the dolphyn your fader / For now fro hens forth it is necessarye that he kno­we alle our fayte / Neuertheles I praye you to say nothyng / tyl I desyre you / and al thre came oute of the pryson / and sonde the frere whyche meruaylled gretely and alle they to gydre wente to the doulphyn / whyche had souerayn playsyr whan he saw them And neuertheles he was moche abusshed how his doughter was so come / and thenne parys sayd to the frere / Say ye to the doulphyn that I haue conuerted hys doughter to hys wylle and to myn / & that it playse hym that she be my wyf / & the frere sayd soo / Thenne the doulphyn sayd to hys doughter / wyl ye take thys man for your husbond / whyche hath delyuerd me oute of pryson in grete peryl of hys persone / Thenne demaunded vy­enne of Parys yf he wold that she shold speke / and parys sayd ye / And thenne Vyenne sayd to the doulphyn / My fader I am redy to do your commaundement and hys / and praye you to par­donne me & to gyue to me your benedyctyon / and whan she sayd thus / hyr fader pardonned hyr and gaf to hyr hys blessyng & kyssed hyr / Thenne sayd vyenne loo here is my good frende Pa­rys whome I haue so moche desyred / and for whome I haue suffred so moche payne & sorowe and fader thys is he that so swetely songe and floyted / and that wanne the Ioustes in thys cyte / and bare with hym the shelde of crystal and my garlonde / & also thys is he that wanne the Ious­tes in the cyte of paris and wan there the thre baners wyth the iij Iewellys / and went awaye with them wythoute knowyng of o­ny man / And also he hath dely­uerd you out of pryson puttyng hys lyf in Ieopardye for you / and whan the doulphyn vnder­stood al thys he was meruayl­lously glad and Ioyous / After al thys parys went to his fa­der / & whan he sawe hym and knewe that he was hys sone pa­rys / whome he had so longe de­syred to see / he enbraced hym & kyssed hym / & for the Ioye that he had he coude not speke a word and after alle the other lordes & knyghtes ranne for tembrace & kysse hym / and after this Ioye Parys fader sayd to the doul­phyn / ¶My lord playse it you that I may borowe my sone home to my hous for to see his moder and hys felowe Edward / [Page] ¶Thenne sayd the doulphyn it playseth me ryght wel onely for thys day / For to morn I wyl that the maryage of hym & my doughter be made & solempnysed here / And thenne messyre Ia­ques wente with hys sone vnto hys hous / And whan he was there / verayly his fader / his moder / and hys felowe Edward wyst not where they were for Ioye and playsyr that they had and that was noo wonder / for they had no moo chyldren but hym / and he shold wedde the doughter of their lord / and also Parys was in that tyme become a valyaunte knyght / and ful of al beaulte / and for many rea­sons it was no meruayll though they had in hym grete Ioye and playsyr / & Edward demaun­ded of hym of hys aduenture / & many other thynges / And he recounted and tolde hym alle /

¶How Parys espoused and wedded vyenne / and of the feste that was there made /

THenne on the morn the dolphyn gaf his dough­ter in maryage to parys And the feste was moche noble and sumptuous / For moche pe­ple were comen thyder for to see the feste / and it endured fyftene dayes / And the playsyr and solace whyche was doon for the loue of Parys and of vyenne was soo grete / that vnnethe it may be byleued / whyche parys and Vyenne lyued to gyder a grete whyle in ryght grete consolacyon and playsyr / but after thaccomplysshement of the maryage / the fader and moder of pa­rys lyueden not longe after in thys world / and Parys had by Vyenne hys wyf thre chyldren / that is to wete two sones & one d [...]ughter / And the doulphyn ordeyned for them moche noble matrymonye / And parys after the deth of hys fader and his moder wold that Edward hys dere felowe shold be herytyer of al the goodes that hys fader lefte and gaf to hym ysabeau to hys wyf / whyche lyued to gyder longe tyme in grete loue and concorde / And sone after the doulphyn & hys wyf deyeden / And thenne was Parys doulyhyn and had the possessyon of al the seygnou­rye / the whyche lyued wyth vy­enne in thys world fourty yere and ledde a good and holy lyf / in so moche that after thentende­ment of somme men they be sayntes in heuen / & they deyed bothe in one yere / And semblably Edward and ysabeau deyed bothe tweyne in one yere / Therfore late vs praye vnto our lord that we may doo suche werkes in this world / that in suche wyse we [Page] may accompanye them in the perdurable glorye of heuen Amen /