The fyrste Glose.

OThea after the gree & entent may be taken for y^e sagenes of a womā And as the auncyent before that they had receyued the lyght, and spendour of the Fayth, adoured and worshypped many Goddes, vnder whiche lawe ben pas­sed the moste hyghe Seygnoryes & lordshyppes that haue ben in the worlde. As the realme of Assyrye, of Perse, the Grekes, the Troyans, Alexandrye, the Romaynes, and many other. And specially all the moste great Phylosophers, As that GOD ne had as yet sette open the gate of his mercy. In this present age we Christen men, by the grace of [Page] God enlumyned of the veray & perfyte Fayth, may reduce and bryng vnto Moralytie the opynyons of the auncyentes And therupon many Alegoryes may be made, And as they were accustomed to adoure and worshyp all thynges, which aboue the cōmune course were preroga­tyue, or fortherynge the cōmune profyte by any maner of grace, many Ladyes, whiche were in theyr tyme, were called Goddesses.

¶And it was of a trueth after the Hy­storie, that in y^• tyme of Troye the great flowrysshed in his hygh renōme. A moche sage Lady named Othea consyde­ryng the fayre youth of Hector of Troy than moche flowrysshynge in vertues, whiche myght be a demonstrued of grace to be in hym, in tyme to come. Send vnto hym many fayre and notable gyf­tes. And especially his fayre destryer, whiche was named Galathee, to whom in goodnesse none in the worlde myghte be compared. And for so moche as all [Page] graces mōdayne, which a good knyght ought to haue were fyxed and compry­sed in Hector, we may say morally that he them toke by the admonastemēt and aduertysement of Othea, whiche sende vnto hym this Epistle. Morallye.

By Othea we shall take and vnder­stande the vertue of Prudence and sagenesse, wherof she right well prouyded & aourned. And as the .iiii. vertues Car­dynall be necessary to a good gouernaū ce, we shall of them speke here in this present volume hereafter. And to this fyrste, we haue gyuen a name and taken the maner to speke somwhat Poetyquely, and accordynge to the veray Hystory the better to ensue and procede vpon our matter, and to our purpose we shall ta­ke some auctoryties of auncyent Phy­losophers. We shall say euyn so in this present volume, as by the sayd Lady it was gyuen or sende vnto the good Hec­tor, that semblably it maye be vnto all other desyrynge bountye and sagenesse. [Page] And how the vertue of Prudence is moche to be recōmended, speaketh the prynce of Phylosophers Arystotyle.

For so moche as Prudence is the moste noble of all other thynges it oughte to be demonstred and shewed by the best reason, and the most couenable maner.

The .ii. Glose.

OThea sayth, that Attemperaunce is his systre, whom he ought to lo­ue. The vertue of attemperaunce very­tably may be sayd systre and semblable vnto Prudence. For Attemperaunce is the demonstraunce and showyng of prudence. And of prudence foloweth attemperaunce Therfore she saith that he holde attemperaunce for his frende, so as sēblably ought for to do all good knyghtes desyryng the lawde that is gyuē to all good, so as sayth the Phylosopher named Democritus. Attemperaunce amodereth, or measureth the vyces, and maketh perfyte the vertues.

The .iii. Glose.

THe vertue of force or strength is to vnderstande not alonely corporall strength, but also constance and stedfastnes, whiche the good knyght ought for [...]o haue in all his assayres delibered by good wysdom, and strength to restyst agaynst the contraryties / that to hym may come, as yf it be in fortune in his [...]rybulacion, and there agaynst stronge and puyssaūt courage may be profyta­ble to the exaltacion of his valure, and for to gyue materiall example of force, we shall alledge vs vpon Hercules, to the ende that in two maners it be pro­fytable, that is to knowe, in so moch as materyall force is vertue, and specially in feates of knighthode, wherin y^e sayd [Page] Hercules was ryght excellent. And fo [...] the hyghnes of Hector, it was conuen [...] ble thinge to gyue hym hygh example▪ Hercules was a knight of great meruelous force, & he brought to ende man [...] knyghtly promyses, he was a great l [...] bourer, & voyager by the world. And fo [...] the great and merueylous voyagꝭ tha [...] he dyd in thynges of great strengthe▪ The Poetes (whiche speke vnder coueture, and in maner of fables,) say tha [...] he went into hell to fyght with the pri [...] ces Infernall. And y^t he fought agayn [...] serpentes & fyerce beestes, wherby is t [...] be vnderstande the stronge enterpryse that he accomplyshed. And therfore sh [...] sayth vnto the good knyght y^t he ough [...] to beholde hym selfe, that is to wyt, i [...] his prowesse and valyaunce after hi [...] possybilite. And lyke as the cleretie o [...] the sonne is profytable to all men. S [...] may be a good example as sayth a ph [...] losopher. The grayne of wheete whā [...] falleth vpon good lande it is profitabl [...] [Page] [...]o all men. Semblably may be a good [...]xample avaylable to all them that de [...]yre valiaunce. And one sage saith thus The vertue of strength maketh a man [...]romanable to vanquishe all thynges.

The .iiii. Glose.

PRudence sayth vnto y^e good knight that yf he wyll be of the rent of the good, it is to hym conuenyent, to haue the vertue of Iustyce or ryghtwysenes as sayth Arystotle, he that shalbe a perfyte Iudge ought fyrst to Iustefy hym selfe for he that is not rightwyse in him [Page] selfe, is not worthy to Iudge any other so it is to be vnderstand, that he correct hym selfe of his defaultes so that they be all extinct and quenched, and after a man so correct may well and ought to be a correctour of many other men. And for to speke morally we shal say a fable to this purpose / after the couerture of Poetes. Minos as saith Poetes is the Iudge of hell. And as the prouoste and soueraygne Baylyfe, and afore hym ben brought al soules, discendyng into that valley. And lyke as they haue deserued penaunce, and after theyr degrees lyke as he woll that they be put in porfoūdyte he turneth his tayle aboute him, and for somoch as hell is the ryghtwyse Iustyce and punysyon of God, take we at this present tyme to speke to that pur­pose. It was of very truth that a kyng was ī Grete, named Minos of meruaylous fyerstie. And had in hym a great rygor of Iustice. And therfore saye the Poetes, that after his death he was [Page] made as to be Iudge of hell. And Ary­stotle sayth Iustice or ryghtwysenes is a thyng which God hath established v­pon grounde, for to lymyte the thinges.

The .v. Glose.

ANd for somoche as it is a thyng cōuenient that to the good knight be due honoure and reuerence, we shall showe therof a fygure after the maner of Poetes. Perseus was a moche valyaunt knyght, and many realmes he conquered, & of hym was named the great lande of Perse, and the poetes say that [Page] rode vpon the horse which flewe by the ayre, named Pegasus. And it is to vn­derstande, renome whiche flyeth by the ayre into all countrees. He bare in his hande a fauchyon or a sythe whiche is sayd for the great foyson of people whiche by hym were dyscomfyted in many battayles, he delyuered Andromeda, fro the monstre of the see, whiche was a fayre mayde, whom he delyuered from the sayd monstre, whiche by the sentence of God shuld haue deuoured her. Whiche is to vnderstande that all knyghtes ought to succoure women whiche shall haue nede of theyr ayde. So may be noted by Perseus & his flyeng horse, good renome & fame which the good knyght oughte to haue and purchase by his good merytes, and therupon he oughte to ryde, that is that his name ought to be borne in to all landes & regions. And Aristotle saith, good renome & fame maketh a mā relusant & shining to the worlde & agreable in the presence of princes.

The .vi. Glose.

AS it is sayd afore the Paynimes whiche worshypped many Gods, helde the planettes of the ayre for theyr especiall gods. And of the .vii. planettes they named the .vij. dayes of the weke, Iupyter or Iouis, they helde for theyr gretest god, for somoch as he is set in y^• highest aspect of planettes after Saturne. Of Iouis hath the thursday his name, and especially the Arsmetriscientes haue attribued & compared the vertues of the .vij. metalles to the .vij. planettes and named the termes of theyr sciences by the same planettes as it may be sene in Geber, and Nycholas, and the other Aucthorities of that science. To Iupy­ter they attrybued the metall of Tyn, or pewter. Iupyter or Iouis is a Pla­net of swete condicion, amiable, & moch ioyous and is fygured to the sanguyne [Page] complectiō. Therfore sayth Othea that is to say, Prudence, that y^• good knight ought to haue the condicions of Iupy­ter, and that specially ought to haue al noble men haūtyng cheualrie. To this purpose sayth Pytagoras, that a kyng ought gracyously to be conuersaunt w^t his people, and to them shewe Ioyous vysage. And in semblable wyse it is to be entended of all valyaunte entendyn­ge to honoure.

The .vii. Glose.

VEnus is a Planet of the Ayre, of whom the fryday hath his name, and the metall whiche we call Coper to her is attrybued. Venus gyueth influ­ence of loue, and of vagant mynde, and there was a Lady so named, whiche was quene of Cypres. And for somoche as she excelled all other in beaultie and Iolitie, and was right Amourouse and not constant in one loue but abandoned to many, they called her the goddesse of loue. And bycause that she gyueth influence of luxurie saith Othea to the good knyght that he make not of her his goddesse: that is to vnderstande, that vnto that vice he ought not to abandone his body nor his entent, and to this purpose [Page] sayth Hermes. The vice of lechery quē cheth all vertues.

The .viii. Glose.

OF Saturne is named the Satur­day, and the metall which we call Leade, and he is of condicion, slowe, peasaunt and sage. And there was a king of Crete so named, which was moch sage, of whom the Poetes speke vnder the couerture of fables, & say that his sone Iupyter, cut from hym his genytores which is to be vnderstand that he toke from hym his puyssaunce that he had a [...] hym dysheryted & chased from his countree, and therfore is he peasaunt & sage: Othea woll therfore say that the good knyght ought moch to pease and wey the matter afore that he gyue his sentence, be it pryce of armes or in other affaires. And this specially ought to be noted by al Iudges which haue offyces apperteynynge to Iudgement. And to this purpose sayth Hermes. Take good delyberacion in all thyne affayres, and in especiall in the iudgemēt of another.

The .ix. Glose.

APpollo or Phebus is the Sonne to whom the Sonday is attribued, and also the Metall whiche we call Golde. The Sonne by his clerety sheweth many thynges that ben hyd. And therfore veryte or truth whiche is clere and sheweth secret thȳges to hym may be attribued. Tho which vertue ought to be in the harte and mouth of euery good Knyghte. And to this purpose sayth Hermes.

The .x. Glose.

PHebe is called the Moone of whom the monday hath his name, and to her is attrybued the metall whiche we call Syluer. The Moone neuer resteth the space of an houre in one ryght poynte. And she giueth enfluence of mutabylite and foly. And therfore saith Othea that the good Knyghte ought to kepe hym fro such vyces. And to this purpose sayth Hermes. Vse the to sapyence, and be constaunte.

The .xi. Glose.

OF Mars is named the Tuesdaye, and to hym is attrybued the me­tall whiche we call Yron. Mars is the planet which giueth influence of warre and battayles, and therfore the knight whiche loueth to ensue armes & feates of cheualrye and therof hath the na­me of valoure may be called the sonne of Mars. And therfore Othea so na­med Hector. Notwithstandynge that he was sonne to kynge Priam. And she sayde that he shuld well ensue his Fa­ther as a good knight ought to do, and thus sayth the sage. By the workes of man may be knowen his inclinacions.

The .xii. Glose.

OF Mercury is named the wednes­daye, and to hym is atrybued the [Page] metall whiche we call quicke syluer. Mercury is a Planet whiche gyueth influence of pontyfycall meynteyne and of fayre language aorned of rethorike therfore sayth Othea to y^• good knyght that he ought to be aorned for honourable maynteyne & fayre eloquence is well sytting to a noble man desyring the hye price of honour, but that in any maner that he garde hym well that he speake not ouer moche. For Diogenes sayth y^t of all vertues this is the best, except the moche speche.

The .xiii. Glose.

MInerue was a lady of right great knowlege, and founde the maner to make Armours, for afore the people vsed none armoure, but Lether tanned. And for the great sagesse that was in this Lady they called her a Goddesse. And for so moch as Hector couth ryght well, put Armours in operacion, and that it was his ryght mestier and de­uour. Othea called hym sonne of Mi­nerue. Notwithstanding he was sonne to Quene Heccuba of Troye. And by semblable name may be named all ar­mours of Armes. To this purpose sayth one Auctorite. The knyghtes gy­uen [Page] / ben vnto her Subiectes.

The .xiiii. Glose.

