A. C. mery talys

1526

¶ A. C. mery Talys.

[...]

[...] anothe [...] de it after in the same bedde. [...]
¶ Of [...] his shoes to cloute. fo. eodem.
¶ Of [...] womans tonge was lightest mete of dygession. fo. iii.
¶ Of the woman th [...] [...]lowed her fourth husbandes herce & wepte. fo. eod [...].
¶ Of the woman that [...]y [...] her woer came to late. fo. eodem.
¶ Of the mylner with the golden thombe. fo. eodem.
¶ Of the horseman of Irelande that prayde a Oconer for to hange vp by the frere. [...] fo. eodem.
¶ Of the preest that sayd nother corpus meus nor [...]rpum meum fo. eodem.
¶ Of two freres where of the one loued nat the ele heed, nor the other the tayle. [...] fo. iiii.
¶ Of the welche man that shroue hym for brekynge of hys faste on the fryday. [...] fo. eodem.
¶ Of the merchaunte of London that dyd put nobles in his mouthe in hys [...]ethe bedde. fo. eodem.
¶ Of the mylner y ^e stale the nuttes of the tayler that stale a shepe. fo. eodem.
¶ Of the foure elementes where they shulde sone be founde. fo. v.
¶ Of the woman that poured the potage in the iudges male fo. vi.
¶ Of the wedded men that came to heuen to clayme theyr herytage. fo. eode.
¶ Of the merchaunte that charged hys sonne to fynde one to synge for hys soule. [...] fo. eodem.
¶ Of the mayde wasshynge clothes and answered the frere fo. eodem.
¶ Of the thre wyse men of Gotam. fo. eodem.
¶ Of the graye frere that answered his penytente. fo. vii.
¶ Of the gentylman that bare the sege borde on hys necke. fo. eodem.
¶ Of the m [...]chantes wyse y ^e sayd she wolde take a nap at sermon. fo. eode.
¶ Of the woman that said & she lyued another yere she wolde haue a cockoldes hatte of her owne. [...]o. viii.
¶ Of the gentlyman y ^e wysshed his to the in y ^e gentylwomans tayle. fo. eode.
¶ Of the welcheman that confessed hym [...] had slayne a frere. fo. eode.
¶ Of the we [...] that coude nat gette but a lytell male. fo. eodem.
¶ Of the gentyll woman that sayde to a gentyll man ye haue a berde aboue and none benethe. fo. eodem.
[Page]Of the frere that sayde our lorde fed fyue. M. people with. iii. fysshys. fo. viii.
Of the frankelyn that wold [...] haue had the frere gone. fo ix.
Of the prest that sayd our lady was not so curyous a woman fo. ix.
Of the good man that sayde to his wyfe he had euyll fare fo. ix.
Of the frere that bad his chylde make a laten. fo. ix.
Of the gentylman that asked the frere for his beuer fo. ix.
Of the .iii. men that chase the woman. fo. ix.
Of the gentylman that taught his cooke the we [...] for [...] fo. ix.
Of the gentylmā that p [...]mysed the scoler of oxforde [...] [...] typet fo. x.
Of mayster skelton that brought the bysshop of Nor [...]. ii. [...]
Of the yeman of garde that sayd he wolde bete the carter. fo. xi.
Of the plowmannys sonne that sayde he sawe one make [...] gos [...] to [...] tely / [...].
Of the maydes answere that was with chylde [...]
Of the seruaunt that rymyd with hys mayster [...]
Of the welcheman that delyuered the letter to the ape fo. xii.
Of hym that solde ryght nought fo. xii
Of the frere that tolde the thre chyldres fortunes fo. xi
Of the boy that bare the frere his masters money fo. xiii
Of Phylyp spencer the bochers man fo [...]iii
Of the courtear and the carter fo. xiii
Of the yongman that prayd his felow to teche hym his pater noster fo. xiii.
Of the frere that prechyd in ryme expownynge the aue maria fo. xiii.
Of the curat that prechyd the artycles of the Crede fo. xiiii.
Of the frere that preched the .x. cōmaundementis fo. xiiii.
Of the wyfe that bad her husbande e [...]e the candell fyrste fo. xiiii.
Of the man of lawes sonnes answer fo. xiiii.
Of the frere in the pulpet that bad the woman leue her babelynge fo. xiiii.
Of the welchman that cast the scotte into the see fo. xv.
Of the man that had the dome wyfe. fo. xv.
Of the proctour of arches that had the lytell wyfe fo. xv.
Of .ii. nonnes that were shryuen of one preste fo. xv.
Of the esquyer that shold haue ben made knyght fo. xvi.
Of the penytent that sayd the shepe of god haue mercy vpon me fo. xvi.
Of the husbande that sayde he was Iohn̄ daw fo. xvi.
Of the scoler of oxforde that prouyd by souestry. ii. chykens. iii. fo. xvi.
Of the frere that stale the podynge fo. xvii.
Of the frankelyns some that cam [...] to take ordres fo. xvii.
Of the husband man that lodgyd the frere in his owne bed fo. xvii.
Of the [...]ste that wolde say [...] gospel for a grote [...].
Of the courtear that dy [...] cast the frere ouer the bote fo. [...].
[Page]Of the frere that prechyd what mennys sowles were fo. xvii.
Of the husband that cryed ble wnder the bed fo. xviii.
Of the shomaker that asked the colyer what tydynges in hell fo. xviii.
Of seynt peter that cryed cause bobe fo. xviii.
Of hym that aduenturyd body and soule for hys prynce fo. xviii.
Of the parson that stale the mylners elys fo. xviii.
Of the welch [...] that saw one. xl.s. better than god fo. xviii.
Of the frere t [...] sayd oy [...]ge for the hoggys soule fo. xviii.
Of the parsone [...] sayde masse of requtē for [...] ule fo. xix.
Of [...] sayde ryde apace y [...] haue rayne fo. xix.
Of [...] shall haue neuer a peny / fo. xix.
Of [...] sayde hys wyfe and he agreed well. fo. xx.
Of the [...] layde Comede episcope. fo. xx.
Of the [...] that stale the pot fo. xx.
Of mayster whytyntons dreme / fo. xx.
Of the prest that kylled his horse called modicum. fo. xx.
Of the welchman that stale the englysshmans cocke. fo. xx.
Of hym that brought a botell to a preste. fo. xx.
Of the endytement of Iesu of Nazareth. fo. xx.
Of the frere that prechyd agaynst them that rode on the sondaye / fo. xxi.
Of the one broder that founde a purs. fo. xxi.
Of the answere of the mastres to the mayde. fo. xxi.
Of the northern man that was all harte / fo. xxi.
Of the burnynge of olde Iohn̄. fo. xxii.
Of the courtyer that ete the hote rustarde / fo. xxii.
Of the thre poyntes belongynge to a shrewd wyfe / fo. xxii.
Of the man that paynted the lambe vppon his wyfes bely. fo. xxii.

A Certayne Curate in the contrey there was that [...] in the pulpet of y ^e ten cōmaundementys / Saye [...] there were ten cōmaundementes y ^e cuety man [...] kepe / and he that brake any of them commytt [...] [...] syn how be it he sayd that somtyme it was [...] somtyme venyal / But when it was dede [...] venyall there were many doutes therin. [...] a yongman a mad felow that cam seldom to chyrch / and ha [...] sermons or none in all his lyfe answered hym than shorcely [...] uayl master person that ye say there be so many cōmaundemente [...] [...] [...] ny doutes / for I neuer hard tell but of two cōmaundementes̄ that [...] cōmaunde me to you & cōmaunde me fro you Nor I neuer harde tell [...] doutes but twayn that ys to say dout the candell and dout the fyre A [...] answere all the people fell a laughynge /

¶ By this tale a man may well perceyue that they that be brought vp [...] oute letuynge or good maner shall neuer be but rude and bestely all th [...] [...] they haue good naturall wyttes.

A wyfe there was which had apoynted her prentys to com to h [...] [...] in the nyght which seruaunt had longe woed her to haue his p [...] [...] which acordyng to the ap [...]yntement cam to her bed syde ī the [...] her husbande lyenge by her & whan she perceyuyd hym there she caug [...] [...] by the hande and helde hym fast & incontynent wakened her husband [...] Syr it is so ye haue afals and an vntrue seruant which is wylliam yo [...] [...] [...] tys and hath longe woyd me to haue his pleasure and because I coul [...] [...] auoyde his inportunate request I haue apoynted hym this nyght to in [...] in the gardeyne in the herber and yf ye wyll aray your selfe in myn ar [...] [...] go theder ye shall se the profe therof and than ye may rebuke hym as ye [...] best by your dyscrecyon / this husbande thus aduertysed by hys wyfe p [...] [...] hym his wyues rayment & went to the herber and whā he was gone th [...] [...] prētys cā in to bed to his mastres wherefor a season they were bothe c [...] [...] & pelsyd ech other by the space of an hour or .ii. but whā she thoughte ty [...] [...] tientēt she sayd to y ^e prētyse Now go thy way into the herber & mete hy [...] tak a good waster ī thy hād & say thou dyd it but to proue whether I [...] a good womā or no & reward hī as thou thīkyst best This prētys doy [...] [...] his mastres coūcell wēt ī to the he [...]ber where [...] his master ī hi [...] [...] appell & sayd. A thou harlot art thou comē hether now I se well if [...] fals to my mast thou woldest be a strōg hore but I had leuer thou [...] thā I wold do hī so trayterous a ded therfor I shall gyue the so [...]. [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] andes for I am thy mayster and not thy maystres / nay hore quod [...] thou art but an harlot & I dyd but to ꝓue the & smote him agayn [...] quod the mayster I besech y ^e no more for I am not she for I am thy [...] or I haue a berde / & ther with he sparyd hys hand & felt hys berd [...] the prentyse I crye you mercy / & then the mayster went vn [...]o hys wyfe & [...]e askyd hym how he had sped and he answeryd I wys wyfe I haue ben shrew [...]ly betyn how be it I haue cause to be glad for I thank god I [...] trew a wyfe and as trew a seruant as any man hath in englonde [...] By th [...] tale ye may se that yt ys not wysdome for a man to be rulyd [...]lwa [...] cethys wyuys coūcell

