[Page] HEre foloweth the answers that the enfant sage the whiche ne had but thre yeres of age and was cal­led lytell sone vnto the emperour / and he was fyrst recō ­maūded vnto an archebysshop. & the sayd archebysshope recōmaūded hym vnto a patryarche of Iherusalem. And the sayd patryarche recōmaūded hym vnto a duke ryght sage ryght humble and the beste vnderstandynge hym­selfe that was in all the lande. And whan the chylde was comen in to the cyte where this sage duke was he yode to speke vnto hym. And than the knyghtes of that duke tolde hym. Here is the enfant ryght sage. And than some hym salewed and sayde vnto hym. Sage enfant frome what partyes arte thou comen. And the chylde answered I am comen frome my fader / and frome my moder / and was create of oure lorde Iesu chryst. And some other knyghtes of the duke sayde vnto him thou arte sage. And the chylde answered hym that he is sage the whiche is cha­stysed by hym selfe. And all these thynges aboue sayd we­re compted vnto the Emperour Adryan that than was at Rome / the whiche made hym to come vnto hym / and sayd vnto hym in this wyse. Sage enfant howe is the skye made. And the enfant answered hym in this maner yf hit had ben made by the hande of man it hadde fallen forth with / and yf it had be borne it hadde ben deed longetyme syth. Also the emperour demaūded what god made fyrste. And the chylde answered hym lyght and clerte at all tymes. ¶ Also the Emperour demaunded hym how a man maye vnderstande that the trinite is one selfe god reygnynge in thre personnes. And the chylde answered hym by the sonne in whom thou shalt fynde thre thynges That is to vnderstonde substaūce / shynynge / and heate / the whiche be in seperables for the one ne maye be with­out the other. Also the Emperour demaunded hym / who [Page]yede fyrste oute frome the mouthe of oure lorde. And the chylde answered saynt Iohn̄ y^e euangelist y^e whiche sayd In principio erat verbum / et verbū erat apud deum. &c. Also y^e emperour hym demaūded yf god created y^e worlde inlytell of tyme. And the chylde hym answered / in a ly­tell whyle as the openynge of an eye. for he create all the worlde in a momente but after by the space of .vi. dayes he made the thynges beynge in the worlde. That is to vnderstonde / the sondaye he create the aūgels. The mon­daye he made the fyrmament. The tewelday he made y^e erthe / the see the froges / and the swete waters of the ry­uers and fontaynes. The wennesdaye he made the byr­des and the lysshes of all maners. The thursdaye he ma­de the trees and the beestes of all manyers. The frydaye he made and formed Adam vnto his owne lykenes.

The saturdaye he rested hym / and blessed all that / that he hadde made and formed. Also the Emperour hym de­maunded what hope the marchaūtes haue. And y^e chylde answered hym lytell for that y^t they gette they porchase often by fraulde and desceyte. Also the emperoure hym demaunded what sayest thou of laberours. And the chyl­de hym answered the moost grete parte of them shall be saued for they lyuen of the yre symplye. and the people of god seden of theyr trauayle. Also the emperour hym de­maūded what sayest thou of these chyldren. And y^e chylde hym answered that those that deyen In the age of thre yeres and vnder and the whiche ben baptysed shall be sa­ued. And the emperour hym demaunded. It is wryten y^t our lorde Iesu chryst is deed for to agenbye the good and the euyll. And the chylde hym answered that Iesu chryst is deed for these ebryeux y^e whiche weron than yll for they weren myserraūtes. and also it is in scrypture that he is deed for all people▪ for by his dethe sha [...]l be saued of all [Page]generacyons of people. Also the emperour hym demaun­ded in how many maners a man maye be saued, and the chylde hym answered in seuen / pryncypally fyrst by bap­tym. Secondely by martyrdome. Thyrdely by confessy­on and penaunce. Fourthly by terys wepynge. Fythely by almesdedys. Syxtely by indulgences. That is to vn­derstonde that we pardon with good harte and with good wyll those the whiche haue mysoone vnto vs. The .vij. by the