AFter sayth Othea, that he shal annexe Pallas w^t Minerue, whiche [Page] is well syttyng, & a man ought to know that Pallas and Minerue ben but one proper thyng, but the names dyuers be taken vnto .ij. vnderstandinges. For she that was named Minerue was also surnamed Pallas. Of an Ile which was named Pallance, wherin she was bor­ne, and therfore bycause that she was sage generally in all thynges, & founde of new, many artes and faculties fayre and subtyle they called her the goddesse of scyence or knowlege. So is she na­med Minerue to that thyng that apperteyneth to cheualrie. And Pallas to al thynges that perteyne to sagesse, ther­fore wyll Prudence or Othea say that he annexe sages with knighthod which is ryght good instruction, & lyke as ar­mes ought to be the garde and shelde, of the fayth: it may be vnderstande to this purpose that whiche Hermes sayd. Conioyne or annexe the loue of the fayth with Sapyence.

The .xv. Glose.

PAnthassillee was a mayde Quene, of Amasōne & moche fayre she was and of meruaylous prowesse in armes and hardynes, and for the great good­nes which fame and renome by all the world wytnessed of Hector the prowe, or worthy, she loued hym of ryght perfyte loue. And came from her parties vnto Troy, in the tyme of the great syege for to se Hector, but whan she founde hym deed, she was therof dolent aboue m [...]a­sure, and with a great hoste of dammoselles ryght cheualrous she venged moche vygorously his death, where she did meruaylous prowesses, & many griefes vnto the Grekes. And for so moch that she was vertuous / Prudence sayth vnto the good knyght that he ought to loue her. That is to vnderstande that e­uery good knyght ought to loue & prayse all women stronge in the vertue of wysdome, & of constaunce, and the same woman is moch greued for the deth of Hector, that is to vnderstand whan prowesse [Page] and valour is amortiesed or quenched in a knyght. And thus sayth the sage. Bounte ought to be loued, where it may be perceyued.

The .xvi. Glose.

NArcisus was a yonge man which for his great beaulte was inhaunsed in so great orguyll or pryde that he had in dispyte all other, and bycause he praysed no man but hym selfe, it is sayde that he was so amorous and assoted vpon him self that he therof dyed, after that he had regarded and behelde hym selfe in the fountayne, there is to be vnderstande oultre cuydance or pryde of hym selfe. Therfore Prudence defended the good knyght to aduyse and behol­de hym selfe in his good dedes, wherby he may be prowde therof. And to this purpose sayth Socrates. Sonne kepe wel that thou be not disceyued in the beaulte of thy youth for it is a thyng not durable.

The .xvii. Glose.

AThamas was a Kynge and ma­ried to the quene Iuno, which did to be sowen sothen sede, for to dysheryt her children in the lawe, which she with money corrupted y^e priestes of the lawe whiche showed & reported the answers of theyr goddes, so sayd she to the kyng and to them of the countre that the se­de which they had sowen in the groun­de, brought forth no profyte. For somoche as it pleased the Goddes that the two chyldren of the kynge whiche we­re fayre and gente / shulde be chased and exyled, and bycause the kyng con­sentyng to the exyle of his two chyldrē dyd it all with grudgyng and great dolour. The fable sayth that the goddes Iuno wolde therof take vengeaunce, & went into hell to say to the Goddes of fury or woodenes that she shuld come agaynst the kyng Athamas. And than the horryble and espouentable Goddes came with her heares Serpentine and set her vpon the floure of the pallayse, [Page] and stratched her armes to the two sy­des of the gate, & than such contencion and strife began betwixt the kyng & the quene that lytle it fayled y^t eyther slewe not other. And whā they supposed to haue voyded from the palys than that furyous Goddes pulled of .ii. horryble serpentes of her heares and cast them v­pon theyr skyrtes. And whan they be­helde goddes so espouentable and dredefull, they both twayne became furious and enraged. Athamas slewe the quene by woodenes, and sythen his two chyl­dren, & hym selfe he cast from the hight of an hygh Rocke into the see. The ex­posycion of this fable may be y^t a quene was so dyuers to her step children, that she caused them to be dysherited, wherfore neuer after was peace betwyxte theyr father and theyr step mother, and it may be that at the last he slewe her. And bycause that Ire is a mortall vyce and so euyll that he which is therwith strongly atteynted hath no cognissaūce [Page] ne knowlege of reason. [...]inea Goddens of Prudence sayth to the good knyght that he oughte to kepe hym well from Ire. For it is a ryght great defaulte in a good knyght to be Irous or wrathful and therfore sayth Arystotle. Kepe the from Ire, for it troubleth the vnderstandynge and dysapoynteth reason.

The .xviii. Glose.

AGlaros as sayth a fable was sy­stre to Herce which was so fayre [Page] that for her beaultie she was espoused to Mercurius God of language, & they were doughters to Cicrops kynge of Athenes, but Aglaros had so moch en­uy vpon her systre Herce that for her beaulte she shuld be so auaunsed as to be maried to a god, that she brenned all of enuy, and became dry and discouloured and as pale as asshen, for the enuy that she bare to her systre. Vpon a day Aglatos set vpon the thresholde of the dore and to Mercurie which wold haue en­tred into the house to se the entree. For no prayer that he myght make to her, she wold not suffre hym to enter. Than the god toke displeasure, and sayd that for euer myght she abyde as harde as she had the courage. And than became Aglatos hard as a stone, so may be verified the fable by sēblable case to come or befall to any persons. Mercurious may be a puyssaunt man well spekyng which caused his systre in lawe to be imprisoned or dry for any displeasure whiche [Page] she to hym hath done, and therfore sayth the fable, that she was chaunged into a stone, and bycause that it was a ryght vyllaynous tuche & against gen­tylnes to be enuious. She sayth to the good knyght that he kepe hym therfro ouer all thynges. And Socrates sayth he that beareth the burthen of enuye, hath payne perpetuall.

The .xix. Glose.

ONe fable sayth that whan Vlixes returned in to Grece, after the dy­struction [Page] of Troy, great tempest of w [...] ­de transported his Shyp vnto an Ile where was a Geant which had but one eye amyddes his forheed, of horryble greatnes, which Vlixes by his subtelt [...] byreft hym, that is to vnderstand he bored it forth and quenched the fyght therof, so it is to be constrewed y^t the good knyght kepe hȳ that by parest or slouth he suffre not hym self to be surprysed w^t the barates & yll inuasion of the mali­cious, so that therby his eye be not ra­uyshed from hym, that is to knowe th [...] eye of his entendement, his honoure o [...] his laudes, or that thȳg which he hath most dere, as often befall many incon­ueniences by slouth and lachesnes. And to this purpose sayth Hermes. Ryght happy is he whiche vseth his dayes inconuenable busynes.

The .xx. Glose.

THe fable sayth that the Goddess [...] Lathona was mother to Phebus and Phebe, whiche is the Sonne and the Moone, and she bare them both at one burthen. Iuno chased them by all the countre, bycause that she had conceiued them by the operacion of her lorde and husband Iupiter. Vpon a day was the Goddes Lathona sore trauayled, & arryued at one lake, and than she enclyned her to the water to stanche & quen­che her great thurst. Ther were a great company of villaynes which for y^e great heate of the Sonne bathed them in the [Page] water and they began to bray campo­sue and make bruyte vpon Lathona, and troubled vnto her the water which she supposed and also entended to haue dronken, but for any prayer y^t she might make they wolde not suffre her, nor haue pyte vpon her mysease, so she accoursed them and sayde that for euer more forthwarde myght they demoure & abyde in the maresse, & that they shulde be lothsome, fowle, and abhominable, and that neuer shuld they cease to bray and ramposue from thensforth on, than became the vyllaynes, Frogges. And sy­then they neuer ceased to bray as it appereth in the season of sōmer vpon the bankes of such smal lakes or maresses. So may it be vnderstand that some pessauntes or cōmen rude people dyd dys­pleasure to some great maystres which caused them to be cast into a ryuer and drowned, so became they renouyles or frogges. This is to vnderstande, that the good knyght ought in no wyse to [Page] soyle or defowle hym selfe in the lake or maresse of vyllany, but ought to fle and eschewe all vyllaynous tuches whiche ben contrarious to gentylnes, for lyke as villany may suffre in him no gentylnes, also ought not gentylnes to suffre in hym any vyllany, nor especially con­tende or take debate with any person vylayne of dede or of speche. And Plato sayth. He that myxeth with his gentylnes the noblenes of good maners, is to be praised. And he that is suffised w^t the gentylnes which cōmeth of the pa­rentes without acquyryng and purchasyng, therto good condicions ought not to be holden for noble.

The .xxi. Glose.

BAcus was a man which fyrst planted vines in Grece And whan they of the countre felt the force of the wyne whiche made them dronken and desty­tute of reason, they sayd y^t Bacus was a god, whiche had gyuen so great force vnto the plante. So by Bacus is to be vnderstand dronkenes, & therfore sayth Othea to the good knyght y^• in no wyse he ought to abandon him self to dronkenes, for that is a ryght impacient vyce to all noblenesse and to a man whiche woll vse hym selfe to reason. And to this purpose sayeth Ipocras. Super­fluytie of wynes and meates, destroyeth the body, the soule, and the verues.

The .xxii. Glose.

PIgmalion was a moch subtell worker in makynge of Images. And a fable sayth y^t for the great vylyte that he sawe in the women of Cidoyne, he dispraised them moch, and sayd that he shuld make an Image y^t no man shuld repreue the makyng therof, he graued and made an Image of a woman of souereigne beaulte, whan he had made it, perfyte loue whiche hath the knowlege subtelly to rauysshe the hartes, made him amorous of his Image, and for it he was agrudged with the maladie of loue, complayntes, and clamours, with petious sighes he made vnto it, but the Image of stone vnderstode not his en­tention. Than went Pigmalion to the temple of Venus & made vnto her so deuoute a clamour, that the goddes ther [Page] of had pytie, & in demonstraunce therof she lyghted and set a fyre the bronde which she helde in her hande. Than for the sygne the louer was moch ioyous & hasted hym towarde his Image, and toke it betwixt his armes, and somoch eschansed it w^t his bare flesshe that the Image had lyfe, and began to speake, and so Pigmalion recouered ioye. To this fable may be put many exposycy­ons, and semblable to all other fables. And therfore the poetes made them to the ende that the entendementes of mē shuld be made more sharpe & subtyll to fynde dyuers purposes. So may be vnderstand that Pigmalion desprysed the viletie of folyshe women and fyxed his loue vpon one mayde of ryght great be aulte, the which wold not or myght not entende his complayntes, petuous no more than yf she had ben of stone. He had made the Image, that is, that by remembraunce and thought vpon her beaulte she was of him loued, but in the [Page] ende he prayed her somoch & helde hym so nere her, that she loued hym at his volent & had hym in maryage. And so hath the Image beyng hard as a stone receyued lyfe by the Goddesse Venus. Therore saith Othea y^t the good knight ought not to be assoted of any such made Image in such maner that he leue to ensue the mestier and exercyse of ar­mes to the whiche he is bounden & obliged by the ordre of knyghthod. And to this purpose sayth Aptalym. An Im­pertinent thynge it is vnto a Prynce to assote hym vpon a thynge, that is to be reprehended.

The .xxiii. Glose.

DIane is the Moone, and as there is nothing so euil, but that it hath some properte, the Moone gyueth chast condycyon, and they named her by one lady so called, which was ryght chaste and alwaies a virgyn. So wold Othea say: that honestie of the body well appeteyneth vnto a good knyght. To this purpose sayth Hermes. He may not be of perfyte sence or wysdome that hath not in hym chastyte.

The .xxiiii. Glose.

CEres was a Lady whiche founde the arte to ayre the landes for afore they sewe theyr gaygnage of theyr sede without labouryng. And by the lande bare more abundauntly after that it was ayred and plowed, they sayd that she shuld be the goddes of Corne, & the grounde they named of her name. So woll Othea say, that as the grounde is abandoned & large gyuer of all goodes so ought to be also the good knyght to all persons abandoned and to gyue his ayde and comfort after his power, and Arystotle sayth. Be thou a lyberall gy­uer, and thou shalt purchase frendes.

The .xxv. Glose.

YSis they say also to be goddes of plantes & of graffyng whiche gy­ueth vnto them vygour and growynge to multiply. Therfore saith prudence is the good knyght & gyueth compariso [...] that so ought he to fructyfy in all ve [...] ­tues, and all euyll byces to eschewe, an [...] Hermes saith to this purpose. O mā yf thou knewe the incouenience of vyce. how well shuld thou kepe the therfr [...] and yf thou knewe the laude of valiance, O howe well shuldest thou loue it.

The .xxvi. Glose.