[...] fortunyd that in a market towne in the counte of Suffolke there was a stage play in the which play one callyd Iohn̄ adroyns which [...] dwellyd in a nother vyllage .ii. myle from thens playde the dyuyll And when the play was done thys Iohn̄ adroyns in the euynyng departyd fro the sayde market towne to go home to hys own house and because he hao there no change of clothyng he went forth in hys dyuylls aprell whych in the way comyng home ward cam thorow a waren of conys be logyng to a gentylmā of the vyllage wher he him self dwelt At whych tyme it fortunyd a preste a vycar of a churche therby with .ii. or .iii. other vnthryfty felows had brought with thē a hors a hey & [...] feret to thētent there to get conys & when the feret was in y ^e yerth and the hey set ouer the path way where thys Iohn̄ a [...]oyns shuld come thys prest & hys other felows saw hym come in the dyuyls rayment cōsideryng that they were ī the dyuyls seruyce & stelyng of conys & supposyng it had ben the deuyll in dede for fere ran away Thys Iohn̄ adroyns ī the dyuyls rayment and because it was sōwhat dark saw not y ^e hay but wēt forth ī hast [...] lid therat & fell doun that with the fal he had almost broken his nek But when he was a lytyll reuyuyd he lokyd vp & spyed it was a hay to catch conys & lokyd further & saw that they ran away for fere of hī / & saw a horse tyed to a bush laden wyth conys whych they had taken & he toke the horse & the haye and lept vpō the horse & rode to y ^e gētylmannys place that was lorde of the waren to the entēte to haue thank for takynge suche a pr [...]y And whan he came / knokyd at the gatys To whome anone one of the gentylmannys seruauntys askyd who was there / and sodeinly openyd the gate and assone as he perceyuyd hym in the deuyls rayment was sodenly abashyd and sparryd the dore agayn / and went in to hys mayster / and sayd and sware to hys mayster that the dyuell was at the gate / and wolde come in The gentylman heryng hym say so callyd another of hys seruauntys and had hym go to the gate to knowe who was there / Thys seconde seruan̄t came to the gate durst not open it / but askyd wyth lowd voyce who was there thys Iohn̄ Adroyns in the dyuyls apar [...] [...] swered wyth a hye voyce and sayd Tell thy mayster I must nedys speke wyth hym or I go Thys secōd seruaunt heryng [Page] [...] the deuyll in dede that is at the gate ly [...]tynge upon [...] soules, and be lykelyho [...] he income for your soule pur [...] [...] your soule / and if he had yoar soule I wene he shulde [...] man than meruaylously abasshed, called his ch [...]layne [...] dell be [...]ight and gette holy water & wente to th [...] gate [...] uantes as durste go with him / where the chaplayne wit [...] iuracyon sayd. In the name of the father, sonne, and ho [...] and charge the in the holy name of god, to tell me [...] comeste hyther. ¶ This Iohn̄ Adroynes in the deny [...] them begynne to coniure, after suche maner sayd. Nay [...] me for I am a good deuyll, I am Iohn̄ Adroynes your [...] in this towne, the that playde the deuyll to day in the playe [...] my mayster a dosen or two of his owne conyes that were stolen in [...] and theyr horse and theyr haye, and made them for feare to ronne [...] whanne they harde hym thus speke, by his voyce knewe hym we [...] and opened the gate & lette hym come in. And so all the forsayd fe [...] was turned to myrthe and disporte.

¶ By this tale ye may se that men feare many tymes more than they nede, whiche hathe caused men to beleue that sperytes and deuyls ha [...]e ben sene in dyuers places, whan it hathe ben nothynge so.

THere was a ryche man whiche lay fore sycke in his bedde to fore his eldest sonne came to hym and beseched hym do gyu blessyng, to whome the father sayde / sonne thou shalte ha [...] blessyng & myne, & because thou hast ben euer good of cōdicyons I [...] quethe y ^e all my lāde, to whome he answered & sayd, nay father I tri [...] lyue & occupy thē your selfe full well by goddes grace. Sone after ca [...] sonne to him lyke wyse & desyred his blessyng, to whome y ^e father sa [...] thou hast be euer kynde & gentyll I gyue y ^t goddes blessyng & myne. I bequethe the all my mouable goodes, to whome he answered and [...] father I trust you shall lyue and do well & spende & vse your goodes [...] [Page] [...] en may wen perceyue that yonge people that [...] theyr frendes counsell in youthe in tymes [...] [...]ullende.

[...] of a [...] oyntaunce were apoynted to lye with a gen [...] [...] one nyght / the one nat knowynge of the other at dy [...] [...] ¶ Thys fyrste at hys houre apoynted came, and in the [...] to lese a rynge. The seconde gentylman whanne he [...] tuned to fynde the same rynge / and whan he hadde [...] parted. And two or thre dayes after the fyrste gentyl [...] [...] age on the others fynger and chalenged it of hym / and he [...] and badde hym tell where he had loste it: and he sayd in suche a [...] ans bedde. Than quod the other and there founde I it. And the [...] wolde haue it, and the other said he shulde nat. Than they agreed [...] by the n [...]xte man that they dyd mete. And it fortuned them to [...] he husbande of the sayd gentyll woman, and desyred hym of hys [...] [...]ent, she wynge hym all the hole mater. Than quod he by my iud [...] [...] that ought the shetes shulde haue the rynge. Than quod they and [...] od iudgement you shall haue the rynge.

[...] Vniuersyte of Oxeforde, there was a scoler that delyted moche [...] peke eloquente englysshe and curyous termes / and came to the [...] er with hys shoes whyche were pyked before (as they vsed that [...] haue them clouted, and sayde this wyse. Cobler I praye the sette [...] angyls and two semy cercles vpon my subpedytales, and I shall [...] thy laboure. The cobeler because he vnderstode hym nat halfe [...] [...]ered shortely and sayd. Syr your eloquence passeth myne intelly [...] [...] But I promyse you yf he meddyll with me, the clowtynge of youre [...]ll cost you thre pens.

By this tale men may lerne that it is foly to study to speke [...] [...]uently before them that be rude and vnlerned.

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A Certayn artificer in london there was whyche was sore [...] coulde not well dysgest his meat to whom a physicyon [...] hym councell & sayd that he must vse to ete metis y ^e belig [...] gestyō & smal byrdys as sparowes swalowes & spe [...]yally that byr [...] called a wagtayle whose flessh is meruelouse lyght of dygestyon [...] byrd is euer mouyng & styryng The sekeman her [...]nge y ^e phelicion say so answered hym & seyd / Syr yf that be the cause y ^t hose byrdes be lyght of dygestyon. Than I know a mete moch lyghter of dygestyon than other sparow swallow or wagtaile & that is my wyue [...] to [...] for it is neuer in rest but euer meuyng and sterryng.

¶ By this tale ye may lerne a good generall rule of physyke.

A woman there was which had had .iiii. husb [...]ndys It fourtuned al so that this fourth husbande dyed & was brought to [...]yrche vpon the bere / whom this woman folowed & made great mone & waxed very sory in so moche that her neyghbours thought she wolde swown & dye for sorow / wherfore one of her gosseps cam to her & spake to her in her ere & bad her for godds sake cōfort her self & refrayne that lamē tatōn or ellys it wold hurt her and ꝑauenture put her in ieopardy of herlife To whom this woman answeryd and sayd I wys good gosyp I haue great [...]ause to morne if ye knew all for I haue beryed .iii. husbādes bysyde this man but I was neuer in y ^e case that I am now / for there was not one of thē but whē y ^e I folowid the corse to chyrch yet I was sure of an nother husband before y ^e corse cam out of my house & now I am sure of no nother husbād & therfore ye may be sure I haue great cause to be sad & heuy.

A ¶ By thys tale ye may se that the olde prouerbe ys trew that it is as great pyte to se a womā wepe as a gose to go barefote.

Nother woman there was y ^t knelyo at the mas of requiē whyle the corse of her husbande lay on the bere in y ^e chyrche. To whome a yongemā cam & spake wyth her in her ere as thoughe it had ben for som mater cōcernyng y ^e funerallys / howe be it he spake of on suche matter but onely wowyd her y ^e he myght be her husbande / to whom she answered & sayde thus Syr by my trouthe I am sory y ^e ye come so late for I am sped all redy For I was made sure yester day to another man.

A ¶ By thys tale ye maye perceyue that women ofte tymes be wyse & lothe to lose any tyme.

Marchaunt that thought to deride a mylner seyd vnto the mylner syttynge amonge company / Sir I haue harde say that euery trew mylner that tollyth trewly hathe a gylden thombe / y ^e myllner answeryd & sayde it was true Than quod y ^• marchant I pray y ^e let me se thy thombe & whē y ^• mylner she wyd hys thombe y ^e marchant sayd I can not perceyue that thy thombe is gylt but it is as all other mens thombes be / to whome [Page] [...] answered and sayde / Syr treuthe it is that my thōbe is gylt [...] t ye haue no power to se it for there is a properte euer incydent [...] hat he that is acockolde shall neuer haue power to se it.

Ne whiche was called Oconer an yrysshe lorde toke an horsman [...] [...]risoner that wis one of hys great enimys / whiche for any request or intretyt hat the horanan made gaue iugement that he sholde inconrynent be hāged & made a frere to shryue hym & bad hym make hē redy to dye. Thys frere y ^• shr [...]ue hym examyned hym of dyuers synnes & asked him amonge other whiche were y ^e gretteste synnes y ^e euerhe dyd this hors man answered & sayd one of the greatest actys that euer I dyd whiche I now most repent is y ^t whan I toke Oconer the last weke in a chyrche & there I myght haue brennyd hym chyrche & all and because I had conscience & pyte of brennyng of y ^e chyrche I taryed y ^e tyme so long y ^e oconer escaped / & that same deferrynge of brennynge of y ^e chyrche and so longe taryeng of that tyme is one of y ^e worst actes y ^t euer I dyd wherof I muste repent This frere perceuynge hym in y ^t mynde sayde peace in y ^e name of god & change thy mynde & dye in charite or els thou shalt neuer come in heuen / na [...] [...] y ^t horsman I wyll neuer chaunge y ^e mynde what so euer shall com [...] to my soule thys frere ꝑceyuynge hym thus styl contynew his minde can to oconer & sayde syr in y ^e name of god haue some pyte vppon this anannys sowle & let hym not dye now tyl he be in a beter mynde / For yf [...]e dye now he is so ferre out of cheryte y ^e vtterly his soule shall be dampned / & shewyd hym what minde he was in & all y ^e hole mater as is before shewyd. Thys horsman herynge y ^e frere thus intrete for hym sayd to O [...] [...]oner thus oconer thou seest well by thys mannys reporte y ^e yf I dye now I am out of charyte & not redy to go to heuen / & so it is y ^e I [...] anow out of charyte in dede but thou seest well y ^• this frere is a good man and he is now well dysposed & in charyte / & he is redy to go to heuen & so am not I therfore I pray the hang vp this frere whyle y ^• he is redy to go to heuē / & let me tary tyl another tyme y ^t I may be in charyte & redy & mete to go to heuē Thys Oconer heryng thys mad answere of hym sparyd the man and for gaue hym hys lyse at that season.