werkes of mercy. Also the emperour hym demaū ­ded what the confessyon auaylleth. And the chylde hym answered that confessyon and cōtrycyon pourgeth all for­fayres. Also the emperour hym demaunded what payne those sholde haue that be in this benefyces. And y^e chylde answered y^t they shall perysshe with symon y^e enchantour. And those that sellen them shall be mesellys in the soule as tesse. Also the emperour demaunded hym what payne the chyldren sholde haue the whiche dye without baptys­me. And the chylde answerde hym that they sholde be in derkenes. And sholde be put from the vysyon of our lorde Iesu chryst / but a man sholde not vnderstonde in suche derkenes that they ne se clerely the clerte of heuen for that sholde be payne / & they shall haue no payne / but they shall be moore cased than ony mortall man in this worlde. The emperour hym demaūded yf it were synne to take his co­synne vnto wyfe or his gossyp / or his filliole / or ony of his lygnage. And the chylde hym answered. it is no syn after nature / but it is after the ordynaunce of the chyrche as whan Adam ete the appell it was no synne but for that / that he trespassed the commaundement of oure lorde and fauyour iesu chryst. And therfore was it a ryght greuous synne. Also the emperour hym demaūded wherfore was than y^e holy faders taken theyr cosyns and parentes vnto wynes. And the chylde hym answered / for that that they [Page]heden than leue to loue theyr prochyns and nereste of blo­de. Also the emperour hym demaunded what sayest y^u of knyghtes. And y^e chylde answered I saye neyther yll ne good. The emperour hym demaūded where was y^e fyrst woman create. And the chylde answered hym in paradis terrestre of the syde of Adam. The emperour hym demaū ded wherfore was y^e woman create of the syde of Adam. And he answered to the ende y^t they were by dyleccion all of one hart and of one wyll. Also y^e emperour hym demaū ded wheder those ben happye y^t haue theyr desyres and wyll in this worlde. And he answered y^t they be not hap­py / but those ben happy the whiche god ne letteth to do theyr wylles and desyres in this / but correeteth them by aduersyte. Also y^e emperour hym demaūded what is ory­gynall synne. and he answered it is faute of iustyee. Also he demaūded yf y^e soule ne myght growe. And the chylde answered no not in quantite / but in good vertu & reason. Also y^e emperour hym demaunded wherfore is it y^t some ben borne foles sens that they haue a soule reasonable. And he answered whan they ben cōceyued of yll and grose humours in the wome of theyr moder some what y^e soule is greued for the ylle dysposycyon of the body. Also y^e em­perour demaunded hym whiche is y^e thynge moost cruell vnto the poore or vnto y^e ryche / and he answered hym the dethe. Also the emperour him demaūded what thynge is man. And he answered that it is ymagenynge of our lor­de Iesu christ. Also the emperour hym demaunded what thynge is woman. And he sayd / it is the ymagenynge of dethe. Also the emperour hym demaunded at what hou­re ete Adam of the fruyte that our lorde hym had defen­ded. And he answered at the thyrde houre. and at the hou­re of none he was caste oute of paradyse. Also the empe­rour hym demaunded what thynge is it wherof a man [Page]maye neuer fede hym ynough / and the chylde answered that it is of gayne / or wynnynge. And the emperour him demaunded how many synnes ben there the whiche ne ben pardonned in this worlde ne in lyke wyse in y^e other. And the enfant hym anishered twayne. The fyrst is who so that byleueth not in the resurrece you of our lorde Iesu chryst. The ceconde is who so despeyreth hym of the gra­ce of god. Also y^e emperour hym demaunded what thyn­ge is best or worste / and the chylde hym answered that it was y^e worde. Also y^e emperour hym demaunded by how many maners a man dyeth. and y^e chylde hym answered by .v. The fyrst is by pouerte. The .ij. by ignoraunce the .iij. is by pyte. The iiij. is by drede. The .v. is by iniquite. Also y^e emperour hym demaunded how many langages ben there in the worlde. & the chyld hym answerde there