MYdas was a Kynge, whiche had small vnderstanding, and a fable sayth that Phebus and Pan, God of shepherdes & herdes, stryued togyther. And Phebus sayd that the sowne of a Harpe was more to be praised than the sowne of a Frestell or Pype, and Pe [...] sustended the contrary. And sayde that more was to be praysed the sowne of the Frestell. Vpon Mydas they put the Iudgement of this dyscorde, and after that they had played a fore Mydas by longe leysure, he Iudged y^• better was the sowne of the Frestel, and more to be praised. So saith the fable that phebus which was greatly corrouced and an­gry in dyspyte of his rude Iudgement, caused hym to haue the eares of an asse [Page] in demonstraunce that he had the ente [...] dement of an Asse, whiche so rudely had gyuen Iudgement. So may it be that a man Iudge folishely agaynst a prince whiche causeth hym euer after to beare vpon hym a sygne of foly whiche is the vnderstandyng of the eares of the Asse. So this fable is to be vnderstand that the good knyght gyue not hym selfe to holde to folysshe Iudgment, not grounded vpon reason, nor he hym selfe ought not to be Iudge of folyshe sentence, to this purpose saith one Philospher, the fole is as a moll warpe, whiche hereto and vnderstandeth not. And Diogine [...] compareth the fole to a stone.

The .xxvii. Glose.

A Fable sayth that Pirotheus and Thesius, went in to hell to reco­uer Proserpine vpon Pluto, which had her rauyshed, and euyl had they ben appoynted yf it had not ben for Hercules, whiche was theyr companyon, whiche came them to succour, and dyd there so moche of armes, that he made all the company Infernall affrayde, & cut the cheynes of Cerberus porter of hell. So woll Othea say, that the good knyght ought not to fayle his loyall felowe for doubte of peryll what so euer it be, for loyall companye ought for to be as a mans proper thyng or cause. And Pytagoras sayeth. Thou ought to kept the loue of thy frende dylygently.

The .xxviii. Glose.

CAdmus was a moche noble man and founded Thebes whiche cytie was greatly renomed, he set there a study & he hym selfe was moche profoundly lettered and of great science. And therfore sayth the fable that he daunted the serpent at the fountayne that is to vnderstande the science and sages that alwayes springeth, the Serpent is noted for the payne and trauayle which it be houeth the student to daunte afore that he maye purchase scyence. And the fa­ble sayth, that he hym self became a serpent, which is to vnderstande, he was a [Page] corrector and mayster of other. So wol Othea say that the good knight ought to loue and honour the clerkes lettered, which ben grounded in science. To this purpose sayeth Arystotle to Alexandre. Honour thou scyence and fortyfie it by good maysters.

The .xxix. Glose.

YO was a damosell doughter vnto kyng Ynacus, which was of great [Page] scyence, & founde many maners of let­ters which afore had not ben sene, howbeit that some fables say that Yo was the loue of Iupiter, and that was transmued to a cowe and after was a cōmon woman. But as Poetes haue cloked the trueth vnder couerture of fables it may be vnderstand that Iupiter loued her, wherby is to be vnderstand the vertues of Iupiter whiche was in her, she became a cowe, for as the cowe gyueth mylke whiche is swete and norysshyng so gaue she (by the letters y^t she founde) swete noryture and fode to the entendement. That she was a cōmon woman may be vnderstande that her sence and wysdome was cōmon to all: as letters ben cōmon to all people. Therfore saith Othea that the good knyght ought moche to loue Yo, whiche may be taken for letters and scriptures, and also hystoryes of good men, which the good knight ought Ioyously to here recompted and also red, wherof the example may be to [Page] hym profytable. To this purpose saith Hermes. He that enforceth hym to ac­quyre scyence and good maners, he fyn­deth that thyng which pleaseth him in this worlde and in the other.

The .xxx. Glose.

A Fable sayth, that whan Iupyter loued Yo the fayre, that Iuno had [Page] therof great suspection. And she dyscended fro heauen in a clowde, for to take and surprise her husband with the dede but whā Iupiter sawe her come, he chaū ged his loue ī to a Cowe, but not for y^• Iuno was dyscharged of Ialousy and demaunded of hym the Cowe in Ieste, and Iupiter maulgre his courage graū ted therto as he that durst not refuse, for doubt of suspection. Than Iuno be toke the cowe to be kepte, to Argus her cowe herde, whiche had an. C. eyen, and euer he watched her, but the god Mer­curie by the cōmaundement of Iupiter toke his pype wherwith he played right swetely, & so longe he pyped at the eare of argus, that all his hondred eyen he brought aslepe, one after another: thē he toke from hym the Cowe, & detrenched his heed fro the shulders. The exposicion of this fable may be that some puyssaunt man loued a damosell whom his wyfe wolde haue in watche so that her husband shuld not come to her, & great [Page] watchers and gardes she there set and clere seynge, which may be noted by the eyen of argus, but the louer by some person malycious and well spekyng dyd so to be done, that y^e gardes or watchers consented to yelde vnto hym his loue, so were they endormed by the pipe of Mer­cury, & had the heed detrenched. Therfore saith Othea to the good knight that by suche a pype he suffre not hym selfe endormed nor enchanted so that ther­by he be robbed & dysapoynted of that thyng which he ought wel to kepe. And to this purpose saith Hermes. Kepe you from them whiche do gouerne them selues by malyce.

The .xxxi. Glose.

PYrrhus was sonne vnto Achylles, and well he resembled his father of force and hardines, and after the death of his father, he came vpon Troye and moch asprely reuenged the death of his father, & greatly endomaged the Troy­ens. Therfore sayth Prudence to the good knyght, that yf he haue mysdone the father, that he kepe hym well from the sonne, in his olde age. For yf the fa­ther hath ben valiaūt, semblably ought to be y^e sonne. To this purpose saith the wyse. The death of the father draweth to hym the vengeaunce of the sonne.

The .xxxii. Glose.

CAssandra was doughter to kynge Priam, and she was a ryght good [Page] lady and deuoute in theyr lawe, the goddes she serued, and the temple she haunted, and lytell she spake without necessyte, and whan it behoued her to speke she sayde nothynge, but that it was verytable, and neuer mendacite or lesyng was founde procedynge from her mouth, moche sage was Cassandra: therfore saith Othea to the good knyght that her he ought to resemble? for mendacious speche, or to be a lesyng mongre, is moch to be reproued in the mouth of a knyght. So he ought to serue God and honour the temple, that is to wyt the churche & the mynysters therof. And Pytagoras sayth a ryght lowable thyng it is to serue god, & sanctify or holowe his saȳtes.

The .xxxiii. Glose.

NEptune after the lawe of Payny­mes was called the God of the see and therfore she wolde say to the good knyght that he ought to serue hym to the ende that he shuld be succourable to hym vpon the see. So it is to be vnder­stande that the knyghtes whiche oft go in many voyages vpon the see, or other dyuers perylles haue more necessyte to serue god, & his sayntes, than other people to thende that at theyr nede, they be to them succourable and aydyng, & they oughte to take a synguler deuocion to God by good deuoute Oraysons by the whiche they may reclayme hȳ to theyr ayde in theyr nede, and how it suffyseth not all onely the deuocion of the mouth sayth the sage. I repute not God to be all onely serued by wordes but by good workes and by leadyng good lyfe.

The .xxxiiii. Glose.

THe Poetes called the death Attropos. Therfore sayth Othea to the good knyght that he ought to remem­bre that he shal not alwayes lyue ī this worlde, but shall shortly departe from it, so ought he rather to vse the vertues of the soule, then hym to delyte in the vyces of the bodye. And therof oughte euerye Chrystyan man and woman to thynke to the ende that they haue in memory the promyssyon of the soule, whi­che shall endure without ende. And to this purpose speketh Pytagoras, that [Page] euen so as oure begynnynge commeth of GOD / it behoueth that in hym be oure endynge.

The .xxxv. Glose.

BEnorophon was a knyght of right [Page] great beaultie and full of loyaltie, his Lordes wyfe was strongly esprysed w^t his loue, but not for that he wolde not consent vnto her volent. She did so moche, that he was condempned to haue ben deuoured with fierce beestes and he loued better to chese the death, than to do desloyaultie. So sayth Othea to the good knyght that for doubte of death, he ought not to do desloyaultie. To this purpose sayth Hermes. Thou oughtest rather to haue the wyll to dye without a cause, than to do Inconuenyence or desloyaultie.

¶Nowe come we to declare the cō ­maundementes of the lawe and therof take we Allegorie to our purpose.

The .xxxvi. Glose.

MEnymon was cousen to Hector & of the lyne of Troyens, and when Hector was in fyerce Estours and battayles where many tymes he was hardly empressed with his enemyes. Meny­mon, whiche was a ryghte valyaunte knyght folowed hym nygh, so succoured he Hector, and departed the great prease, as wel it appered, for whan Achylles had slaine Hector by treason Menimon wounded greuously Achylles & had him slayne had not bryefely come vnto hym succour. Therfore sayth wysdom to the good knyght y^t he ought to loue hym & succour his nede, & that is to vnderstan̄d [Page] that euery prynce & good knyght whi­che hath any parentes be they lytell or poore, so that they be good and loyall, he hought to loue them, and ought to bere and supporte them ī their affayres and in speciall when he fyndeth him loyall & true to hym, and it fortuneth som­tymes y^t a great prynce is more loued & more loyall of his poore parent than of them that be ryght puyssaunte. And to this purpose saith the Philosopher Rabion, multiply thy frendes for they shal be to the succourable.

The .xxxvii. Glose.

LEomedon was kynge of Troy, and father to Priam. And when Iason, Hercules and theyr companyons, went into Colcos to get the golden flees and were descended at the porte of Troy for to refresshe them, without doynge any dōmage to the countre. Than Leome­don as euyll aduysed, sende to them by his messagers shamefully to go out of his lande, & strongly them menaced yf they auoyded not shortly. Wherof th [...] Barons of Grece by this cōmaūdemēt of auoydaunce helde them so moch In­iuried, that therof after ensued the fyrst destruction of Troy. Therfore woll O­thea say to the good knyght that in so [Page] moch as the word menace is fowle & vylayne: it ought well to be prepensed and delivered afore that it be said, for many euils therof oftimes ensue. To this purpose sayth the Poete Omere, he is sage whiche can refrayne his tonge.

The .xxxviii. Glose.

PYramus was a yonge Bacheler of the Cytie of Babylon, and when he [Page] had no more but .vij. yeres of age, loue him wounded with his darte, & he was esprised with the loue of Thesbe a fayre damosyl & gent of his parell of age, and for the great frequentaunce of these .ij. louers togyther was apperceyued their great loue, and by a seruaūt was accused to the mother of the damosell whiche toke her doughter and her enclosed fermly in her chambers and sayd that she shuld well kepe her from hauntyng Pyramus, great was the dolour of the two chyldren for this cause, and theyr plaintes & wepinges moch pituous longe endured this pryson, but the more y^• theyr age encreased y^• more was embrased in them the instygacion whiche for the absence was not destayned nor ar­rased. But as betwyxt the pallays of y^e two louers was but one wall. Thesbe vpon a day aduysed the wall broken by the which she myght perceyue the lyght on the other parte. Than fyxed she her gyrdle in the creuesse of the wall, to the [Page] ende that her loue myght apperceyue it, whiche he dyd shortly ynoughe, & there often they made theyr assemble, the .ij. louers with moche pytuous complayntes: in conclusyon (as by great loue constrayned) made was theyr accorde such that vpon a nyght in tyme of the fyrst stepe, they wolde secretly departe from theyr frendes, & shuld assemble vnder a whyte brere bery tre, without the cytie, at a fountayne where ī theyr childhod they had ben acustomed to dysporte thē whan Thesbe was come to the fountaine alone all paruorous & full of drede, than hard she a Lyon come moch rudely, wherof she al replenished with drede fled thens to hide her in a busshe, y^• next she founde, but in the way fell from her her whyte wymple whiche the Lyon defouled, soyled and made blody, whiche vomyted & cast forth vpon it the entrayles of beestes which he had deuoured, aboue mesure, great was the doloure of Piramus which beleued none other but [Page] that his loue was deuoured with fierce beestes, wherfore after many pytuous regretes, he slewe hym self w^t his sworde. Thesbe came out of the busshe, but when she vnderstode the syghes of her louer, which was at the poynt of death and sawe the sworde & the blode, than by great dolour she fell vpon her louer which myght nor speke to her, and af­ter many great plaine [...]s, regretes, swames, and trauntes she slewe her self w^t the same sworde. And the fable sayth that for this pytuous case y^• beryes of the brere tre, became blacke whiche ere were whyte. And bycause y^t for so smal encheason hapned so great mysaduen­ture. Othea sayth to the good knyght that to a small ensygnement he oughte not to gyue great fayth. To this pur­pose sayth one sage. Yelde not thy selfe certayne of thynges which ben in doubte afore that thou haue had conuena­ble informacion.