¶ By thys ye may se that he that is in danger of hys enmye y ^e hath no pite he can do no beter but shew to hym y ^e vttermost of his malycyous mynde whych that he beryth to ward hym.

THe archdekyn of Essex y ^e had ben longe in auctorite in a tyme of vysytacyon whan all the prestys apperyd before hym called asyde iii. of the yonge prestys which were acusyd that thy coulde not wel say theyr dyuyne seruyce / & askyd of thē whē they sayd mas whether they sayd corpus meus or corpum meū The fyrst prest sayde y ^e hasayd corpus meus. The secōd sayd y ^e he sayd corpū meū. And than he asked of y ^• thyrd [Page]how he sayde / whyche answered and sayd thus / ¶ Syr beca [...] is so great a dout and dyuers men be in dyuers opynyons / therfore becau [...] wolde be sure I wolde not offende whan I come to the place I leue it clen [...] out and say nothynge therfore / wherfore the bysshoppe than openly rebuked them all thre. But dyuers that were present thought more defaut in hym [...] cause he hym selfe beforetyme had admytted them to be prestys.

By this tale ye mayse that one ought to take hede how he rebukyh an other lest it torne moste to his owne rebuke.

Two freres satte at a gentylmans tabyll whiche had before him on a fast vngday an ele and cut the hed of the ele and layd it vpon one o [...] the frerys trenchars / but the frere bycause he wold haue had of the middle parte of the ele sayd to y ^e gentylmā he louyd no ele hedes / thys gentylman also cut y ^e tayle of the ele and layde it on y ^e other frerys trenchar he lyke wyse because he wolde haue had of the myddle parte of the ele sayde he loued no ele tayles / This gentylman perceuynge that gaue the tayle to hym that sayd he louyd not the hed / and gaue the hed to hym that sayd he loued not the tayle / And as fore y ^e myddell part of the ele he ete parte hym selfe and parte be naue to other folke at the table / wherfore these freres for anger wolde ete neuer a morsell / and so they for al theyr craft and subtylte were not onely deceyued of the best morsell of the ele / but therof had no parte at all.

By this ye se that they that couet the best parte somtyme therfore lese the meane parte and all.

A welcheman dwellynge in a wylde place of walys cam to hys curate in the tyme of lente and was confessyd / and when hys confessyon was in maner at the end the curate askyd hym and he had any other thyng to say that greuyd his cōsciēce which fore abasshid āswered no worde a great whyle / at last by exhortacyon of his goostly fader he sayde that there was one thyng in his mynde that greatly greued his conscyence which he was asshamed to vtter / for it was so greuous that he trowed god wold neuer forgyue hym to whome the curate answerd and sayd that goddes mercy was aboue all / & bad hym not dyspayre in the mercy of god / for what so euer it was yf he were repentant that god wolde forgyue hym / ¶ And so by longe exortacyon at the last he shewyd it and seyde thus / ¶ Syr it happenyd ones that as my wyfe was makynge a chese vpon a fryday I wolde fayne haue sayed whether it had ben salt or fresshe and toke a lytyll of the whey in my hande and put it in my mouthe and or I was ware parte of it wente downe my throte agaynst my wyll and so I brake my faste to whom y ^e curate sayde and if there be non other thynge I warant god shall forgyue y ^e / So whan he had well comforted hym with the mercy of god the curate prayed hym to answere a quest [...] and to tell hym treuth / and when the welchman had promysyd to tell the truth y ^e curate sayd that there were robberyes and murders done nye [Page] [...] [...]ere he dwelte and dyuers men found slayn & asked hym whe thee [...] ntyage to any of them. to whō he answered and sayd yes / & sayd [...] ye to many of them & dyd helpe to robe and to slee dyuers of them [...] urate asked hym why he dyd not cōffesse hym therof the welshman answered and saydē he toke that for no synne for it was a custome amongest them that whan any boty cam of any ryche merchant rydyng that it was but a good neyboure dede one to help another when one callyd another / & so they toke that but for good felowshyp and neyghbourhod.

¶ Here maye ye se that some haue remorse of conscyence of small venyall sinn is [...]fere not to do oret offēcys without shame of y ^e worled or drede of god & as y comon proue be is they stumble at a strawe & lepe ouer a blocke.

A Ryche couetous marchāt there was that dwellid in london which euer gaderyd mony & could neuer fynd in hys hert to spend ought vpon hym selfe nor vpon no man els / whiche fell sore syke / and as he laye on hys deth bed had his purs lyenge at his beddys hede / and had suche a loue to his money that he put his hande ī his purs & toke out therof .x. or .xii.ii. in no [...] and put them in his mouth / And because his wyfe and other perceyued [...]ym very sy [...]e & lyke to dye they exortyd hym to be confessyd and brought the [...]urate vnto hym which when they had caused him to say Benedicite the curate bad hym crye god mercy & shewe to hym his synnes Than this seyck man begā to sey I crey god mercy I haue offendyd in y ^e vii. dedly synnes & broken the .x. cōmaundementes / and because of the gold in his mouth he muffled so in his speche that the curate could not well vnderstande hym / wherfore the curat askyd hym what he had in his mouthe that letted his spech / I wys may ster ꝑsone quod the syke man muffelynge I haue nothyng in my mouthe but a lyttle money bycause I wot not whether I shal go I thought I wold take some spendynge money withme for I wot not what nede I shall haue therof And incontynent after that sayeng dyed before he was confessyd or repētant that any man coulde perceyue / and so by lyklyhod went to the deuyll.

By this tale ye may se that they that all theyr lyues wyll neuer do charyte to theyr neghbours / that god in tyme of theyr dethe wyll not suffre them to haue grace of repentaunce.

THere was a certayne ryche husband man in a vyllage whiche louyd nuttes meruelously well and sette trees of fylberdes & other nutte trees in his orcharde / and norysshed them well all his lyfe / & when he dyed he made his executours to make promyse to bery with hī in his graue a bagge of nuttes or els they sholde not be his executours / which executours for fere of lesynge of theyre comes fulfylled his mynde and dyd so / It happenyd chat the same nyghte after that he was beryed there was a mylner in [...]hyte cote cam to this mānes garden to the entēt to stele a bagge of nuttes & in the way [Page]he met wyth a tayler in a black cote an vnthrift of hys [...] yntance & shew [...] hym hys intent This tayler lyke wyse shewyd hym that he intendyd the sa [...] tyme to stele a shepe / and so they bothe there agred to go forewarde eue [...] man seuerally wyth hys purpose and after y ^e they anoynted to make god [...] re cehe wyt [...] other and to mete agayn in the chyrch porch / and he y ^e cam fyrste to tarye for [...]he other / ¶ This mylner when he had spede of hys nuttys came furst to the [...]hyrch porch and there taryed for hys felow and the mene whyle satte styll there and knakked nuttes. It fortuned than the sexten of y ^e church because yt was about .ix. of y ^e cloke cam to ryng curfue and whan he lokyd in the porche and sawe one all in whyte knakkynge nuttes / he had wente it had bene the dede man rysyn owt of hys graue knakkynge the nuttes that were beryed wyth hym and ran home agayne in all hast and tolde to a krepyll that was in his house what he had sene / Thys crepyll thus herynge hym rebuked the sexten and sayd y ^e yf he were able to go he wolde go thyder & coniure the spyryte / by my trouthe quod the sexten and yf thou darest do that I wyll here the on my neck & so they both agreee / the sextē toke y ^e creple on his nek & ca in to y ^e chyrchyarde again and the mylner in y ^e porch saw one comynge beryng a thynge on his necke had went it had ben the tayler comynge with the shepe and rose vp to mete them / and as he cam towarde them he askyd & sayd Is he fat / is he fat / the sexten heryng hym sey so / for fere cast the crepull down and sayd fatte or lene take hym as he is / and ranne awaye / and the creple by myracle was made hole and ran away as fast as he or faster / Thys mylner perceyuyng that they were two and y ^e one ran after an other thoughte that one had spyed the talyer stelyng the shepe and that he had ron after hym to haue taken hym / and fearyng y ^e one had spyed hym also stelynge y ^e nuttes he for feare lefte hys nuttes behynd hym and as secretly as he cowde ran home to hys myll ¶ And anon after that he was gone the talyer cam wyth the stolen shepe vppon hys necke to the chyrche porche to seke the mylner and whan he fownd there the nutte shalys he supposyd that his felow had ben ther & gone home as he was in dede wherfore he toke vp the shepe agayne on hys necke and went towarde the myll ¶ But yet durynge this while the sexten which ranne a way went not to hys owne house but went to the parysh prestys chāber / and shewyd hym how the spyryt of the man was rysen out of hys graue knackyng nuttes as ye haue hard before / wherfore y ^e prest sayd that he wolde go coninre hym yf the sexten wolde go wyth hym / & so they bothe agreed the prest [...]yd on hys surples and a stole about hys necke and toke holy water wyth hym & [...]nn wyth the sexten toward the church / and as sone as he entred in the chyrche yard / The talyer wyth the whyte shepe on hys neck intendyng as I before haue shewyd yow to go downe to the myll met with them & had went [...] it the prest in his surples had ben y ^e m [...]lner in his whyte cote & seyd to hym by god I haue hym I haue hym mea [...]yuge by the shepe that he had stolen / the prest [Page] [...] [...]ynge the [...] er all in blake and a whyte thynge on hys nek had went [...] ben y ^e deuyll beryng away the spyryte of the dede man that was beryed [...] an away as fast as he coude takyng the way down towarde the myl [...] & [...] erten ronnyng after hym Thys tayler sey [...] one folowyng him had wet that one had folowed the mylner to haue done hym som hurt aut thought he wold folow if nede were to help y ^e milner and went forth tyl he ca [...] to the mill [...] knocked at the myll dore / the mylner beynge wythin asked who was there [...] ayler answeryd and sayd by god I haue caught one of them & made him sure and tyed hym fast by y ^e leggys menynge by the shepe y ^t he had stolen and there had on hys neck tyed fast by the legges. But the mylner heryng him sey that he had hym tyed fast by the legges had went it had ben the constable that had taken the tayler for stelyng [...]f the shepe and had tyed hym by y ^e legges and ferid that he had come to haue taken hym also for stelynge of the nuttes / wher fore y ^e mylner opened a bak dore and ran away as fast as he coud. The tayler herynge y ^e backe dore openynge wente on the other syde of the myll and there saw y ^e mylner ronnyng away and stode ther a lytyll whyle musyng wyth the shepe on his necke Then was y ^e parysshe preest and the sextē standynge there vnder the mylhouse hydyng them for fere and saw the tayler agayn with the shepe on hys nek had wende styll it had ben the deuyll wyth the spyryt of the dede man on hys nek and for fere ran awaye / but because they knew not thē grounde well / the preste lepte into a dyche almoste ouer the hed / lyke to be drownyde that he cryed wyth a loude voyce help helpe. Than the tayler lokyd about and saw the mylner ronne away and the sexten a nother way and hard the preste crye helpe had went it had ben the constable wyth a great company cryeng for helpe to take him and to bryng hym to pryson for stelyng of y ^e shepe wherfore he threwe down the shepe and ran away another way as fast as he coud / and so euery man was afferd of other wythout cause.