are .lxxii. Also the empereur hym demaūded how many maner of serpēs ben there in the worlde. & the chylde an­swered hym y^t there were .xxiiij. Also the emperour hym demaūded what was he y^t whiche put name vnto all the beestes / & he answered that dyd Adam. Also the emperour hym demaūded what is y^e leste thynge of all the worlde. and y^e chylde hym answered y^e it is y^e body of y^e man whan the soule is oute. Also y^e emperour him demaūded whiche is y^e moost lyght thynge of all the worlde. & the chylde an­swered it is y^e thought. Also y^e emperour hym demaūded what thynge is y^e skye. & the chylde answered that it is a lyght of clerte diuine. Also y^e emperour hym demaunded / what susteyneth y^e erthe. & y^e chylde answered y^t that doth y^e water. Also y^e emperour hym demaunded / what sustey­neth y^e water. and the chylde anwerede y^t the .iiii. euange listes. Also y^e empereur hym demaūded / what susteyneth the .iiij. euangelisles. & the chylde answered / y^e spyrytuell fyre. Also the emperour hym demaūded what susteyneth [Page]the spyrytuell fyre. & the chylde answered a tree y^e whiche was planted in paradse in the begynnynge whan god came in to y^• vyrgyn mary. Also y^e emperour hym demaū ­ded who was y^e fyrste hermyte. and y^e chylde answered y^t was saynt poll. Also the emperour hym demaūded / what thynge is y^t neuer may be nor neuer shall be. and y^e chylde answered that / y^t is in y^e valde of gelboe. Also y^e emperour hym demaūded who made y^e fyrst chyrche / & y^e chylde an­swered him y^t dyd saynt pol. Also y^e emperour him demaū ded / what was he the whiche fasted thre dayes and thre nyghtes / and y^e chylde answered hym that was Ionas in the whales wombe. Also the emperour hym demaūded how many of yeres had noe whan he began to make the arche. & the chylde answered hym fyue hondreth of yeres Also the emperour hym demaūded / in how many yeres was the sayd arche made / and the chylde answered in a hondreth yeres. Also y^e emperour hym demaunded / how many dayes the arche was on the water. & the chylde an­swered / that it was theron fortye dayes. Also y^e emperour hym demaūded / how longe / how large / and how hye the sayd arche was / and the chylde hym answered that hit had .CCC. fadome in lengthe .CCxxx. of heyght / and a .Clx. in largenes. Also that emperour him demaūded / In what place is the sayd arche now / & the chylde answered hym that hit is vpon a hye mountayne in armenie that men call Archenclyn. Also y^e emperour hym demaunded what was he that planted & sette fyrst y^e vyne. & the chyl­de answered hym that it was noe. Also y^e emperour hym demaūded. who made the fyrst cyte. & the chylde him an­swered that it was zurie. Also y^e emperour hym demaunded / what was he the whiche demaūded the moost grete gyfte that euer man demaūded / and the chylde answered that / that dyde Ioseph of armathye the whiche demaunded [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page]our lorde Iesu chryst beynge on the crosse whome he put in the sepulcre. Also the emperour hym demaunded / wherfore is it that men sholde sonner faste on the frydaye than these other dayes. And the chylde answered hym. For .viij. reasons pryncypally. The fyrste is for that that on the frydaye our lorde Iesu chryst formed Adam. The seconde for that / y^t on the fryday saynt Iohū baptest baptysed our lorde in the flome iordayn. The thirde is for that that on the fryday Dauid y^e prophete slewe the grete go­lyas. The .iiij. is for that / that on the frydaye oure lorde toke humayne flesshe in the wombe of the gloryouse vyr­gen marye. The .v. is for that / that the frydaye saynt ste­uen the fyrst martyr was stoned. The .vi. for that / that on the frydaye saynt Iohn̄ baptest was beheded. The .vij. for on y^e frydaye our lorde Iesu chryst was crucified. The viij. for that / y^t on y^e frydaye our lorde Iesu chryst shall descende from heuen for to holde his Iugement in the vale of Iosepath. Also the Emperoure hym demaunded in how many maners a man maye be dampned / and the chylde hym answered / in .iiij. maners pryncypally.