The xxxix. Glose.

ESculapion was a right sage clerke [Page] which founde the science of medycyne, and therof made bookes. And therfore sayth she to the good knyght, that he beleue his reportes for his health, that is to say, yf he haue nede, that he turne hȳ to the Physycions & medycynes, & not to the sorcery of Ceres, whiche was an enchauntresse. And it may be sayde for them that in theyr maladies vse sorcery charmes, and enchauntementes. And beleue to be gueryshed which is a thing defended & agaynst the cōmaundementes of holy churche, and which no good christian man ought to vse. Platon adnichilled and brenned the bookes of en­chauntementes and sorcery made vpon medycyne, which somtyme were vsed & approued & he helde him to thē that we­re of science reasonable & of experience.

The .xl. Glose.

AChylles dyd moche gryefe, to the Troyens, and to kyng Pryam he slewe many of his childrē. Hector, Troylus, & other, wherfore he ought to hate hym. Notwithstandyng this Achylles affyed hym in the quene Heccuba wyfe to Pryam, to whom he had slayne her chyldren by treason, & he went by nyght to speke to her, to treate of the mariage of Polexene her doughter & hym, and there was he slayne by Paris and his felowes, by the cōmaundement of the quene his mother in the temple of Apolyne. Therfore saith Othea to the good knyght that he ought not to affye him in his enemye to whom he hath great­ly mysdone without makyng to hym a­ny peace or a mendement. To this purpose sayth one sage. Kepe the from the deceytes of thyne enemye whiche may not reuenge hym selfe.

The .xli. Glose.

BVsyre was a kyng of meruaylous cruelte, & moch hym delyted in the occision of men. And w^t his propre handes he slewe them in the Temples with knyues, & the [...]of made sacrifyce to his gods, therfore saith Othea to the good knyght y^t in no wyse he ought to delyte him ī the occision of any humayne creature, for such cruelte is agayn [...]t God a­gaynst nature, & agaynst al bounte, and to this purpose sayth Socrates to the good counsayler, yf thy prynce be cruell thou oughtest hym to appese and amodre by good examples.

The .xlii. Glose.

LEhaunder was a yonge gentylman whiche greatly and of perfyte loue, loued Hero the fayre, and as there was an arme of the see betwyxt the maners of the two louers, Lehaunder swam o­uer it by nyght many tymes to se his lady, which had her castel nere the ryuage to thende that their loue shuld not be apperceyued. But it fortuned that a great orage of tempest arose which dured many dayes vpon the water & disapoynted al the ioy of the louers, so it hapned one nyghte that Lehaunder constrayned of great desyre put hym selfe in to the see, [Page] in the tyme of the tempest, and was borne there so longe by those peryllous wawes y^t it behoued him to perysshe moch pytuously. Hero whiche was vpon the other parte in great thought for her louer whan she sawe the body come flo­tyng to the ryuage, than estrayned of a meruailous dolour cast her self into the see, & in embrasyng the body that was perisshed there was she drowned. Therfore sayth Othea to y^e good knyght that somoch he ought not to loue his delyte, as therfore to put his lyfe in ouer great aduenture. So sayth one sage to this purpose I am moch meruayled of this that I se somoch of perylles suffred for the delyte of the body. And so lytell pur­uayaunce made for the Soule whiche is perpetuall.

The .xliii. Glose.

HElayne was wyfe to kyng Mene­laus and rauysshed by Paris in [Page] Grece, and when the Grekes were come vpon Troy w^t a great army for the ven­geaunce of the same dede, afore y^t they endomaged the land they required that Helayne shuld be to them yelded agayn and amendes made for the offence done or yf not, they wold destroy the countre, and bycause the Troyens wolde do no­thyng, thereafter ensued the great mis­chefe which after to thē befell, therfore woll Prudence say to the good knyght that yf by foly he haue done any incon­uenyence, better it is to hym to leue it & make peace, than it to pursue, wherby e­uyll may to hym come. Therfore sayth the Phylosopher Plato, yf y^u haue done iniury, to whom soeuer it be, thou oughtest not to be at ease vnto such tyme as thou be with hym at concorde and ha­ue made peace.

The .xliiii. Glose.

AVrora is the poynct or dawnyng of y^• daye, & the fables say that is a Goddes, and that she had a sonne of hers slayne in the battayle at Troye, y^t was named Cignus, and for she was a goddes, and had the puissaunce so to do she transmued her sonne in to a swan, and so of hym, came the fyrst swannes. this lady was of so great beaulte that she reioysed all them that behelde her, but al her lyfe she bewept her sonne Ci­gnus which was deed, & yet she doth be wepe hym to this day, for the due which falleth at the poynct of the day, they say it is Aurora that wepeth for her sonne [Page] Cignus, therfore sayth Othea that the good knyght by his good vertues reioyseth other, ought not to be heuy & tryste but ioyous, and modre hym selfe graciously. Therfore sayde Arystole to Alex­andre the great what soeuer heuines be closed in thy hart, thou oughtest alwayes to shewe a glad and a ioyous vysage afore thy people.

The .xlv. Glose.

PAsyphe was a quene, and some fa­bles sayth that she was a woman [Page] of great dissolucion and especially that she loued a bull, and she was mother to Mynothauris, which was halfe a bull and halfe a man, which is to vnderstande that she acqueinted her with a man of vyle condicion, of whom she concey­ued a man whiche was of great cruel­tie, and of meruaylous strength, and all was bycause he had the forme of a man, and the nature of a bull. And for that he was of so great strength, and asprety and so euyll that all the coun­tre trembled, the Poetes say, by fiction that he was halfe a man, and halfe a bull. And therfore yf this lady were of vyle condicion. Prudence woll saye to the good knyght, that he ought not to say, nor suffre to be sayde that all wo­men ben semblable as the veryte is manyfest to the contrary. Galien lerned the science of medicine of a ryght good woman and sage named Clempare, which taught hym to knowe many good her­bes and theyr propreties.

The .xlvi. Glose.

ADrastus was kyng of Arges, and [Page] moche puyssaunt & a wyse man. Two knyghtes arrant that one called Polomites, and that other Thideus faught togyther in an obscure night vnder the portall of his pallays, wherof that one challenged that loges of that other, bycause of the stronge wether and great rayne whiche had turmented them all the nyghte, and therof aduenture they were fyghtyng. At that houre the kyng arose from his rost, whiche had harde the noyse of the swordes vpon the shel­des, & came to departe the two knygh­tes. Polomites was sonne to the kyng of Thebes, & Thideus to another kyng of Grece, but from theyr landes they were exyled. Greatly honoured Adra­stus the two Barons, syth he gaue thē in mariage, two right fayre doughters which he had. After to put Polomites to the ryght of his land that Ethiocles his brother helde. The kyng Adrastus made a great army, & went vpon The­bes with his great hoste, whiche were [Page] all dyscomfyted, deed, and taken: And the .ij. sonnes in lawe to the kyng slaine And the brethern betwyxt whom was the dyscorde slewe eche other in the battayle, and to Adrastus besyde his owne person, were not left on lyue thre knyghtes. And therfore bicause to set and establysshe people exyled, in to theyr ryght: is a great affayre. Prudence sayth to the good knyght that in suche a case he ought to haue counsayl, and take example by the sayd aduenture, and as Adrastus met vpon a nyghte that he shulde gyue his two doughters by maryage to a Lyon, and a Dragon, whiche shuld fyght togyther, the exposicion of dre­mes sayth, that sweuyns commen of fantasie which may be demonstraunce of good or euyl aduenture which shal come to creatures.

The .xlvii. Glose.

CVpido is the God of loue, and for somoch, as it is not vnsyttyng vnto a yonge knight, to be amorous vpon a Lady that is good, his condycions may therby become better. But bycau­se Othea knoweth that the hauntynge therof is withdrawynge a man, and a thynge moche anoyenge to Armes, she sayth to the good knyght, that she is well consentyng that he acqueynt him with Cupido. And a Phylosoper sayth that to loue of good courage procedeth of Noblenes of the harte.

The .xlviii. Glose.

COrinis was a damosyll as sayth [Page] a fable whom Phebus loued paramoures, the Rauen whiche than was his seruaunte reported to hym, that he had sene Corinis his loue lyenge-with another yonge man, of this nouell was phebus somoch dolent that he slew his loue as soone as he sawe her, but therof meruaylously he after repented hym, & the Rauen which attended for his euerdon which he shuld haue of his lorde for his good dede, was by hym cursed and chased, & the fethers whiche he was wont to haue whyte as snowe, Phebus them chaūged into blacke in sygne of dolour and Phebus from thensforth on ordeyned hym to be a beyrer and announcer of euyll tydynges and nouelles, and the exposicion may be vnderstand, that the seruaūt of some puyssaunt mā brought to his lorde semblable tydynges, wherfore he was chased and dysapoynted of his seruice. Therfore woll Othea say, that the good knyght ought not to a­uaunce hym to say to his prynce suche [Page] tydinges wherof he may haue the hart corrouced or angry, for in the ende euyll maye come to hym therof, and also he ought not to beleue the reporte whiche is vnto hym made by flatery. To this purpose sayth he Phylosopher Hermes The reporter or contriuer of tydynges eyther he maketh a leasynge to hym to whom he sheweth them: eyther he is false to hym of whom he sayth them.

The .xlix. Glose.

IVno is the Goddes of ryches, and [Page] substaunce, after the fables of Poetes, and bycause that hauiour and ryches, is behoueful to be goten with great payne, busines, and trauaile, and that such busynes may dystourne a man to seke honour. And as honour and valyaunce is more lowable than ryches, in as moche as the Cornell of the Nutte is bet­ter than the shell. Othea sayth to the good knyght that he ought not to set vpon riches so strongly his felicite that he delay the pursuyte of valyaunce. To this purpose sayth Hermes. That better is to haue pouerte in doing good workes, than riches goten shamefully. For valyaunce is perpetuall, and ry­ches is fallyble.

The .l. Glose.

AMphoras, was a ryght sage cler­ke, of the Cytie of Arges, & moch he had of science. And when the Kynge Adrastus wold go vpon Thebes to de­stroy the Cytie. Amphoras which knew by his scyence that euyll shulde come to hym therof, sayde to the Kynge that he shuld not go thyther in any maner, and that yf they went thyther, they shuld al be slayne, and destroyed. But he gaue to his wordes no credence, and so it be fell as he had to hym sayd. Therfore she woll say to the good knyght. That the counsayl of the sage is lytell profytable to him that woll not vse him therafter.

The .li. Glose.

SAturne as I haue sayde afore is a [Page] planet / slowe / tardiue / and sage. Ther­fore sayth she to the good knyght, that his tonge ought to resemble hym. For the tonge ought to be tardyue, so that speke not to moch, and sage that he say not amysse ī any thyng, and that he say nothynge, wherby may be perceyued in hym any foly, for a wyse man saith. By his wordes is knowen the sage and the fole by syght and regarde.

The .lii. Glose.

THe Crowe as sayth a fable encoū tred the Rauen or the Roke whan he brought tydinges to Phebus of his loue Corinis which was euyl done, and somoch enquired of him that he sayd to her the occasyon of his erroure, but she disalowed it in giuyng him example by her self, which for a semblable case was derecte & chased from the house of Pallas where she was whylome wont wel to be auaunced, but he ne wold gyue to her counsayle and credetice, wherfore euyll to hym came therof. Therfore sayth Othea to the good knyght that he ought to beleue the Crowe. And Platon sayth. Be thou no Iangler, ne to a kynge a great reporter of nouelles.

The .liii. Glose.

GAnimedes was a yongeman of the [Page] lygnage of the Troyens. And a Fable sayeth that Phebus and he were vpon a day togyther to cast the barre of yron and as Ganimedes was not of power agaynst the force of Phebus, he was slayne by the reboundynge of the barre whiche Phebus cast so hyghe that he had lost the syght therof. And therfore sayeth Othea that with his stronger, or moste puyssaunte, it is not good a man for to stryue. For therof may not come but inconuenience. So sayth one Sage. A man for to playe with the men that be vn­gracyous, is sygne of pryde. And is fyni­nished most cō menly with wrath.

The .liiii. Glose.