¶ By thys ye may se well it is foly for any man to fere a thyng to [...] noche tyll that hese some profe or cause.

IN the old world when all thyng coud speke the .iiii. elementys mette to geder for many thynges whych they had to do because they must meddell alway one wyth a nother: and had communicacion to gyder of dyuers maters / and by cause they coulde not conclude all theyr maters at that season they appoyntyd to breke cōmunicaciō for that tyme & to mete [...] another tyme / therfore eche one of them shewed to other where theyr [...] mo [...]c abydyng was and where their felows shoulde fynde them yf nede shuld requyre and fyrste the erthe sayde bretherne ye knowe well as for me I am ꝑmanēr alway and not remouable therfore ye may be sure to haue me alway whay ye lyste. The wather sayde yf ye lyst to seke me ye shall be sure euer for to haue me vnder a toft of grene rushes or elles in a womans eye. The wynde saye yf ye lyst to speke wyth me ye shall be sure to haue me among [Page]aspyn leuys or els in a womans tong Then quod y ^e fyre yf any of you ly to seke me / ye shal euer be sure to fynd me in a flynt stone or els in a wmans harte

¶ By thys tale ye may lerne aswell the propert of the iiii. elementys as y ^e proprete is of a woman

There was a iustyce but late in y ^e reame of england callyd mast Vauesor a very homely man & rude of cōdycyons & louyd neuer to spend mych money / Thys master Vauysour tode on a tyme in his cyrcuyte in the northe countrey where he had agreed with the sheryf for a certaī some of money for hys charges thorowe the [...] so that at euery inne & lodgynge this master vauesour payd for his own [...] costys It fortunyd so y ^e whē he cā to a certayn lodgyng he cōaunded [...] Turpyn his seruāt to se y ^e he vsed good husbondry & to saue suche [...] gesas were left & to cary it with hym to serue hym at y ^e nexte baytynge [...] Thys turpyn doyng hys maystres cōmādemēt toke the broken bred broken mete & all such thyng y ^e was left & put it ī his maysters cloth sak [...] wyfe of y ^e hous ꝑceyuyng y ^e he toke all suche fragmentys & vytayle wyth hym y ^e was left & put it in y ^e cloth sak / she brought vp y ^e podage that was left in y ^e pot & whē turpyn had torned his bake a lytyl asyde she pouryd. y ^e podage in to y ^e cloth sake whych ran vpō hes robe of skarlet & other of his garmētys & rayed thē veryeuyll y ^e they were mych hurt therwyth / Thys turpyn sodneynly turnyd hym & saw it reuyled the wyfe therfore & ran to hys mayster and told hym what she had don / wherfore master Vauesor incomtinent callyd y ^e wyf & seyd to her thus / Thou drab qudd he what hast thow don why hast thou pourd y ^e potage in my cloth sake & marrd my rayment & gere Osyr quod the wyfe I know wel year a iudge of the realme and I perceyue by you: your mīd is to do ryght & to haue that is your owen & your mynd is to haue all thing wyth you y ^e haue payd for both broken mete and other thynges y ^e is left & so it is reson y ^e ye haue & therfore because your seruant hath taken y ^e broken mete & put it in your cloth sack I haue therin put the potage that by left because ye haue wel & truly payd for them yf I shoulde kepe ony thynge from you that ye haue papyed for paraduenture ye wold troble me in the law another tyme.

¶ Here ye may se that he that playth the nygarde to mych som tyme it torneth hym to hys owne losse.

A Certayn weddyd man there was whyche whan he was dede [...]am what to heuen gates to seynt peter and sayd he cam to clayme hys badheretage whiche he had deseruyd Saynt Peter askyd hym he he was / & he sayd a weddyd man / anon Saynt peter openyd y ^e gatys & y ^e hym to come in & sayde he was worthye to haue hys herytage bycause had had much troble & was worthy to haue a crowne of glory. And after [Page] [...] a nother man y ^e claymyd heuen & sayd to / Seynt Peter he had [...]ade .ii. wyues to whō Saynt peter answered & said com In for thou art [...]orthy to haue a doble crown of glory for thou hast had doble troble at y ^e [...]ist there cam the thyrd claymynge his herytage & sayde to saynt peter y ^e [...] had had .iii. wiues and desyryd to come In / what quod Saynt Peter thou hast bē ones in troble & therof delyueryd / & tha wylligly woldyit be troblyd again & yet agayne therof delyueryd / & for all that coulde not beware y ^e thyrde tyme / but enterest wyllyngly in troble agayn therefore go thy [...] ye to hell for thou shalt neuer cōe ī heuen for thou art not worthy.

¶ Thys tale is a warnyng to them that haue bene twyse in paryll to be ware how they come therin the thyrd tyme.

A Ryche marchant of london there was that had one sonne y ^e was [...] what vnthryfty therfore hys fader vppon hys deth bed called hym to hym & sayde he knew well y ^e he had ben vnthryfty how be it yf he knew he wold amond, hys cōdycyons he wolde make hym his executour & leue hym his goods so y ^t he wolde promyse hym to pray for his soule & to fynde one dayly to syng for hym which thyng to performe his sonne there made a faythfull promyse / After y ^e this man made hym hys executour & dyed But after y ^e hys sonne kept such ryot y ^e in short tyme he had wasted & spente all & had nothynge left but a henne and a cocke that was his faders It fortunyd than y ^e one of hys Frendys came to hym & sayd he was sory y ^e he had wasted so moch & asked hym how he wolde proforme his promyse made to his fader that he wolde kepe one to syng for hym Thys yōgman answered & sayde by god yet I wyll ꝑforme my promyse / for I wyll kepe this same cocke alyue styl & he wyl know euery day & so he shall synge euery day for my faders soule & so I wyl performe my promyse wel ynough.

¶ By thys ye maye se that it is wysdome for a man to do good dedys hym selfe whyle he is here & not to trust to the prayer & promyse of hys executours.

THere was a mayde stode by a reuers syde in her smoke wasshynge clothes / And as she stouped ofttymes her smocke cleued betwene her buttokkes / By whome there cam a frere seynge her and sayde in sporte / Mayde mayde take hede for Bayarde bytes on the brydell Nay wys master frere quod the mayden he doth but wype hys mouthe and wenyth ye wyll come and kysse hym.

¶ By thys ye may se that womans answer is neuer to seke.

A Certayn man there was dwellynge in a towne called Gotam that A wēt to afayre .iii. myle for to bye shepe / and as he cam ouer a bryge [...] he met with one of hys neyghbours and told hym whether he went & askyd hym whych way he wold bryng thē / whyche sayd he wolde brynge thē ouer y ^e same bryge / nay quod the other mā but thou shalt not / by god [Page]mele vpon a hor [...]e a neybour or theyrs and [...] was the cause of theyr varyaunce which thanshe [...] mater and cause as ye haue harde ¶ Thys thyrde man the mylner [...] for to re [...]uke them by a tamylyer example and toke his sacke of [...] his horse backe & openyd it and pouryd all the mele in the sacke ou [...] the [...] dge into the ronnynge ryuer wherby all the mele was lost and sayce thu [...] by my trouthe neyboure because ye stryue for dryuynge ouer the brydge those shepe which be not yet boughte nor wotte not where they be me thynketh therfore [...] as moche wytte in your hedes as there is mele now in [...]

¶ Thys tale shewyth you that som man takyth [...] men wysdome when he is but a fole hym selfe. [...]

A Man there was that cam to confesse hym to a [...] hym that he had layne with a yonge gentyll [...] asked hym in what place / and he sayde it was it [...] all nyght longe ī a soft warme bed the frere herynge [...] thys and sayd / Now by swete seynt francys then wast tho [...]

A Chandeler beynge a wydower dwellynge at holborne [...] don had a fayr doughter / whom a yonge gentelman of [...] ynne woyd sore to haue his pleasure of her / whyche by longe iure to her made at y ^e last graunted hym and poynted hym to com vpon a nyghte to her faders hous in the euenynge & she wold conuey hym into her chamber secretl [...] which was an inner chamber within her faders chamber / So accordynge [...] the poyntement all thynge was performed so that he lay wyth her all [...] & made good chere tell about foure a clocke in the mornynge / at whyche [...] it fortunyd this yonge gentylman fell a coughynge / which ram vpon [...] sore that he could not refrayn. This wench thā ferig her fader y ^e lay ī the next [...] chamber bad hym go put his hede in the draught lest that her fader shold [...] hī / which after her councel rose in his shyrte and so dyd / but thā because of the sauour of the draught it causyd hym to coughe moche more & louder that the wenchys fader herde it / and askyd of his doughter what man it was that coughed ī her chamber she āswered & said no body but euer this yongmā coughed styll more & more / whō the fader herynge sayd by goddes body hore thou lyest I wyll se who is there and rose out of his bedde / Thys wenche perceyued her fader rysinge cam to the gentylman and sayde take hede syr to your selfe for my fader comyth / ¶ This gentylman sodeynly therwyth abass hyd wolde haue pullyd his hede oute of the draughte hole which was very streyghte for hys hede that hc pullyd the sege borde vp therwyth / and hangyng about his neck ran vpon the fader beynge an olde man & gaue hym a great fall and bare [Page] [...] / whych when they se this [...] start asyde and threwe downe the cart wyth colys and dre [...] & brake the carte rope wherby the coles fell out some in one place an [...] [...] another / and after the horses brake theyr trasys and ranne some to [...] y ^e thfelde & som toward newgate that the coly as ran after them and was in houre and more or euer he could gette his hor [...]e to gyder agayne / by which tyme the people of the strete were rysen and cam to the [...] strawyn with colys euery one for hys parte gaderyd vp [...] parte of the coles were gone or y ^e colyar had got his hor [...] whyle the gentylman went thrugh seynt andrews [...] Inne / and there met with the sexten commynge [...] mas / whych whan he saw the gentylman in the [...] with the draught borde about his neck had wend [...] alas alas a spryt & rā back agaī to his house almost at [...] was almoste out of his wytte that he was the worse a [...] his gētilmā thā because dauys inne gatys were not open [...] syde & lept ouer the garden wal / but ī lepyng y ^e draught bord [...] hym that he fell downe into the gardyn & had almoste broken his necke and ther he say styll tyll that the pryncypall cam into the garden / which [...]han he saw hym lye there had wente some man had be slayne and there caste [...] [...]uer the wall and durst not come nye hym tyll he had callyd vp hys companye [...] when many of the gentylman wer com to gether / loked well vppon [...] and knewe hym & after releuyd hym / but the borde that was about hys [...] [...]aused his hed so to swell that they coulde not gette it of tyll they were [...] to cutte it of with hatchettys / Thus was the wenche well iaped / and for fere she ranne from her fader / her faders arme was hurte / the colyar lost his coles the sexton was almost out of hys wyt / & the gentylman had almost broke his necke.