The fyrste is by neglygence. The seconde is by anger of tre and to shewe openly his synnes. The thyrde is of the doubte of the payne that a man hathe to amende hymself The .iiij. is of ylle thynge to be euermore in synne. Also the emperour hym demaunded / what thynges they ben the whiche beste pleaseth vnto our lorde Iesu chryst. And y^e chylde answered / thre thynges pryncypally. The fyrst is too do trewe penaunce of his synnes. The seconde is largesse and pacyence in pouerte. The thyrde is absty­nence of synne. Also the emperour hym demaunded what thynge is that the whiche moost dyspleased vnto man. And the chylde sayd it is lyfe of his enemyes and noysant Also this emperour hym demaunded / how many sonnes [Page]and doughters hade Adam / & the chylde sayd .xxx. sonnes and .xxx. doughters without cam abell nor seph. Also the emperour hym demaunded who was the fyrst that sange masse. And the chylde answerde hym that is was melche­sedech. Also the emperour hym demaūded who was y^e fyrst thefe. And y^e chylde hym answerde that it was Seph the fyrste sone of Adam. Also the emperour hym demaunded what was he y^e was borne before his fader & bygoten befo­re his moder the .iiij. of the worlde he slewe and had had y^e maydenhede of his grande moder. And y^e chylde answerde that it was Cayn / for his fader and his moder that is to vnderstonde Adam and Eue were create and also he slewe his broder Abel / for they ne were than but .iiij. in the worl­de and had the maydenhede of his grande dame the erthe that labourede it. Also the emperoure hym demaunded what was he that entrede fyrste in to paradys. And the chylde answered that it was the good thefe whome god pardonned on the crosse. Also the emperour hym demaun­ded whiche were the moost noble weddynges that euer were. And the chylde hym answered that was the wed­dynges of Archideclin where god chaunged the water in to wyne / and there were our lorde and the vyrgyn marye. Also the emperour hym demaūded who be those that shall neuer deye tyll vnto the ende of the worlde. And the chyl­de answerde hym that it was Enoch and Helie y^e whiche ben in y^e yate of paradys terrestre holdynge euery of them a sworde brennynge in theyr mouthes. Also the emperour hym demaūded what was he y^t despoyled his moder. & the chylde answerde hym that it was Adam whan he began to laboure the erthe. Also the emperour hym demaunded what thynge is it of the see and the chylde answered that it is awaye in certayne and merueyllous. Also the empe­rour hym demaunded what thynge is that as the dethe. [Page]and the chylde sayd that it is a thynge y^e whiche ne maye fynysshe ne entre. Also y^e emperour hym demaūded what was he that dyed two tymes. & the chylde hym answered that it was lazar the broder of marye magdaleyne and of marie marche the whiche god areysed. Also y^e emperoure hym demaunded of howe many thynges was man for­med. and the chylde hym answered of syxe thynges pryn­cypally. That is to vnderstonde the fiesshe made is of the slyme of the erthe. The blode is made of the water of y^e see. The bones were made of the stones the brethe was ma­de of the wynde. The eyes were mage of the sone. And y^e soule was treated of the holy ghost. Also the emperoure hym demaūded by what manere bryngeth y^e deuyl a man in to helie. And the chylde hym answered remembre the that euen in lyke wyse as by baptym is pardoned theory­gynall synne. Also in lyke wyse by confessyon and penaunce ben pardonne all that other synnes. Also the emperour hym demaūded is ordeyned vnto man y^e terme of his deth or of his lyfe / and the chylde hym answered that god all had ordeyned for oure saluacyon. Also the emperour hym demaunded in whome byleueste thou. And he answered In god almyghty. That is to vnderstonde in the father and in the sone and in the holy ghost the whiche ben thre parsones in one essence and in one holy trinite. Also the emperour hym demaunded byleuest thou y^t our lorde Ie­su chryst shadowed hym in the wombe of y^e hloryous vyr­gyn Marye and that he was borne of her very god & ve­ry man, and the chylde answered that yes and I byleue that he hathe suffred honger and thorste and other try­bulacyons for to agayne bye vs synners. And I byleue y^t at the daye of assencyon he mounted in to heuen. And that on whyght sondaye he sent his holy espirite vnto his dys­cyples and that he shall come vppon the erthe to holde [Page]his Iugement / and that vnto the good he shall gyue lyfe and glorye in his paradis by all tymes and y^e ylle he shall sende in to helle frome whens they shall neuer departe. Also the emperour hym demaunded where our lorde hel­de hym before that he created the worlde. And the chylde hym answered that he was in a wodde there where he made fagotes for to bourne the and all these the whiche wyll from hensforth enquere of the secretes of our lorde in whome there ne is begynnynge nor endynge.