IAson was a knyght of Grece whiche [Page] went into a straunge countre, that is to wyt, into the Ile of Colcos by the endictement or cōmaūdement of Peleus his vncle, which by enuy desyred his death. There was a shepe which had his flees of golde, & by enchauntement was kept but as the conquest was so stronge that no mā came thyther, but he lost his lyfe. Medea which was doughter to y^e kyng of that countre, was greatly surprysed with the loue of Iason that by the en­chauntementes that she vnderstode beynge in that facultie a soueraigne maystres, she gaue charmes and taught en­chauntementes to Iason, wherby he cō quered the golden flees, and therby had honour aboue al knightes lyuyng, and was restored from death by Medea, to whom he had promysed for euer to be a loyall louer, but after fayth to hym fayled, and he loued another, and her vtterly he refused and forsoke. Notwithstandyng that she was of right soueraigne beaulte. Therfore sayth my Lady pru­dence [Page] to the good knyght, that he refuse to resemble Iason which to moch was misknowyng & desloyall vnto her which had done to hym great goodnes. As it is a vyllayne thynge to a knyght to be ingrate, vnkynde, or mysknowyng, any bounte, or goodnes that he hath recey­ued, be it of Lady, Damosyll, or other. But he ought to remēbre it & yelde guerdon therfore to his power. To this purpose sayth Hermes. Attende not to re­warde hym whiche hath shewed to the bounte, (For why.) Thou ougtest to re­membre it for euer.

The .lv. Glose.

GORgon, as sayth the fable, was a damosell of soueraygne beaulte but bycause that Phebus had pastyme with her in the temple of Diane, the goddes toke therin so great displeasure that she transmued her into a serpent of ryght horryble fygure, and such a properte had that serpent, that the mā which behelde her, was sodeynly turned into a stone. For the euyl that of her did procede, Perseus the valiaunt knyght, went to fyght against the fyerce beeste. And in the resplendour or brightnes of his sheelde, whiche was all of golde, he behelde hȳself, to thentent that he shuld not regarde the euyll serpent, & he dyd so moch, that he stroke of her heed. Ma­ny exposycions may be made vpon this [Page] sayd fable. And Gorgon may be vnder­stande for one Cytte, or Towne, whiche hath ben wonte to be of great bountie. But by the vyces of the inhabitauntes it becometh a serpent & venimous, that is to vnderstande that many domages and euyls it doth to the marches nere adiacent, as of al them to robbe & pylle and the marchauntes, & other passyng by ben taken, and put in strayte pryson, and so be they turned to stones. Perseus behelde hymself in his cheualry & went to fyght agaynst the sayd Cytie and to­ke it, and bereft it of the power for any more doyng euyll, and also may it be a Lady that is ryght fayre, and of euyll maners and affayres which by her co­uetyse leueth naked and vnclothed many of theyr hauiour, ryches, & substaunce. And many other entendementes and exposicions may be set vpon it. Therfore wol she say to the good knyght that he be well ware to beholde that thynge that is euyl, & to euyll may him drawe. [Page] And Aristotle sayth, fle from people full of Iniquitie, and folowe the Sages. Study in theyr bokes, and beholde the in theyr Feates.

The .lvi. Glose.

A Fable sayth that Mars and Ve­nus loued eche other peramours. It befell vpon a nyghte that these two louers, (arme in arme,) were fallen on slepe. Phebus which sawe clerely them surprysed and apperceyued he them ac­cused to vulcan husband to Venus, thā he seyng them in that poynte, forged a chayne, as he that was Smyth to the Goddes, and in heuen forgeth the seate foulders, thondres, and tempestes, and with his chaynes made of coper, he boū de them both twayne togyther so that they might not moue them selfe and so he them surprised and showed to the o­ther goddes. And suche laughed therat that wold well haue ben fallen in a semblable mysdede. This fable may beno­fed to many entendementes, & especially some poyntes touching the science of Astronomie, and also Arsmetyke. Therfore sayth wysdome to the good knight that he kepe hym in what case soeuer he be, to be surprysed by time forgoten, & a [Page] sage saith, w^t payne is a thyng so secret but that it is perceyued by some man.

The .lvii. Glose.

THamaris was a Quene, a moche valyaunt Lady full of great pro­wesse and of great hardines and ryght sage in Armes, and gouernaūce. Cirus the great kyng of Perse, which had conquered many regions w^t his great hoste esmeued and concluded in his minde to go vpon the sayd Thamaris Quene of Femenie of whom he praysed the pro­wesse as a thyng of lytell value. But she that was experte & subtyll in the mestier of armes suffred hym to enter in to her realme without mouyng her self agaynst hym, vnto such tyme as he had brought hym self into strayte passages amonge mountaynes, where as was a ryght stronge countre. Than dyd asshementes which Thamaris did to be made, [Page] was Cirus assayled with an hoste of women on all sydes, & it was brought so well to passe, that he was taken, and all his people deade & taken. The quene dyd hym to be brought afore her, and his heed to be strycken of, & to be cast in to a vessell full of the blode of his Ba­rons which she had caused to be headed afore hym. And so she sayd. Cirus thou which haste neuer ben satisfied nor had the full desyre of mans blode, now mayste thou therof take thy full draughte. And so ended Cirus the puissaunt kyng of Perse which might neuer ere than be vanquysshed in any battayle. Therfore sayth my lady Othea to y^e good knyght that he neuer be so prowde nor surcuy­drous, but that he haue doubte y^e euyll may to hym fall by some fortune, & be meine of him self. To this purpose saith Plato. Disprayse no person for his lytel facultie, for his vertues may be great.

The .lviii. Glose.

MEdea was one of the most know­ers of Sorseryes, and Scyences, that euer was, after the Hystories. This notwithstandynge she gaue her mynde the Brydle, to ensue his fre wyl, for the accomplysshement of her delyte, whan she suffred folysshe loue to haue ouer her the masterye. So that vpon Iason, she set all her harte / and vnto hym she gaue her honoure / her bodye / and her cheuesaunce. Wherfore he yel­ded vnto her an euyll Guerdon.

Therfore sayeth Dame Prudence / that the good Knyghte oughte not to suffre reason for to be vanquysshed in hym / by a folysshe delyte in any case / yf he woll vse the vertue of strength. And Plato sayeth / a man of lyght courage / hurteth hym selfe soone, in that thynge that he loueth.

The .lix. Glose.

GAlathee was a Nymphe or a goddes whiche loue a yonge man named [Page] Achis. A Gyant of horryble, and fowle stature, was amourous also on Galathee, and somoch he aspyed them that he apperceyued them both twayne at a creuesse of a Rocke, thā was he surprysed with the sodayne rage of Ialousie, and in such wyse he shoke the Rocke that Achis was therwith oppressed and deed, but Galathee which was a Nym­phe, put her selfe into the see, and so she escaped. So is it to be vnderstand that the good knyght beware hymself to be surprised in such a case by such as haue the power so to do.

The .lx. Glose.

DIscorde is a Goddes of euyll af­fayre, & a fable sayth that whan Peleus espoused the goddes Thetis of whom after was brought forth Achylles. Iupiter and al the Godes, and goddesses were at the weddynge. But the goddes Dyscorde was not byden or inuented to the feeste. And therfore as enuyous she came w^tout sendyng for, but she came not for nought, for wel coulde she the seruice of her maister or properte Than were set to diner at one table the thre goddesses. Pallas / Iuno / and Ve­nus. Than came dame Discorde which cast vpon the table an Apple of Golde v­pon which were wrytten these wordes (be it gyuen to the fayrest,) than was y^• feeste sore troubled, for echone susteyned [Page] that she ought to haue it, afore Iupiter they went for Iudgement vpon this discorde, he wold not please one, & dysplease another. Therfore he put the debate vpon Paris of Troye, y^t was than an herd, for his mother had dremed (whan she bare hym within her wombe,) that he shulde be cause of the destruction of Troy. Therfore was he sende in to the Forest to the herdes of whom he sup­posed no other but to haue ben the sōne. And there Mercurius whiche was conduictour of the ladies sayd to hȳ whose sonne he was. Than he lefte to kepe the flockes and went to Troye to his great Parentes, as wytnesseth the fable where the trewe Hystorie is cloked vnder couerture. And bycause that oftentymes many great myschyefes doth ensewen by dyscorde and debate. And therfo­re it is a ryghte fowle custome, for to be dyscordaunte.

Othea sayeth to the good Knyghte, that he ought to flye discorde. And therfore [Page] sayth the phylosopher Pitagoras. Go thou not in that waye, where gro­weth haynes, or hatered.

The .lxi. Glose.

LEomedon as I haue sayde afore, was kyng of Troy, and great vyl­leny had he done to y^• Barons of Grece, in chasyng them from his lande, which they put not in obliuion, but Leomedon had let it slyde wholy from his remem­braunce. At suche tyme as the Grekes ranne vpon hym and hym surprised, he vnpuruayed and dysapoynted, so they dystroyed & slewe hym. Therfore sayth the good lady prudence to y^e good knight her dysciple, that yf he haue offended to any man, that he haue euer good wat­che therof. For he maye be certayne that he woll not fogette it, but woll reuenge hym selfe therof, whan he maye haue tyme and place. And to this pur­pose sayth Hermes. Take hede of thy-Enemyes that they take the not when thou arte vnpuruayed.

The .lxii. Glose.

A Fable sayth that Semelle was a damosel whom Iupiter loued paramours. Iuno whiche was therof in Ialousie toke the semblaūce of an olde woman and came to Semelle, and by fayre and pleasaunt wordes she began to reason with her, and she dyd so moch that Semelle knowleged and confessed all the conceyte betwyxt her and her lo­uer, and that she was ryght well loued of him, and therof moch auaunted her selfe. Than the goddes sayd to her (whiche toke hede that she shulde not take her with the dysceyuaunce) that in no­thyng she had as yet perceyued the Iu­stynes ne Iolytie of her louer. But (she sayd) that whē she shuld require of hym [Page] one gyft or demaunde, & when he shuld haue firmely it promysed and therto accorded, that she shuld demaūde of hym that he wold accoll and embrace her in such maner as he dyd his wyfe Iuno, whan it pleased hym to solace hym self with her, & by this maner (sayd Iuno) she myght apperceyue the loue of her paramour. Semelle forgot it not, & whan she had made her request to Iupiter and that he had it promysed, and that as a God, he might not cal it, againe he was ryght dolent, & well he knewe that she had ben perceyued. Than toke Iupiter the semblaunce of fyre and accolled and embraced his loue Semelle whiche w^t in a moment was totally brenned to asshen, of which aduenture Iupiter was ryght pensyfe and thoughtfull. Vpon this fable may be set many entendemē tes, and especially vpon the Scyence of Astronomy (as saith the maysters) but it may be that by some way, a damosel was deceyued by the wyfe of her louer, [Page] wherby he hym selfe dyd her to dye thorough ygnoraunce. And therfore sayth Othea to the good knyght y^t he take hede whan he speketh of a thyng which he wold haue to be kept secret, afore whom he discloseth it, & to whom he speketh / for by the circumstantes may be vnderstande the matter. Therfore sayth Hermes. Make thou not reuelacion of thy secrete thoughtes, but onely vnto them whom thou haste well proued.

The .lxiii. Glose

DIane is called Goddesse of wod­des & of chasery. So woll Othea say to the good knyght pursuynge the high name of armes ought not ouer moche to muse or take his pastaunce is the deduyctes of chase or huntyng, for it is a thyng that appertayneth to occiosy­te or Idlenes. And Arystotle sayth, that Idlenesse bryngeth to perfytenesse, all Inconue [...]yence.

The .lxiiii. Glose.

YRaygnes as sayth a fable was a [Page] damosell moche subtyll in the arte of weyuyng and spynnyng and tapystery worke, but she was ouer moche surcuy­drous and prowde of her scyence, and of her dede she auaūted herself against Pallas, wherfore she ranne in to the indyngnacion of the Goddes, whiche for her auauntyng transmued her in to an Attercoppe, and then sayd that for her auauntyng somoch she shulde for euer Spyn / weyue / and twyst / worke of no value. And so came fyrste the Actercoppes, whiche spynne and weyue vnto this daye. So maye it be that some Handemanne auaunted hym selfe a­gaynst her maystres, wherby euyll vn­to her came by some maner.

And therfore sayeth she to the good knyght, that he ought not to auaunte ne booste hym selfe. And an vnsyttynge and fowle custome it is a knyghte to be a vaunter, and moche it may abate the losse of his bountie and semblably speaketh Plato. Whan thou doest, a thynge [Page] better at one tyme than another eschewe to auaunte the therof. For ther­by thy balour shalbe moche lesse.

The .lxv. Glose.

ADonius was a yonge man of moche amourous countenaunce and of great beaultie, whom Venus loued peramours, but for somoche as he de­lyted hym moche in chaserye and hun­tyng. Venus which doubted that euyll might to him come therof by some mysaduenture, many tymes prayed hym to kepe hym well from chasynge of great beestes, but to her aduertysement Ado­nius toke lytell regarde, so in conclusyon he was slayne with a wylde Swyne. Therfore sayth Wysdome to the good knight, that yf he woll al gam [...]s chase and hunte, that he kepe hym from su­che venorye, wherby euyll may to hym come. To this purpose sayth Sed [...]chi­as [Page] the Prophet. That a kyng shuld not suffre his sonne to exercyse ouer moche chasery ne ociosyte. But he shulde cause hym to be instruct in good maners, and to flye vanyties.