A Marchantys wyfe there was in bowe parysh in london some what A stepte in age to whom her mayde cam on a sonday in lente after dyner and sayde maystres quod she they rynge at saynte Thomas of acres for there shall be a sermon prechyd anon / to whome the mastres answered and sayde mary goddys blessynge haue thy harte for warnynge me there of & because I slepte not well all this nyght I pray the brynge my stole with me for I wyll go thyder to loke whether I can take a nappe there whyle the preest is prechynge.

¶ By thys ye may se that many one goth to chyrch as moch for other thynges as for deuocyon.

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in a whyle [...] they were [...] rowyd and they [...] dyng to do strer her councell cam to one of he [...] medecyne was taught her for her pyggys and [...] bandes hat / which answered angrely and [...] Drabbe I haue none for my husbande is [...] and so lyke wyse euery woman answered [...] fro many of them in anger and scoldyng / [...] she cam agayn to her gosseps all angerly [...] to borow a cockoldes hat and I cā get non [...] I wyll haue one of myn owne and be oute [...] By thys tale a man maylerne that it is [...] trust more to his owne store than to his [...]

A Gentylman & gentylwoman satte to gyder talkyng [...] had great pain in one of his tethe and hapnyd to say [...] man thus / I wys maystres I haue a tothe in my hede which [...] ry sore / wherfore I wold it were in your tayl / She heryng hī [...] thus / in good fayth syr yf your tothe werre in my tayle it coulde [...] good / but yf there be any thynge in my tayle that can do your tothe [...] wolde it were in your tothe / [...]

¶ By this ye may se that a womans answered is seldome to seke

IN the tyme of lente a welcheman cam to be confessyd of his curate whych in his confessyon sayde that he had kylled a frere to w [...]ome the curate sayd he could nat assoyle hym / yes quod the welchm [...] yf thou [...] west all thou woldest assoyle me well ynoughe / & when the cura [...] [...] cominā dyd hym to shew hym all the case he sayd thus / mary there w [...] .ii. freres & I myght haue slayn thembothe yf I had lyst but I let the one scape / therfore mayster curate set the tone agaynst the tother & than y ^e offence is not so great but ye may assoyle me well ynoughe.

¶ By this ye may se that dyuers men haue so [...]uyll and larg conscyence y ^e they thynke yf they do one good d [...]e or refrayr [...] doynge of one cuyll synne y ^e ye yt satysfacc [...] for othe [...] [...] and ofencys.

THere was a company of gentlyman in northamptom [...] wēt to hunte for dere in the porlews in y ^e goslet besyde [...] ford Amonge wh [...]h gētylmē there was one which had a [...] man to his serue [...] a good archer / whiche whan they cam to a [Page]Rascall but euer he lette [...] [...]nd toke no hede to them. ¶ [...] within an houre after he saw com ryt [...] [...] the hye waye a man of the co [...]trey whych had a boget hangynge a [...] [...]yll bow / And whan this welcheman had es [...]ed hym he bad hym [...] began to drawe his bow and bad hym delyuer that lytell male that h [...] [...] at his sadyll bowe / Thys man for fere of hys lyfe was glad to delyuer [...] boget / and so dyd and than rode hys waye and was glad he was so [...] and whan this mā of the contrey was gone thys welcheman was very [...] and wente incontynente to seke hys may [...] and at the laste founde [...] [...]yth hys companye / and whan he saw hym [...] to hym and sayd [...] Mayster by cottes plut and her nayle I haue [...] yonder this two hourys and I colde se neuer a male but a lyttell male that a man had hangynge at his sadell bow / & thet I haue goten and lo here it is / and toke his master the boget whiche he had taken away from the forsayd man / for the whiche dede bothe the mayster and the seruante were after warde in greate trouble.

¶ By this ye may lerne yt is greate folye for a mayster to putte a seruaunte to that besynes wherof he can nothynge skyll and wherin he hath not ben vsyd

A yonge gentylman of the age of .xx. yere somwhat dysposed to myrth and gaue on a tyme talked wyth agentylwoman whyche was ryght wyse and also mery / thys gentylwoman as she talked with hym happenyd to loke vpon hys berde / which was but yonge and somewhat gromen vpon the ouer lyppe / & but lyttell growen benethe as all other yonge monnys berdes comynly vse to grow and sayd to hym thus / Syr ye haue a [...] none beneth / & he herynge her say so / sayde in sporte / maystres ye haue a berde beneth & none aboue / mary quod she than set y ^e tone agaynst the tother / which answere made the gentlyman so abasshed that he had not one worde to answere /

THere was a certayn white frere whiche was a very glotton and a great [...]ggyn which had an vngracyouse boy that euer folowed hym an bare his cloke and what for the freres glotony and for his [...]horlyss [...]es the boy where he wente cowlde scante gette meate [...] noughe for the frere wolde eate almoste all hym selfe / ¶ But on a [...] stere made a sermone in the contry wher in he touched very many [...] whyche cryste dyd afore hys passyon amonge which he specyally [...] the myracle whyche cryste dyd in fedynge fyue thousande people with fyue louys of brede and with .iii. lytell f [...]sshes and this frerys boy which [Page]caryd not gretely for hys ma [...] hys mayster was so great a chu [...] [...] that all the church harde and sayd [...] fryers there / whyche answere made [...] that for shame. the frere [...] out of the [...] he than departyd out of the [...] that the [...]

¶ By thys ye may se that it is hone [...] [...] depart with suche as he hath to then [...]

A Rych [...] fraynklyn dwellyn in the coūt [...] house of whom he could neuer be ryd an [...] space [...] a senyght & wold neuer deꝑt wher [...] [...] wery of hym / on a tyme / as he & hys wyfe and this frere [...] faynyd hym selfe very angry whyth hys wyfe In somoch [...] her. Thys frere perseyuyng well what they ment sayd [...] I haue bene here this seuenyght whan ye were frēdys & [...] fortenyght lenger but I wyll se you frendys agayne or I [...] uyng that he coude no good nor wolde not depart by none [...] sweryd hym shortely & sayd by god frere but thou shalt abyd [...] and toke hym by the shulders and thrust hym out of the dorys [...]

¶ By thys ye may se that he that wyl lerne no good by examp [...] [...] maner to hym showyd is worthy to be taught wyth open rebt [...]

IN the towne of bottelley dwelled a mylner whiche had a [...] homely wenche to his doughter / whome the curate of the n [...]xte towne louyd / and as the fame went had her at hys pleasure / ¶ But on a tyme thys curat prechyd of these curyouse wyues now a dayes / & whether it were for the nonys or whether it cam oute at all aduenturys he happ [...]nyd to say thus in hys sermon / ¶ ye wyues ye be so curyous in all your warkes that ye wot not what ye meane / but ye shold folow oure lady. For our lady was nothynge so curyous as ye be / but she was a good homely wenche lyke y ^e mylners doughter of Botteley. At whych sayng all the ꝑishons made gret laugh yng / and specyally they that knew that he louyd that same wenche.

¶ By this ye may se it is gret foly for a man y ^e is suspertyd with any [...]on to praise or to name the same parson o [...]enly lest it bryng hym in forther selaunder.

A Frere Lymytour come into a pore mannys howse in the countrey and because thys pore man thought thys frere myght do hym some good he therfore thought to make hym good there But bycause hys wyfe wold dresse hym no good mete for coste / he therfore at dyner tyme sayd thus By god wyfe bycause thou dyddest dresse me no good mete to my dyner were it not for mayster frere / thou shouldest haue halfe a dofyn strypes. Nay syr quod [...] frere I pray you spare not for me / wherwyth the wyfe was angry and [...] at soupper she caused them to fare wors [Page] [...] [...]cstys yf they wyl haue any [...] [...]he howse.