The .lxvi. Glose.

WHan Hercules with a great foyson [Page] of Grekes came vpon the fyrste Troye, and the kynge Leomedon had harde of theyr cōmyng. Than he and all his people whiche he myghte haue within the Cytie Issued forth, and went agaynst them at theyr landynge, and there as­sembled and ioyned a ryght fyerce bat­tayle, and the Cytie was reuersed and voyde of people. Than Thelamon and suche other, as laye in an Enbusshe­mente nere the walles of the Cytie, put them selfe within. And so was the fyr­ste Troye taken. Therfore sayth she to the good knyght. That he take hede that by suche a turne or conueyaunce he be not deceyued of his enemyes, and Hermes sayeth / kepe the fro the snare of thyne Enemyes.

The .lxvii. Glose.

ORpheus was a Poete, and a fable [Page] sayth that he coulde so well playe vpon the harpe, that for to harken the sowne the renning waters returned their course, the fowles of the ayre, the beestes sa­uage, & the fyerce serpentes therby for­got theyr crueltie, and stode styll w^toute mouyng to giue aduertēce to the sowne of his harpe. So it is to be vnderstand that so well he it sowned, that all peo­ple of eche condicion delyted them greatly to here the Poete playenge. And for so moche as suche Instrumentes asso­ten oftentymes the hartes of men, Prudence sayeth to the good knyght, that ouer moche he ought not to delite him therin. In so moche as it is not syt­tynge to them that pursewe cheualrie, ouer moche to muse in Instrumentes, nor other in ociosyte. To this purpose sayth an Aucthorytie: The sowne of an Instrument is the snare of a Ser­pent: And Plato sayth. He that hath set wholy his pleasaunce in carnal delytes, is more bonde than an esclaue.

The .lxviii. Glose.

FOr somoch as Paris had dremed that he shulde go into Grece, for the accomplysshement therof, was pre­payred [Page] a great army & sende fro Troy [...] into Grece where Paris rauysshed He­layne. Wherfore for the amēdement, of the same misdede came after vpō Troy all the power of Grece, which was than so great a countre, that it extended vn­to the countre which we call Poile and Calabre, or Italy. And than was it called litle Grece, & of that countre was A­chilles & his myrrondōnes. This great quantite of people confounded & destroyed Troy & al the countre adiacent. Therfore sayth Othea to the good knyght, y^t vpō an auision he ought not to enterprise any great feate or affayre, for therby great euyll and myscheyfe may come to great furtheraunce, and that a great enterprise shuld not be done w^t out great deliberacion of counsayl sayth Plato: do not that thyng whiche thy sens or wyt hath not afore proued.

The .lxii. Glose.

ANtheon was a yonge man mo [...] curtoise and of gentyl condicion [...] and greatly he loued houndes and ha [...] kes, and a fable sayth that vpon a [...] [Page] he chased al alone in a thicke forest wherre he had lost al his people, than Diane the goddes of woddes had chased in the forest to the houre of mydday, she was so sore chaufed and hore, for the ardour and hete of the Sonne, that a great talent toke her to bath her in a fountayne fayre and clere which she there auysed, and as she was all naked, enuyr [...]nned with Nymphes and Goddesses whiche serued her. Antheon which toke no hede therof, came sodeinly & vnauised where she was, and behelde the goddes al mother naked, whose face (bycause of her great chastite of shamefastnes) became all red, & great was she dolente, & than sayde she thus, for somoch as I knowe that yonge men vaunt them and make theyr cōmunicacion of Ladyes and da­moselles, to the ende that thou shalte not vaunt the to haue sene me naked, I shall take fro the, the puyssaunce of spe­kynge, and theirwth she accursed hym. Than Antheon became a wylde Harts, [Page] and nothing remayned to hym of mannes shape, but onely his vnderstādyng: wherfore he full of dolour and of sodayne drede went flyeng by the wodde and so moche was he chased of his proper houndes & his owne people which went by the forest serchyng for hym, but now haue they founde him, but they can take of hym no knowledge, so was Antheon attaynt which afore his people wept, & there distylled frō his eyen many great teares, and voluntarely he wolde haue cryed them mercy yf he might haue spoken, and euer sythen haue the Hartes wept at their deth. There was Antheon slayne and martred with great dolour, by his owne meany which in shorte space had him wholy deuoured. Vpon this fable may be made many dyuers expocisions, but to our purpose, it myght be a yonge man which abandoned hym to tally to ociosite and Idlenes & dyspen­ded al his hauiour and his cheuisaunce for the delyte of the body, & in deductes [Page] of chase, and therto he kept Idle people and meany, by this may it be sayd that he was hated of Diane, whiche sygny­fyeth chastyte, & deuoured by his owne people. Therfore woll Prudence say to the good knyght, that he beware to be surprysed in lyke case. And thus sayth one Sage. Ociosyte engendreth ygno­raunce and erroure.

The .lxx. Glose.

ORpheus the Poete, which so well harped. A fable sayth that he maried the fayre Erudice. But the daye of theyr maryage, she went walkyng in a medowe bare fote for the heate of the wether. Than an herde coueyted that fayre, and her to haue enforced, he put hym selfe to renne, and she which fled afore hym for fere, was stonge vpon the hele w^t a serpent which was hyd vnder the grasse, wherof the mayde was deed w^tin a lytell terme. Greatly dolent was Orpheus of this euyll aduenture, than toke he his harpe and went hym to the gates of yron, in the vale tenebrous [Page] afore the infernall palays, and there began to herpe a ryght pytuous lay, and to synge so swetely that all the turmentes of hell were appesed therby, and all the offyces infernall were ceased for to gyue aduertence to the sowne of his harpe, and especially Proserpine goddes of hell, was moued w^t great pytie. Than Pluto, Lucyfer, Cerberus, and Acaron, whiche sawe that for the herper all the offices of infernall paynes were ceased and styll, yelded vnto hym his wyfe, by such condicion so that he shuld go afore and she after, w^tout turnyng hym bak­warde or els he shulde lese her without euer to recouer her. But as soone as they were Issued forth of that obscure lake, he which greatly loued her myght not refrayne to returne his face to re­garde his loue, and forthwith Erudyce departed and fled agayne from hym into hell, and neuer myght he haue her agayne. This fable may be vnderstande in dyuers maners, and it maye be that [Page] one had his loue taken from hym & af­ter rendred to hym agayne, and sythen he lost her again [...]e or it may be a Castel, or another thyng. But to our purpose it may be sayd, that wel he seketh Erudice in hell which seketh a thyng impossyble to be had, ne to recouer suche a thyng a man ought not to take melancoly. The same sayth Solin. Great folye it is to seke that thynge, whiche is impossy­ble for to be had.

The .lxxi. Glose.

AChylles, (so sayth a Fable,) was sonne to the Goddes Thetis, and bycause she knewe as a goddes that yf her sonne haunted armes he shulde be slayne in batayle, she that loued hym of great and perfyte loue, clothed hym in the vesture of a mayde, and dyd hym to be bayled as a Nonne in the Abbay of the Goddes vesta, longe was Achylles there kepte secrete, that he was nere at his full growynge. And the fable sayth that he there engendred Pyrrus which afterwarde was moche cheualrous by the doughter of kyng ystrus. Than began the great warres of Troy, and the [Page] Grekes knewe by theyr sorcery and answers of theyr Godes, that it was ne­cessary for them to haue Achylles, all aboute was he sought, but tydynges of hym myght not be hard. Vlyxes which was replenysshed of great subtelte and malyce, sought in euery place, so came he to the Temple, but whan he myght not haue any perceiuaunce of the verite he aduised hym of a great cautele: than Vlyxes toke small Rynges, wymples, riche girdles, fayre bokes, & precious Iewelles, for Ladyes, & therwith he toke Armours fayre & quaynt for knyghtes, so cast he all in mydward of the place in presence of the Ladyes, & sayd, y^e echone shuld take that thing that was most to her pleasaunce, and than (as eche thin­ge draweth to his nature) the Ladyes ranne to the fayre & pleasaunt Iewelles and Achylles toke the armours, & than ranne Vlixes him to embrace, and sayd that he was the same whom he sought and for so moche that knyghtes ought [Page] to be more enclyded to armes than to other quayntyses, prety Iapes and Iewelles which appertayne to ladyes, the aucthoryte sayth, that by this meane may a man knowe the very knyght. To this purpose saith Legmon, the knyght is not knowen, but by armours, & Her­mes saith: proue the men afore thou haue in them ouer great affyaunce.

The .lxxii. Glose.

AThalenta was a Nymphe of moche great beaulte, but hard was her destenye, for by her many lost theyr lyfe. This damosyll for her great beaulte was of many coueyted, to be had in mariage, but suche an edycte or procla­macion was made that no man shulde haue her except that he her vanquisshed by rennyng, and yf she him vanquisshed he shuld lese his lyfe, and by this meane many were put to deth, this course may be vnderstande in many maners. And it might be some thyng that moch was coueyted of many men, but w^t out great trauayle it myght not be had, the cour­se that she made, may be the defense or resystence of the thyng, & especially this fable may be noted of many that make [Page] great stryfe without necessyte. So woll the aucthorite say, that w^t a man hard couragious & a great stryuer, he ought to take no cure as to stryue ouer moch for thynges vnprofytable which be not towchyng his honour, or by the whiche he myght endomage hym selfe, for ma­ny great euyls haue many tymes ensued by suche stryfe. And Thesybelle saith Thou oughtest to do that thyng which is most profytable to the body and most conuenable to the Soule, and to refuse the contrarye.

The .lxxiii. Glose.

A Fable sayth that thre Goddesses of great puyssaunce y^t is to know Pallas the Goddes of knowledge and science: Iuno Goddes of ryches and hauyour: and Venus Goddes of loue and Iolite. Came afore Paris holdynge an apple of golde, that was wrytten with these wordes (be it gyuen to the fayrest Of this apple was great dyscorde, fo [...] echone of the Goddesses sayde that sh [...] ought to haue it, so were they put vpon Paris for Iudgement of the dyscorde Paris wold fyrst dilygently enquere o [...] the force of eche of them by them self [...] And than sayd Pallas I am goddes o [...] [Page] [...]nyghthod and of sages, & by me are departed armes vnto knyghtes, and scy­ence vnto clerkes, & yf thou wylt gyue me the apple, knowe thou that I shall make the cheualrous and knyghtly a­boue all other, and all other to excell in all sciences. After sayd Iuno goddes of ryches, and seygnoury, by me are departed and gyuen the great treasours to y^e world, and yf thou wolt gyue me the apple I shall make the ryche & puyssaunt, more then any other. Thyrdly spake Venus by moch amourous wordes & said I am she y^t vpholde the scole of amours loue, and Iolite, which haue the puissaū ce to make the fole sage, & the sage folysshe, the ryche I may make paurōnyers and beggers, and make ryche thē that ben exyled and in pouerte, and (shortely to conclude) there is no puissaunce that ought to be compared vnto myne, and yf thou wolt gyue me the apple, the loue of fayre Helayne of Grece shalbe (by my meane) to the giuen which may be vnto [Page] the moch more of valour than al other ryches. And than Paris gaue his sen­tence & renounced knyghthod wysdom and ryches, for Venus to whom he gaue the apple, for which encheason Troy was after destroyed. So is it to be vn­derstād, for somoch as Paris was not cheualrous, and that he toke no cure of great science, but on loue set all his en­tent, therfore to Venus he gaue the golden apple. And therfore sayth prudence to her owne knight Hector, & to al good knyghtes y^e semblably they ought not to do. And Pitagoras sayth. The Iudge whiche gyueth Iudgement vniustly deserued all euyll.

The .lxxiiii. Glose.

FOrtune after y^e maner of y^e spekinge of Poetes may well be called y^e great Goddes, for by her we se the course of al worldly thynges to be gouerned and bycause she promyseth to many y­noughe of prosperyte, and gyueth it in dede to some creatures, and sythen ta­keth it fro them agayne in a momente of an houre, at her pleasure. Therfore saith the aucthorite to the good knight that he oughte not to affye hym in her promyses, ne to dyscomforte hym ī her aduersytyes or contraryties, Socra­tes sayth. The circuytes or wheles, of fortune be as engynes to take fisshes.

The .lxxv. Glose.

PAris was not moch apte in his condicions [Page] to armes, but all wholy to the Troyens and conceytes of Venus, and therfore sayth the aucthorite to y^• good knyght y^t he shulde not make capitayne of his hoste or of his batayles a knight not condicioned to armes. And therfore sayth Aristotle to Alexandre, thou oughtest to establyshe & make Connestable of thy cheualry, him whom thou felest and perceyuest sage, and experte in armes.

The .lxxvi. Glose.

CEphalus was an auncient knyght And a fable sayth that all his lyfe he toke great dilectacion in the deduyc­tes of huntyng and venory, and merueylously well he had the experience & feate of castyng a Iau [...]iot that he had which had such a propertie that neuer was it cast in vayne, & it slewe al that it might attayne and bicause he was acustomed to ryse early vpon the morowe to go to the forest to watche the beestes sauage, his wyfe was in great Ialousy that he had ben amourous vpon another than her, and for to know the verite she went vpon a morow after him to watche and [Page] auyse his dede. Cephalus beyng in the wod, hard the leues of a busshe moue & make noyse wherin his wyfe was hyd, and he supposyng that it had ben a wylde beeste, cast, (therwith,) his Iauelot, whiche attayned his wyfe and so was she slayne, moch dolent was Cephalus of this mysaduenture. But remedye myght none be set. The wyfe of Loth (as wytnesseth holy scripture) returned her face abacke, against the cōmaunde­ment of the Aungell, whan she hard the fyue Cyties foundre behynde her, & therfore incontynent was she turned into a salte stone. And as all thynges ben fy­gured, here myght be ynoughe of entendementes, but (for to take truth for an example) no good man ought to delyte hym in watchyng an other in a thynge which ought not to pertayne to hym, & how no man wold be watched saith Hermes, do thou to thy companion no more than thou woldest that he shulde do to the ne be not in wyl to lay snares for to [Page] take men, ne to purchase theyr domage nor dishonour by deceite nor cautele, for in conlusyon it may turne on thy selfe.

The .lxxvii. Glose.

HElenus was brother to Hector, & sone to Priam, and he was a mo­che sage clerke & full of scyence, so he discounsayled and withstode in as moche as he myght the voyage of Paris his brother into Grece to rauyshe the fayre Heleyne. Howbeit, yet no credence was to hym gyuen, wherof great domage came after to the Troyens. Therfore sayth Othea to the good knyght, that men ought to giue credence to the sage and to his counsayl, and Hermes saith that he which honoureth the sage and vseth theyr counsayle, is perpetuall.

The .lxxviii. Glose.

MOrpleus (so sayth a fable) is sōne and messagier to god sleping, & he is god of Sweuyns and caused auisy­ons, & bicause that dreming is a thing moch troublous and obscure and sometymes sygnifieth nothyng, & somtyme sygnifyeth al the cōtrary to that thing that a man meteth of, ne there is none so sage that can properly speke therof, what soeuer y^e expositours say. Othea sayth to the good knight that he not to reioyce nor yet to trouble esmay hȳ selfe for any suche auisyons wherof no man may declare a certaine sygnification ne [...]o what ende they shuld turne & specyal [...]y howe one ought not to trouble ne re­ [...]oyce hym self of the Iestes of fortune, which ben transytory sayth Socrates Thou that arte a man oughtest not to [...]eioyce nor trouble thy self for any case.

The .lxxix. Glose.

CEys was a kyng a moch prudent and worthy man and greatly lo­ued of Alchione his quene, deuociō toke this kyng to go by see, vpon a perillous passage. In tyme of tempest, he put him selfe vpon the see, but Alchione his wyfe which perfytly loued hym of great loue put her in great payne to destourne hȳ fro that voyage and in great wepinges and teares she prayed hym moch ther­of, but for her myght be set no remedye nor to go with hym he wolde not suffre her which she wold haue done to what ende someuer fortune shuld them bryn­ge and she put her within the shyp, to be parte with hym, but the kyng Ceys her recomforted, and by force dyd her to re­mayne, wherof she was moch anguys­shous. & dolent, for she was ī ouer great turment & thought bycause that Colus [Page] God of wynde moued sore the see raysed the walues in hyght w^t the wanne water. Ceys the kyng within fewe dayes after perysshed in the see, wherof whan Alchione knewe the aduenture she cast herselfe also into the see, and there was trenched. But the fable sayth that the Goddes had therof pytie, & transmued the bodies of these two louers into two byrdes to thende that of theyr great loue shuld be had in perpetuall memory. So flye they yet vnto this present day vpon the see, the same byrdes ben called Alcionees, & theyr fethers ben all white and when the maryners se them come then they ben in certayne that they shal haue tempest. The right exposiciō may be that two louers loued eche other, in semblable maner ī mariage whom the Poete hath compared to the sayd byr­des. So woll Prudence saye that the good knyght ought not to put him vpō peryllous voyage w^tout the counsayl of his good frendes, & Assalon sayth. The [Page] wyse man enforseth hym self to put domage farre from hym, & the fole taketh vpon hym great payne to fynde it.

The .lxxx. Glose.

WHan the kyng Priam had redefied Troy, which for the cause of the vylany done to thē which went into Col­chos, had ben destroyed, than of his de­struction wold Priam take vengeaunce than assembled he his counsayle where were many Barons hygh and wyse to knowe yf it were good that Paris his sone shuld go into grece, to rauisshe He layne in exchaunge of exione his systre that had ben taken by Thelamon aiax and broughte in seruage. But all the wyse barons accorded y^t he shuld not go bycause of the Prophecies & scriptures which sayd that by such rauysshement [Page] Troy shuld be destroyed, than Troylus beyng a chylde & yongest of the sonnes of Priam sayd, that a man ought not to beleue in coūsayle of warre the vyllectes & auncient mē which by recreandise coūsayle rest & peace, so counsailed he al cōtrary, than was the counsail of Troylus holden, wherof great euyll ensued. Therfore sayth she to the good knyght that to the counsayle of a childe y^e naturally is of lyght & small consyderacion, he ought not to holde nor giue credence. Of this saith an aucthorite, y^• realme is not inquiet of whō the prince is a childe.

The .lxxxi. Glose.

LAncas was a subtle clerke of the cytie of Troy, & whan the kyng Pri­am knewe that the Grekes came vpon hym w^t a great hoste, he sende Calcas in to y^e Ile of Delphos to their god Dampne, Appollo Delphicus, howe it shuld be of the warre, and to what conclusion [...]t shuld turne, but after the answer of the god (whiche sayd that after .x. yeres the Grekes shuld haue the victory.) Calcas returned him towardes the Grekes and hym acqueinted w^t Achilles which was cōmyng into Delphos for the same cause, and with him he returned towardes the Grekes, whom he helped and ayded with his counsayle, agaynst his proper Cytie, and many tymes after he desturued and letted the peace to be made be­twyxte [Page] the Grekes and the Troyens, & bycause he was a traytour, the Aucthorite saith to the good knyght that such subtle & euyll persons he ought to hate, for theyr treasōs made by many sleyghtes, cauteles, & fraudes, may moch en­domage realmes and empyres and all people. Therfore sayth Plato, the sub­tle enemye poore & not puyssaunt, may more greue, thā the riche, the puissaunt, and them that ben without knowlege.

The .lxxxii. Glose.

HErmophroditus was a yonge mā of great beaulte. A Nimphe was greatly surprysed with the loue of hym in no wise he wold loue her againe, and ouer all she hym pursued, to haue pur­chased his loue, so moch that vpon a tyme the yonge man was moch wery, for the chase wherin he had all the day trauailed, than arriued he at the fountaine of Salenaxis, where was a fayre slagne or standyng water clere & burblyng than he toke talent therin to bath him he dispoyled him of his clothes, and put hym self into the water, whā the Nymphe sawe hym all naked, she despoyled her of al her abillementes and attyres and lept after hym into the water, and begā to embrace the yonge mā by great loue, but he beyng ful of felony debouted and cast her frō him by great rudenes, & for any prayer that she myght make she might not molyfie his hert, than w^t great volent prayed the Nymphe vnto the goddes that she shuld neuer depart [Page] but euer remayne with her louer which so debouted her, the Goddes graciously herd her deuoute Oraison, & set the two bodies of thē twayne in one, which had two sexes or kyndes, that is to wyt, of the man and woman. This fable may be vnderstand in many maners, and as the clerkes & subtle Philosophers haue obūbred and shadowed theyr great se­cretes vnder the couerture of fables, here may be vnderstande a sentence apperteynyng to the science of Astronomie & Arsmetrike as say these maysters, and for somoch as y^e matter of loue is more dilectable to here than other, they made comenly theyr fyctions vpon loue for to be more delectable & especyally to rude people whiche take nothyng therof but the skyn or outward partes, and to thē that ben subtle is more greable to taste and suche the lycour therof. But to our purpose we may vnderstande that it is a fowle detestable and vyllayne thynge to refuse or graunte with daunger that [Page] thyng which shuld turne to no vyce, ne by the graunting wherof shuld come no preiudice to y^e graūter, & Hermes saith, make thou no taryeng to put in execucion, that thyng whiche y^u oughtest to do.

The .lxxxiii. glose.

VLyxes was a Baron of Grece, of great subtelte, and in tyme of the longe syege afore Troy, that endured .x. yeres in all the dayes whā trewes was taken he contryued and founde playes, and pastymes moche subtle & fayre, for the knyghtes to esbatre, playe and dys­porte the time of theyr soiournyng, and some men say that he founde the play of the Chesse, & other semblable games to passe the tyme, & Solin saith, euery thinge subtle & honest, is alowed to be done.

The .lxxxiiii. Glose.

BRyseyde, (whom mayster Chaucer calleth Cressayde, in his Boke of Troylus) was a damosell of great be­aulte, and yet was more quaynte mu­table & of vagaunt condycions. Troy­lus the yongest sonne of Pryam (which greatly was replenysshed of knyghtly prowesse, great beaulte & gentylnes) lo­ued her of great and perfyte loue, & she gaue hym her loue and promysed hym for euer so to contynewe, and neuer to faulse ne w^tdrawe it. Calcas father to the damosell, which by science knewe y^• Troy shuld be destroyed dyd so moche that his doughter was yelded and so [Page] brought forth of the Cytie vnto him in exchaunge of anthenor, and so was she brought to hym, great was the dolour of the two louers at their departyng, neuerthelesse w^tin shorte tyme Diomedes which was a great Baron of y^• Grekes and a moch valiaunt knyght, acqueynted hym wi [...]h Briseyde, and did so moch by his purchase that she graunted him her loue and vtterly she put in obliuion her louer Troylus. For somoch as Bry­seyde was so lyght of courage. Othea saith to the good knyght, y^t (yf he wol gyue his hert) beware to acqueynt hym w^t a lady semblable to Briseyde, and Her­mes saith, kepe the out of the cōpany of the euyll, that y^u be not as one of them.

The .lxxxv. Glose.

PAtroclus and Achylles, were fello­wes togither and so perfete frendes and louers, that neuer two brethren loued better eche other, and they & theyr good were as one onely & proper thing, and bycause that Hector slewe Patro­clus ī battayle, therfore came the great hate of Achylles vpō Hector. But bicause he moch doubted his great puyssaunte and force, he neuer ceased to watche hym to thentent to renne vpon hym be­yng dyscouered by treason. So sayeth Othea to Hector as by prophecy of this that was to come that whan he shuld haue slayne Patroclus it was nedeful [Page] to kepe hym from Achylles. And it is to be vnderstande, that what man soeuer hath slayne or mysdone to the loyall felowe of another, that his felowe beyng a lyue, woll take vengeaunce therof, yf he may. Therfore sayth Madarge. In what place soeuer thou be w^t thyne enemye, holde hȳ euer for suspect, although that thou be stronger than he.

The .lxxxvi. Glose.

ECho (so sayth a fable) was a Nymphe, & bycause that she was wo [...]t to be ouer great a Iāgleres & by her iangling accused Iuno, y^t vpō a day she watched her husband by Ialousy, she rān [...] ī the indignaciō of y^• goddes, which sayd that frō thēsforth she shuld neuer spe [...]e first any word to such tyme as another had spokē it afore Echo was amourous vpō y^e fayre Narcisus but for any praier or sygne of amite y^t she myght to hȳ, he dayned not to haue vpō her pyte, ī somoche y^• the farre Echo dyed for his loue, but in dyeng she praied to the goddes y^t she might be venged vpō him, in whom she had sounde so moch of cruelte & that they wold giue hȳ to fele the amourous pancture or pryckyng of loue wherby he myght know the great dolour that the perfite & fyne louers haue, which of loue ben refused, & therof behoueth to take their deth, therw^t fynished Echo her lyfe but the voyce of her remained which yet doth endure, and the goddes made her [Page] euerlasting memory of [...]his aduenture and yet she giueth answere to the people in valleys, & vpon ryuers after the voice of [...] her, but she may neuer speke first Echo may sygnify a [...] son, that by great necess [...]t [...]e, requireth a thyng of another: the voyce that did remayne, is y^• the people suff [...]yng payne or desease thynke the time long ynough, how shorte so it be, & they may not speke but after another, y^t is the [...] may not helpe thēself w^tout the ayde of another. Therfore well Othea say to the good knyght that he ought to haue pite vpon such as suffre wh [...] ̄ they [...] any thing of him, [...] y^• [...]yll wel kepe the [...] to ayd [...] fren [...] [...] of [...] to [...] thē suf [...]e, to be [...] to [...] y^• ryg [...]t is to his [...] [...]rom all vyces & [...].