[...] he were well lernyde yet he was [...] whych had a Gentylmannys sonne [...] teche hym to speke latyn. Thys frere [...] in the fo [...]rey / and because thys frere [...] knowe that thys chylde had metely well spent [...] bene wyth hym / he bad thys chylde to make in [...] y ^e cloyster. Thys chylde halfe astonyed bycause [...] thys latyn so shortly answeryd at all aduentures [...] ambulant. [...] [...]yme a good old gentlyman beyng a lawyer cam to lo [...] [...] me and as he cā he hapenyd to ouertake a frere which [...] chryft and wēt alone wythout hys beuer wherfore this [...] frere where was hys beuer that shold kepe hym compa [...] [...]ontrary to hys relygyon to go alone / and it wolde cause [...] [...]ym to be som apostata or som vnthryft By god syr quod y ^e [...] maūdeth hym vnto your mastershyp / why quod the gentyl [...] [...] hym not / than (quod the frere to the gētylman) ye are the [...] for hym / [...] thys tale ye may se that he that geueth counsell to any vnthryt [...] heth hym hys dutye shall haue oftymes but a mock for hys labour [...] re gentylmen cam into an Inne where a fayre woman was tap [...] [...]fter wherfore as these thre satte there makynge mery eche of thē kyssed her and made good pastyme & plesure howbeit one spake merley & sayde I can not se how this gentylwoman is able to make pastyme & pleasure to vs all thre excepte that she were departed in thre partes / ¶ By my trouthe quod one of them yf that she myght be departed than I wolde chuse for my parte her hed and her fayre face that I my ghte alway kysse her / Than quod the second I wolde haue the breste and harte for there lyeth her loue / [...] quod the thyrd then ther is nothyng left for me but the loynys / buttockys and leggys & I am contente to haue it for my parte / And whan these gentylmē had passed the tyme there by the space of one hour or .ii. they toke theyr leue & were goynge awaye but [...] they went the thyrd man whych had chosen the bely & the buttockys dyd kys the tapyster & bad her farewell / what quod the fyrste man that had chosen y ^e fere & the mouth why dost thou so / thou dost me wronge to kysse my parte that I haue chosen of her / O quod the other I pray [...]he be nat angry for I am contente that thou shalt kys my parte for it /

IN essex there dwellyd a mery gentylman whyche had a coke callyd Thomas that was greatly dysseasyd with the tothake [...] cōplaynyd to hys mayster therof whych sayd he had a boke of made is and sayd [Page]he wold loke vp hys boke to se whether he coud fynd any medecyn therin for it and so send one of hys doughters to hys study for hys boke / and incontynent lokyd vppon yt a long season / and than sayd thus to hys coke. Thomas quot he here is a medesyn for your tothake and yt ys a charm but yt wyl do you vp good except ye knele on your knees & aske yt for sent charyte Thys man glad to be relesyd of hys payn kneled and sayd mayster for seit charyte let me haue that medecyne. Than quod thys gentylman knele on your knees and say after me / whyche knelyd downe and sayd after hym as he bad hym ¶ Thys gentylman began and sayd thus. The son on the sonday, The son on the sonday quod thomas. The mone on the monday / the mone on the monday. The trynyte on the tewsyday the trynyte on the tewsday The wyt on the wednysday the wyt on the wednysday. The holy holy thursday / the holy holy thursday And all that fast on fryday & all that fast on fryday Shyte in thy mouthe on saterday. Thys Thomas coke heryng hys mayster thus mokkyng hym in [...] angrer stert vp and sayd by goddys body mokkyng churle I wyll neuer do the seruyce more. And went forth to hys chamber to gete hys gere to geder to thentēt to haue gon thēs by & by but what for the anger that he toke with his mayster for the mok that he gaue hym / & what for labor that he roke to geder hys gere so shortly to geder / the payne of y ^e tothake went from hym ī cōtance that hys mayster cam to hym and made hym to tary styll / and tolde hym that hys charme was the cause of the ease of the payne of the tothake.

¶ By thys tale ye may fh that anger oftymes puttyth away the bodely payne /

A Skoler of oxford latley made mayster of art cam in to the cyte of london and in poulys mette with the sayd mery gētylmā of essex which was euer disposyd to play many mery pageantys wyth whom before he had bene of famylyer accoyntaunce and prayd hym to gyue hym a sercenet typet / This gentylman more lyberall of promyse than of gyfte graūtyn hym he shold haue one yf he wold com to hys lodgyng to the synne of the bull wythout byshops gate in the next mornynge at .vi. of the cloke. Thys skoler thankyd hym and for that nyght departyd to hys lodgyng in flete strete / and in the mornyng erely as he poyntyd cam to hym to the sygne of the bull / And as thys gentlyman saw hym he bad hym go wyth hym in to [...]he Cyte and he sholde be sped anon whyche incontynent went togyder tyll he cam in to seynt Laurence church in the Iury where the gentylman espyed a preste raue [...] to masse and told the skoller that yonder is the presse that hath the typet for you and bad hym knele downe in y ^e pew and he shold speke to hym for it and incontynent thys gentylman wente to the preest and sayd. Sir here is a [...] ler a kynnysman of myne gretly dyseasyd wyth the chyncough. I pray you whan masse is donne gyue hym .iii. [...]raughtys of your chales. The preest grā tyd hym and tornyd hym to y ^e ske [...]r and sayd Syr I shall serue you as sone as I haue sayd masse The skoler than taryed styll and herd the mas trusting [Page]than whan the masse was done that the pres [...]e wold gyue hym hys typet of [...]arcenet. Thys gentylman in the meane whyle departyd out of the chyrche Thys preste whan mas was done putte wyne in the chales. And cam to the [...]koler knelyng in the pew profferyng hym to drynk of the chales / thys scoler lokyd vpon hym and musyd & sayd why master ꝑson wherfor [...] [...]fer ye me the chales mary quod thē prest for the gentylman told me ye were [...]ysseayd with the chyncough & prayd me therfor that for amedecyne yemight drynk of y ^e chales Nay by seynt ma [...] [...]od y ^e scoler he promysyd me ye shulde delyuer me a typet of sarcenet / [...] [...]od y ^e preest he spake to me of no typet but he desyred me to gyue yow drynk of the chales for the chyncough / By goddis body quod the scoler he is as he was euer wont to be but a mokkyng wretch and euer I lyue. I shall quyte hym and so departid out of the church in great anger.

¶ By thys tale ye may percyue it is no wysdom for a man to truste to a man [...] do a thyng that is contrary to hys old accustumyd cōdycyons

AT fortunid ther was a great varyance bitwen the bysshop of Norwych & one mayster Skelton a poyet lauryat In so much that the bysshop commaundyd hym that he shuld not come in hys gatys Thys mayster skelton dyd absent hym selfe for a long seson. But at the laste he thought to do hys dewty to hym & studyed weys how he myght obtayne the bysshopys fauour / & determynyd hem self that he wold come to hym wyth some present & humble hymself to the byshop and gat a cople of Fesantes and ca [...]o the byshuppys place & requyryd the porter he myghte come in to speke wyth my lord. This porter knowyng his lordys pleasure wold not suffer him to come in at the gatys wherfor thys mayster skelton went on the baksyde to seke some other way to come in to the place. But the place was motyd that he cowlde se no way to come ouer except in one place where there lay a long tree ouer the motte in maner of a brydge that was fallyn down wyth wynd / wherfore thys master skelton went a long vpon the tree to come ouer and whan he was almost ouer hys fote slyppyd for lak of sure fotyng & fel in to the mote vp to myddyll: but at the last he recoueryd hym self and aswell as he coud dryed hym self ageyne / and sodenly cam to the byshop beyng in hys hall than lately rysen from dyner / whyche whan he saw skleton commyng sodenly sayd to hym why thow [...]aytyfe I warnyd the thow shuldys neuer come in at my gaty [...] and chargyd my porter to kepe the out ¶ Forsoth my lorde quod skelton though ye gaue suche charge / and though your gatys by neuer so suerly kept yet yt ys no more possible to kepe me out of your dorys thā to kepe out crowes or pyes for I cam not in at your gatys but I cam ouer the mote y ^e I haue be [...] almost drownyd for my labour / and shewed hys clothys how euyll he was arayed / whych causyd many that stode therby to laughe apace / Than quod Skelton yf it lyke your lordeshyp I haue brought you a dyshe to your super a cople of Fesantes. Nay quod the byshop I defy the & thy Fesantys also and wrech as thou art pyke the out of my how [...]e for I wyll none of thy gyft How [Page] [...] ton than consyderynge that the bysshope [...] [...]ym [...]o [...]e [...]o o [...]e, [...]ayd to [...] of his famylyers thereby, that thoughe it were [...] to be christened a fole / it was moche worse to be confyrmed a fole of inche a bysshoppe / for the n [...] of confyrmacyon muste nedes abyde. Therfore he [...]magened howe he my [...] auoyde that confyrmacyon / & mused a [...] [...]nd at the laste sayde to the [...] shope thus / if your lordeshype knewe ther [...]mes of these fesantes ye wol [...] cōtente to take them, why caytefe quod the bisshoppe hastly and angrey [...] be theyr names / ywys my lorde quod Skelton this [...] is called [...] which is in prim [...] the fyrst / & this is called O that is [...] [...]us the [...] for th [...] [...]ore pla [...] [...] standynge of my mynde / if to [...] your [...] to ta [...] [...]em, I [...] this alpha is the fyrste that [...] this [...] the last [...] yll gyue you whyle. I lyue [...] swer [...] [...] laughter, and, all th [...] [...] to be good [...]de [...] conceyces / at [...] wente the [...] vnto his [...]

¶ By th [...] eytes dothe [...]

A good than to [...] and melancoly. [...] yoman of the kynges [...] a vyllage besyde [...] had a very fayre yonge w [...]fe / & [...]home a carter of the towne [...] lowe resorted and [...]ay [...] with her [...]ers tymes whan her husba [...] [...] openly knowen that all the towne spake thereof / [...] nan of the towne well a [...]quoint [...]d w ^e this yeman [...] suche a carter hadde [...]e by his wyfe. To who [...] [...] sware by godde goody if he [...]ette with him it [...] [...]uod the yonge [...] if ye go streyght euen nowe [...] way ye [...] lam dryuyng a carte laden with haye towarde Lon [...] wher [...] of garde incontynent rode after this carter, & with [...] rte space [...] him and knewe him well ynoughe [...] and incontynent [...] he carter [...] sayd thus. Syrra I vnderstande that thou doste [...] nyght with my wyfe whan I am from home. This carted beynge no [...] [...]frayde of him answered ye mary what than. what than quod the ye [...] [...] arde / by g [...]es harte haddest thou nat tolde me truth I wolde haue [...] hede. And [...] the yeman of garde retou [...]ed and no hurte done no [...] nor proferred.

¶ By this ye [...] se that the greattest crakers sōtyme whan it commeth to the profe be moste cowardes.

A Fole there was that dwelled with a gentylman in the countrey whiche was called a great tyraunte and an extorcyoner. But this fole loued his mayster meruaylously because he cherysshed hym so well. I [...]

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[...] go to hell / by my trou [...] quod che fole for I wyll go with my master / & I [...] sure my master shall go [...] hell / For euery man seyth he shall go to y ^e deuyl [...] and therfore I wyll go thyder with hym /

THere was a certain pl [...]ans son of the contrey of the age of .xvi. yeres that neuer coni [...] [...] amonge company but alway went to [...] plough & husbandry [...] tyme this yonge lad went to a weddyng [...] with his f [...]der where he se one lute vpon a lute / & whan he cā home [...] nygt [...] asked hym what sporte he had at weddynge This [...] by my trouth moder quod he there was one y ^t brought [...] mes and tykled her so vpon the neck that shecreky [...] the [...] hard gose creke in my lyfe.