The .lxxxvii. Glose.

A Fable sayth that Daphne was a damosel whom Phebus loued by loue, & moch her pursued, but in no wyse she wold to hym accorde. It befel vpon a day that he sawe the fayre mayde goyng by the way, & whan she sawe hym come, she toke her to stye, and the god after, and whan he was so nere y^• she sawe well she myght not escape, she made her prayer to Diane goddes of chastite that she wold saue vnto her poore mayde the virginite of her body, & contynent was the body of the Pucell transmued in to a grene Laurier, & whan Phebus was [Page] approched therto, he toke of the brannches of the tree a made him therof a chā plet in sygne of victory. And euer sythen vnto this day; hath a chapiet of Laurier sygnified victory, and specially in the time of the great felicite of the Romaynes they crowned euer with Laurier the victorious. Many entedemētes may be had of this fable, & it may be that a pu [...] saunt man pursued w^t long trauayle a lady, in somoch that v [...]de [...] a Laurier he at fayned her to his pleasure, and for y^• cause he loued the Laurier euer after, & bare it in deuyse and speche in sygne of vitory that he had of his loue vnder the Laurier, and the Laurier may be taken for golde, which sygnifieth nobles, & bycause y^t the Laurier sygnifieth honour, she sayth to the good knyght that it is conuenient for [...]ym to pursue Daphne yf he w [...]ll ha [...] [...] of Laurier, y^t is to vnderstand he must pursue payne, and trauayle yf he w [...]l come to honour. To this purpose saith Omere, by great [Page] dylygence cometh a man to perfection.

The .lxxxviii. Glose.

ANdrometha was wyfe to Hecto [...] and the nyght afore that he wa [...] slayne came an auision to the lady tha [...] yf vpon the day ensuynge, Hector wen [...] [Page] to batayle, w^tout fayle he shuld be slayne wherof Andrometha w^t great sighes and wepyngꝭ did her power that he shulde not go into batayle, but he wold not gyue credence vnto her, & so was he slayne. Therfore saith Othea that the good knyght ought not fully to disprayse the auysions of his wyfe, y^t is to vnderstād the counsayle and auyse of his wyfe yf she be sage & well condicioned, & Plato sayth, y^u shuldest not disprayse the counsayle of a lytel person, which is sage, for though it so be that y^u be olde haue thou no shame to take the auyse which a childe sheweth vnto the, for some tyme the ignoraunt may auyse the sage.

The .lxxxix. Glose.

BAbyloyne the great, which was edefied by Nemdrothtite. Gyant was the most strōge cytie that euer was made, but that notwithstanding it was taken by the kyng Ninus. Therfore saith she to y^• good knight that he ought not ouer moche to affye hym in the force of his Cytie or cas [...]ello time of warre, dut that he be we four [...]ayde of people at many as hym behoueth, for conuenable offence. And Plato sayth, he that affyeth hym all quelye in his force, is oftenty­mes vanquysshed.

The .lxxxx. Glose.

THe day that Hector was slayne in the batayle. Andrometha his wyfe came to pray kynge Priam w^t pytuous and great complayntes and wepynges, that he shuld not suffre Hector to go in to batayle, for without fayle he shuld be slayne yf he thyther went, for it was certeinly shewed vnto her by Mars the god of batayle, whiche in slepyng had appe­red vnto her. Priam treated in asmoch as he myght, and hym greatly endeuoured to desturne him, so that he shuld not syght that day, but Hector stole himself preuely from his father and went forth of the Cytie, by a way made vnder the grounde, and went in to batayle, where he was slayne. And so bycause that he had neuer dysobeyed his Father, but onely that daye. She myght well saye that the daye wherin he shulde dysobey his Father, he shulde dye, and it is for to be vnderstande, that no man ought to dysobey his good frendes, whan as they ben sage. And therfore sayde Ary­stotle [Page] to Alexandre. As longe as thou shalt beleue the counsayle of them whi­che vseth sapyence, and that loueth the loyally, thou shalt reygne victoryously.

The .lxxxxi. Glose.

HEctor in the batayle was founde [Page] dyscouert of his Armes, and so slayne. Therfore saith Othea to y^e good knight that of his armes in batayle he ought not to discouer him, and Hermes saith the death is lyke to the stroke of an a­rowe, and the lyfe is lyke to the arowe that is commynge.

The .lxxxxii. Glose.

POlybetes was a kyng moche puys­saunt, [Page] whom Hector had slayne in ba­tayle, after many great feates that he had done that day, and because he was armed with moch ryche a precious ar­mours, Hector did coueyt them greatly and enclyned him vpon the necke of his horse, for to despoyle the Corps. Than Achylles whiche folowed behynde his backe, for to take hym at his gre dyscouerte, stroke hym vnder his Armours. And at one stroke, cast hym dead to the grounde. Wherof it was great doma­ge, for a more valyaunte knyght neuer gyrded hym with a sworde: Of whom any Hystories make mencion. And that suche couetyse maye be domageable in suche a place it appereth, by the sayde aduenture. Therfore sayth the Phylo­sopher. Couetyse dysordinate, bryngeth a man to death.

The .lxxxxiii. Glose.

AChylles assored him of the loue of Polixene the fayre mayde whiche [Page] was systre to Hector, & as he had sene her in the vnyuersarie of the obsequies of Hector, ī tyme of trewes, whā many Grekes went īto Troy, he was somoch surprysed with her loue, that in no wyse he myght endure. Therfore he sende to quene Heccuba, that she wold cause the mariage to be treated, and he shuld cause the warres to be ceased and the siege to departe, & for euer they shuld be fren­des, longe tyme was Achylles without armyng hym agaynst the Troyens bycause of this loue, and great payne he toke to cause the host to departe which he myght not do, therfore was not made the mariage: After this Achylles slewe Troylus whiche was so full of valoure that he was wel sēblable to Hector his brother after his yonge age. Of this was so sorowful y^e quene Heccuba, that she sende vnto hym to come into Troye for the mariage to be entreated, & there was he slaine. Therfore saith she to the good knyght, that of straunge loue he [Page] ought not to assote him, for by ferre loue haue many euyls hapned. And therfore sayth one Sage, whan thyne enemyes may not reuenge them, than is mestier to kepe well and watche thy selfe.

The .lxxxxiiii. Glose.

AIax was a knight of Grece moc [...] [Page] orguyllous and prowde, but he was neuertheles a good knight of his hande, and by pryde and fyexitie, he enterprised armes, and to fyght w^t one arme bare, and discouered of his sheelde, so was he persed, through and, throughe, and cast downe dead. And therfore sayth Othea to the good knyght to do such armes is of no honour, but is reputed for foly, pride, and ouer moch perillous, so saith A­ristotle: many erre and transgresse by ignoraunce and defaulte of knowlege and they knowe not what is to be done, ne what is to be refused, and other fayle by pryde and arrogancie.

The .lxxxxv. Glose.

ANthenor was a Baron of Troy whan it came to ende of the gre­uous batailes of Troy, the Grekes whiche had long holden the syege afore the cytie, knew not how to come to the meane to take the cytie, for it was of great strength, but by the exhortaciō of Anthenor, for wrath that he bare to kyng Priam he exhorted them & sayd: howe they shuld fayne to make peace w^t the kyng, and by that way he hym selfe shuld put them w^tin the Cytie & giue to them passage, so was it done, wherby Troy was betrayed, and for somoch that to great was the treason and euylnes of hym, she sayth to y^e good knyght that all his semblables where he may them knowe [Page] he ought to chase and exyle, for moche ben such people to be hated. Plato saith Baxate, is the Capytayne and gouer­noure of euyll men.

The .lxxxxvi. Glose.

THe Grekes made a trewes by fayntyse [Page] to the Troyens, by the treason of Anthenor, they sayd they had auowed a gyft to Minerue the goddes which they wold offre, and they caused to be made an horse of tree of merueilous greatnes which was ful of armed knyghtes, and it was so great that it behoued to breke the gate of the Cytie, that they myght enter, & vpon wheles was set this horse which they drewe vnto the temple. And whan the nyght was come, vp stert the knyghtes and put themself forth of the horse into the Cytie, all the people they slewe, brent, & destroyed, the cytie. Therfore sayth Othea to the good knyght, that ī such fayntyse, nor such offryng he ought not to affie him. To this purpose sayth the sage, a man ought to doubte the subtelties & engines of his enemye if he be sage, & yf he be a fole, his euylnes.

The .lxxxxvii. Glose.

YLion was the mayster dongeon or strōge holde of Troy, the strongest and the fayrest, that euer was made / wherof the Hystories maketh mencion but this notwithstandynge it was ta­ken, brent, and brought to nought, and also was the Cytie of Thune, whiche was somtyme a great thynge, and for so moche as suche cases do happen by the mutabylytie of Fortune. Prudence woll saye, y^t the good knyght ought not to [...]norguel ne to holde sure hym self for any strength. Therfore sayth Ptholo­meus, of asmoche as seigneury or lord­shyp is more hygh, of somoch is y^e reygne or fall therof more peryllous.

The .lxxxxviii. Glose.

CIrces was a quene which had her [Page] realme vpon the see of Italy, and was a great enchauntres and moch she knewe of sorcery, auauncementes, and incantacions. And whan Vlixes which went by the see after the destruction of Troy, entended to returne in to his Countre, by many great and peryllous turmentes, that he had. He arryued at the porte of her lande, and sende to the quene by his knyghtes to knowe yf he myght surely take hauen vpō her grounde. Circes moche fayrely welcomed and fested the messagiers, and by semblaunt of curteysye she dyd to be brought vnto them drinke that was moch delicious to drinke, but such vertue it had by poyson that sodeinlye the knyghtes were transmued into Hogges. Circes may be vnderstande in many maners and may be entended for a lande or a countre, where the knygtes were put in fowle or vyleyne prison, and she maye be also a Lady full of incon­staunce, mutabilite, and vagaunt. And that by her many knyghtꝭ errant, that is [Page] to say pursuyng armes, which specially were of the people of Vlixes, that is to say malicious & auysed were holden at soiourne as hogges or swyne. And therfore sayth she to the good kynght that at suche so [...]ourne, he ought not to reste hym & Aristotle saith. He that is wholy enclyned to fornicacion, may not in the ende be lawded ne alowed.

The .lxxxxix. Glose.

YNO was a Quene, whiche cau­sed for to sowe Seedes, after that she had sodden it, wh [...]he neuer wolde growe agayne neyther deare fruyte. And therfore woll Othea saye, to the good knyght, that fayre reasons well ordayned, and sage aucthorities, ought not to be sayde to people of rude vnderstandynge, whiche knowe not the en­tent therof. For than they be loste and wasted in vayne. And therfore sayeth Arystotle. Euyn so as the rayne pro­fyteth not to the Seede, that is sowen vpon the stone. In lyke maner good argumentes doth not profyte vnto the Insypyent.

The .C. Glose.

CEsar Augustus was Emperour of Rome, and of all the world, and bycause that ī the tyme of his reygne was peace through all the worlde, so that he [Page] reygned and gouerned all peasible. The folysshe people miscreaunt beleued that the same peace was bycause of the goodnes of him but it was not, for it was bycause of Iesu christ, which was borne of the virgyn Mary, and was than vpon earth, and as long as he lyued in earth as man, peace was established by al the world. So wold the blynde people haue worshypped Cesar as a God. But than Sibilla Cumana to hym sayd that he shuld kepe hym fro beynge adoured and shewed him that there was but one onely God, which al hath created, and than she brought him vpō an hye mounteyne forth of the cytie, and w^tin the sonne by the wyll of our Lorde, appered a virgyn holding a childe, Sibille shewed it vnto him & sayd, that the same was the very God which ought to be adoured, & than Cesar adoured him, and to hȳ did great reuerence. And bycause that Cesar Au­gustus which was prince of al the worlde, lerned to knowe God, at the credence [Page] of a woman, may be sayd to purpose the aucthorite sayd by Hermes: be thou not ashamed to here truth & good ensygne­ment who soeuer sayth them, for veryte ennobleth hym that doth pronounce it.