[...] house in london there was a mayde whiche was [...] to whom the maystres of the house cam and that [...] her [...] the fader of the chylde / To whom the [...] [...]wered for [...] [...] / why quod the maystres it is not [...] [...]ble but som ma [...] [...] fader therof / To whom the mayd [...] maystres why [...] a chyld without a man as well as [...] [...]ay eggys without a cock.

[...] may ye se it is harde to [...]ynde a wom [...] [...]ithout a [...] excuse.

[...] [...]entylman there was dw [...]lynge nygh kyng [...] [...] [...]ynge in the contrey wit [...] [...]is seruauur whi [...] [...] qu [...]kyst felowe / But to [...] always sadly by [...] wordys / [...] mayster sayd to [...] so s [...]dly I wolde ha [...] the tell me some [...] tyme with / by [...] [...]uch mayster quod he I can tell [...] quod mayster canst [...] not synge / no by m [...] trou [...]he quod [...] neuer synge in all my lyfe / quod y ^e master cast thou [...] my [...] master quo [...] I can not but yf ye wyll begyn to [...] folow [...] as I can / by my trouth quod the mayster y ^• is well [...] wyll be [...] to make a ry [...]e let me se h [...] well thou canst folowe [...] whyle and then began to tyme thus / Many [...] in temmys and so do myne. ¶ [...]n quod the seruant / And many [...] by other mennys wyues and so [...]. I by thyne [...] what dost thou [...] the master / by my trouthe mayster n [...]thynge quod he but make [...] but qu [...]d the mayster I charge the [...] why thou saye [...] forsoth [...] quod he for nothynge in the worlde out to make vp your tyme / Than quod the mayster / yf thou do [...]st fornothynge ellys I am content. So the mayster for gaue hym hys saynge all thoughe he sayd trouthe peraduenture. [Page] [...] uoure to his seruant / and commaūded his [...] at shortely to [...] answere. This welcheman came to the chefe [...] place / & [...] an ape syttynge there in a cote made for hym as they vse to [...] disporte. This welcheman dyd of his ca [...]pe [...]nd made curtsy [...] [...] sayd. My mayster recommendeth hym to [...] lorde youre [...] hym here a letter. This ape toke this [...] & opened it and [...] after loked vpon the man makynge many mockes and [...] tyes of apes is to do. This welcheman because [...]e vnd [...] [...] agayne to his mayster accordynge to his commaunde [...] [...] delyuered the letter vnto my lorde chefe iustyce sonne [...] in a furred cote. Anone his mayster asked hym what [...] sayd he gaue hym an answere, but it was other frenche [...] stode him nat. But syr quod he ye nede nat to feare [...] sav [...], [...] naunce so moche that I warrante you he wyll do your [...] lorde [...] ther. This gentylman in truste thereof ma [...]e [...] For lac [...] [...]herof his seruaunte that had done the felony [...], [...] after w [...] rayned at the kynges benche and caste and afterwarde [...]anged [...] this ye may se that euery wyse man ought to take hede that [...] [...]sshe seruaunte vpon a hasty message that is a matter [...]

[...] [...]owe there was whiche profered a dagger to sell to a fe [...] [...]hiche answered him and sayd that he had ryght nought [...] therfore / wherefore the other sayde that he shulde haue hys da [...] [...] [...]dicyon that he shulde gyue and delyuer vnto hym / Therfore [...] dayes after ryghte nought, or els forty shylly [...]iges [...] money / whe [...] [...] other was contente. Thys bergayne thus agreed he that shulde [...] ryght noughte toke no thoughte vntyll suche tyme that the day [...] drewe nye. At the whiche tyme he began to ymagen howe he myght [...] this man ryght nought: And fyrst of all he thought on a feder / a [...] [...]yness poynte / and suche other / but nothynge coulde he deuyse but that it was somwhat / wherefore he came home all sadde and pe [...]tyfe for sorowe of le [...]ynge of his .xl. shillynges / and coulde nother slepe nor tak [...] reste / wherof his wyfe beynge agreued, demaunded the cause of his heu [...] nes whiche at the last after many denayes tolde her all / well fyr quod she lette me here with alone / and gette ye forthe a towne and I shall handell this matter [...] ynoughe. This man folowynge his wyfes counsell went forthe of the [Page] [...] This man be [...]ge glad thrust his hande in it supposyng to haue [...] [...]ynges of money and thruste his hande thoroughe it vp to the [...] the wyfe than [...]yr what haue ye there. Mary quod he ryghte [...] she than haue [...] youre bergayne and than thy husbande [...] for his dagge [...] [...]ordynge to his promyse.

[...] se that oftentymes a womans wytte at an extremyte [...] than a mans.

[...] [...]tayne lymyttour whyche wents a lymyttynge to a cer [...] [...] [...]herein dwelled a certayne ryche man, of whome he ne [...] [...] she value of an halpeny / yet he thought he wolde go thy [...] assaye them. And as he wente thyderwarde the wyfe stan / [...] per [...]yuynge hym commynge a farre of / thoughte that he [...] the [...] / and by and by ranne in and badde her chyldren standyng [...] asked for her say she was nat within. The frere [...] suspected the cause and came to the dore and asked for [...] chyldren as they were bydden, sayde that she was nat within / [...]han stode he styll lokynge on the chyldren / and at the laste he [...] hym [...] [...]ldyste and badde hym let hym se his hande / & whan he [...] hande / O Iesu quod he what fortune for the is ordayned. [...] [...]econde sonne to se his hande / and his hande sene the frere sayd. [...] for the is prepared / Thā loked he in the thyrde sonne [...] quod be thy desteny is hardest of all / & therwith wente he his [...] th [...]se thinges, sodenly ranne out and called the frere aga [...] [...] him to [...] / and after to sytte downe, and sette before [...] that she had / And whan he had well eaten & dronken she [...] all her y ^e destenyes of her chyldren / which at the last after many [...] her that the fyrste shulde be a begger / the seconde a thefe / the thy [...] [...]ouncyde / whiche she hearynge fell downe in a soone and toke it gre [...] [...] The frere comforted her and said that thoughe these were theyr [...] here myght be remedy had / than she besought him of his counsell / thing [...] the frere ye m [...]st make the eldest that shalbe a beggar a frere, and the [...] [...]hat shalbe a these a man of lawe / and the thyrde that shalbe an homicyd [...] ph [...]sicyon.

¶ By this tale ye may lerne that they that w [...]ll come to the spe [...] o [...] presence of any persone for theyr owne cause they muste fyrste [...]deuer thē selfe to shewe suche matters as those persones most [...].

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[...] wente the man [...] and sayd, syr thy mayster byddeth the gyue me .xl. pens / I wyll ne [...] quod the boye / than called the man wich an hye voyce to the frere and sayd yr he sayeth he wyll nat / than quod thē frere bete him / and whan th [...] boye harde his mayster say so he gaue the man .xl. pens.

¶ By this ye may se it is foly for a man to say ye or nay to a [...], excepte he knewe surely what the matter [...]

A Certayne bocher dwelynge in say [...] N [...]colas Flessham [...]les in L [...]ndon called Poule, had a seruaunt called Peter. Thy [...] Pe [...]er [...]n [...] sonday was at the churche herynge masse, & [...] o [...] us felow [...] name was Philyppe spencer was sente to call him at the [...] his maister. So it happened at the tyme that the curat [...] [...] inh [...] sermonde touched many auctoryties of the holy scrip [...] all the wordes of the pystell of saynt Poule and phylyppenses [...] be [...]nat onely bounde to beleue in chryste, but also to suffre for Chryste [...] sake and sa [...] [...] wordes in the pulpet. what sayeth Poule and Philyppenses to this. Thys yonge man that was called Philyppe Spenser hadde went he had spoken of him, answered shortely and sayd / mary syr he bad Peter come home and take his parte of a podynge, for he shulde go for a calfe anone. The curate herynge this was abasshed and all the audyence made great laughter.

¶ By this tale ye may lerne that it is no token of a wyse man to gyue a soden answere to a questyō before he knowe surely what y ^• matter is.

THere came a courtyer by a carter, the whiche in derysy [...] [...] the carters backe, legges, & other membres of his body meru [...]yl [...]sly, whose gestynge the carter perceyued and sayde / he had another properte than the courtyer espyed in hym / and whan the courtyer had demaunded what it shulde be / he loked asyde ouer hys shulder vpon the courtyer and sayde thus. Lo syr this is my propertie / I haue a walle eye in my hede [...] / for I neuer loke ouer my shulde [...] this wyse, but lyghtlye espye a knaue.

¶ By this tale a man may se that he that vseth to d [...]yde & moc [...] [...] folkes is somtyme him selfe more deryded and mocked.

A yonge man of the age of .xx. yere rude & vnlerned in y ^• tyme of [...] to his curate to be confessed, whiche whan he was of his lyfe [...] and examyned / coulde nat saye his Pater noster; wherefore hys [...]nfestoure exorted him to lerne his Pater noster, and shewed him what an holy & goodly prayer it was / and the effecte [...]erof / and the .vii. peticyons therin contayned [Page] [...] alway and helpe vs as we haue and [...] y ^• haue [...] .v. Dunitte: [...] Forgyue vs our synnes done to the [...]s we forgyue th [...]n. that [...]espas agaynste vs. The .vi. Et ne nos. Let vs nat be ouer [...]o [...] [...] emptacyon. The .vii. Sed libera. &c. But delyuer vs from al [...] And th [...]n his confessour after this exposicyon to hym made in [...] in [...]enaunce to faste euery fryday brede and water tyll he had his [...] and sufficiently l [...]rned. This yonge man mekely acceptyng his penau [...] [...] departed and came home to one of his cōpanyons and sayde [...] So [...]tis [...] my gostely father hathe gyuen me in penaunce to [...] water tyll I can say my Pater noster. Therfore [...] Pater noster / and by my truthe I shall therfore teche [...] that shall be worthe .xx. of it.

[...] ye may lerne to knowe the effecte of the holy prayer of [...].

A L [...]erta [...] there was whiche vpon our Lady day the Annuncya [...]ion [...] a sermon in the whyte freres in London / and began his antet [...], his wyse. Aue maria gracia plena dominus tecum. &c. These wordes quod the frere were spoken by the aungell Gabryell to our [...] ladye whan she conceyued Christe / which is as moche to saye in our mother tonge, as all hayle Mary well thou be the sonne of [...]od is with the. And furthermore the aungell sayde / thou shalte conceyue a [...] here a sonne. And thou shal [...]e call his [...]aine Iesum / and Elyzabeth thy swete cosyn, she shall conceyue the swet [...] saynt Iohn̄. And so proceded styll in his sermon in suche fonde ryme, that dyuers a [...]d many gētylmen of the court that were there, began to smyle and laugh [...]. [...]he frere that perceyung said thus. Maysters I pray you harke I shall tell you a harracyon. There was ones a yonge pre [...]st that was nat all the best clerke sayd masse & redde a colelt thus. Deus qui vigenti filii tui. &c. wherfore he shulde haue said vnige [...]ti filii tui. &c. And after whan masse was done there was suche a gentylman as one of you are nowe y ^e had herde thys masse came to the prsest and sayde thus, Syr I pray you tell me howe many [...] had god alm ghty / ꝙ the preest why aske you that. Mary syr quod the gentyl [...] suppo [...]e he had .xx. sonnes / for ye said ryght nowe, Deus qui viginti f [...]tu [...]. The preest perceyuynge howe that he deryded hym / answered hym sh [...]ly and said thus / howe many sonnes so euer [...]od almyghty had / I [...] that thou arte none of them / for thou scornyst the worde of god / And so sayde the frere in the pulpet, No more are [...]e none of the chyldren of god / for ye scorne & laughe at me nowe that preche t you y ^e worde of god / whiche [Page] [...] & [...] holyest matter that is by fond pronuncyacion & [...]tteraūs may be [...] / nor shall not edytye to y ^e audyēce. Therfore euery proces wold be v [...]eryd wyth wordys & countenaunce conuenyent to the matter ¶ Also yet by thys tale they that be vnlernyd ni the laten tonge may know the [...]e [...] tence of the Aue Maria.

IN a wyllage in warwyk shyre there was a parysh prest all though he wer no great clarke nor grad [...]at of the vnynersyte / yet he [...]rechid to hys paryshons vppon a s [...]aday / [...]claryng to th [...] xii. artycles of the Crede. Shewyng them that [...]he furst [...] was to be [...] god the fader almyghty maker of heuen and erth. [...] T [...] bele [...] [...] cryste hys onely son our lorde coequal wyth the fa [...] in all [...]yngys [...] to the deyte. The thyrd that he was conceyuyd [...] Borne [...]f the vyrgyn Mary. The fourthe that he suffred deth [...] pylate / and that he was crucyfyed dede and beryed / The fyft that [...] to h [...] and fet out the good sowlys that were in feyth & hope / and tha [...] [...] rose from deth to lyfe. The syxt he assendyd into heuen to [...]he ryght [...] of god y ^• fader where he [...]ccyht. The seuynth that he shall come at the day of dome to Iudge both vs that be [...] and them that be dede The eyght to belue in the holy gost eqaoll god w [...]h the fader and the sone The nynth ī the holy churche Catholyk and in the [...] communyon of sayntes. The tenth In the remyssy on of synnys. The le [...]nth In the resurreccyon generall of the body & soule The twel [...]th / in euer [...]stynge lyfe that god shall rewarde them th [...]e good / And say [...] hys par [...]shons further that these artycles ye be boun [...] to beleue [...] they [...]trewe of [...]uctoryte / ¶ And yf you beleue not me / th [...] for a more su [...]te and [...]uff [...]cyent [...]ucto [...]yte / go your way to couentre & [...] y [...] shall se them [...] corpus cristi playe.

¶ By redyn [...]e of thys tale they that vnderstand [...] laten may lerue to [...] [...]ticles of the fayth.

[...] of the gray freres in London [...] prechyd in a cer [...]la [...] [...] in the contrey in the tyme or [...]lymytacyon / & had [...] mon whych he had lernyd by [...] of the [...] of the [...] / The fyrst to beleue in one [...] to [...] aboue all [...] to swere not in vane by him nor none of [...] from wordely operacyon on the [...] thou and [...] thou haste cherg / The fourthe to [...]ur thy parentys [...] to [...]pe the [...] theyr necessyte. The fyft to sle no man in dede nor wyll / nor for no ha [...] hurt his bodye nor good name. The [...] to do no fornycacyon actuall / [...] by no vnlefull thought to desyre no fleshly delectacyon / The seuenthe to [...] nor depryue no mannes goodes by the [...] [Page] [...] desyre thy neyghbours wyfe for thyne owne apetyte vnlaufully. [...] becau [...]e this frere had preched this sermōde so often / one that had herde it bef [...]e tolde the freres seruaunte that his maister was called frere Iohn̄ .x. commaundementes wherfore this seruaunte shewed the frere his mayster therof, and aduyset [...] to preche some sermonde of some other matter, for it greued him to here his maister so deryded, and to be called frere Iohn̄ .x. cōmaundementes / for euery man knoweth what ye wyll [...]ay as sone as euer ye begyn, because ye haue preched it so ofte / why than q [...]od the frere I am sure thou knowest well which [...]e the .x. commaundementes [...]hat hast herde them so ofte declared / ye [...] the seruau [...]e that I do. Than ꝙ the frere I pray the reherse them [...] nowe. A [...] quod the seruaunte these be they. Pryde, couetous, slouthe, enuy, wr [...] [...]l [...]ony, and Lechery.

¶ By [...] ale ye may lerne to knowe the .x. [...]maund [...] mentes [...]. dedely synnes.

THe husba [...] [...] sayde fo his wyfe thus wyse / by this [...] I dremed thys nyght that I was cockecolde. To whome she [...] sayd husbande. By this brede ye are none. Than sayd he, [...] the brede. She answered and sayd to her husb [...]de [...] eate you the [...]dell for you sware fyrste.

¶ By this a man may se that a woma [...] [...]

A woman demaunded a [...] [...]nto a man [...] [...]awe of what cra [...]te his [...] whiche thy [...], his father was a [...]actye man of lawe.

¶ By this tale a man may perceyue that somtyme [...]raduenture ydnge. In [...]centes speke truely vnaduy [...]ed.

IN a certayne parrysshe churche in London after the olde [...]udable & accustomed maner, there was a frere mynor all thoughe he were nat the best clerke nor coulde nat make the best sermondes / yet by the lycence of the curate he there preched to the parysshons. Amonge the whyche [...]dyence there was a wyfe at th [...] tyme lytell disposed to contemplacyon talked wyth [...] of hers of o [...]her femenyne tales so loude / y ^e the frere harde, and som what was p [...]urbed therwith. To whome therfore openly the frere spake and sayd. Th [...]u woman there in the tawny gowne, holde thy peace and leaue thy babe [...]g [...], [...] troublest the worde of god. This woman therwith sodenly abas [...]ed because y ^e frere spake to her so openly y ^e [...] [...]he people her behelde, answered shortly & said. I beshrowe his hartē y ^e ba [...]eleth more of vs two. At the which seyng y ^e people dyd laughe because they fe [...]e but lytell frute in hys sermonde. ¶ By this tale a man may lerne to be w [...]re howe he openly rebuketh any other and in what audyence lest it torne to his owne reprofe. [Page] [...] they toke many great interpry [...]es and many [...], and many pr [...]oners [...] other realmes that were theyr enemyes. Amonge the whiche they h [...]ppened on a season to take a Scottes shepe, and dyuers Scottes they [...]ewe and toke prisoners / amonge whome there was a welcheman that had one of the scottes prysoners and bad him that he shulde do of his harneys / whiche to do the Scotte was very lothe / howe be it for [...] at the laste he pulled it of with an euyll wyll and sayd to the welcheman, & if thou wylte [...] my harneys take it there, and cast it ouer the borde into the see. [...] [...]cheman seynge that sayd / by Cottes blut and her nayle, I shall make [...] it agayne and toke him by the legges and caste hym after ouer the bord [...] [...].

¶ By this tale a man may lerne that he that is [...] ought to forsake his owne wyll, and folowe his [...] and co [...]mundement that so hathe subieccyon ouer him, les [...] turne to h [...]s great hurte and damage.

THere was a man that maryed a woman whiche had [...] beautie / howe be it she had suche an impedyment of nature that [...] was domme and coulde nat speke / whiche thinge made him to be [...] pen [...] syfe and sadde / wherfore vpon a day as he walked alone ryght [...] harte, thynkynge vpon his wy [...]. There came one to him and asked hym what was the cause of his heuynesse, whiche answered that it was onely because his wife was borne domme. To whome this other sayde I shall shewe the sone a remedye and a medecyne (therfore that is thus). Go take an aspen lefe and laye it vnder her tonge this nyght she beynge a slep [...], and I warante the that she shall speke on the morowe / whiche man beynge glad of this medecyne prepared therfore, and gathered aspen leaues / wherfore he layde thre of them [...]nder her tonge whan she was a slepe. And on the morowe whan he hym selfe awaked, he pe [...]rous to knowe howe his medecyne wrought beynge in bedde with her, he demaunded of her howe she dyd / and sodenly she answered and sayd, I beshrowe your harte for wakenynge me so erly / and so by the vertue of that medecyne she was restored to her speche: But in conclusyon her speche so en [...]eased day by day, and she was so curste of condycyon that euery daye she b [...]uled and chydde with her hushande, so moche that at the laste he was more [...]e [...]ed and hadde moche more trouble and disease with her shrewde wordes than he hadde before whan she was dome / wherfore as he walked another tyme [...] he happened to meate agayne with the same persone that taughte [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] I praye you teche me a medecyne to modefye her that she speke nat so moche. This other answered and sayd thus. Syr I am a deuyll of hell / but I am one of them that haue leste power there. All be it yet I haue power to make a woman to speke / [...]ut and if a woman begyn ones to speke / I nor all the deuyls in hell that haue the mo [...] power be nat able to make a woman to be styll, nor to cause her to leaue her spekynge.

¶ By this tale ye may note that a man ofte tymes desyreth and co / ueteth t [...] [...]oche that thynge that ofte turneth to his displeasure.

ONe asked a p [...]actour of the arches lately before maryed, why he chose hym [...] lytell a wyfe / whiche answered because he had a texte sayenge [...] thus. E [...] bus malis minus malus est eliendum, that is to saye in englysshe / amonge eu [...]ll thinges the leste is to be chosen.

[...]N the tyme of Lente there came two nonnes to saynte Iohn̄s in London bycau [...] of the great pardon there to be confessed. Of the whyche nonnes, the one was a yonge lady and the other was olde. This yonge [...]ady chose fyrst her confessour, and confessed her that she hadde synned in Lethery. The confessour asked with whome it was / she sayd it was with a lustye [...] gallante. He demaunded where it was / she sayd in a pleasaunte grene herber, he asked further whan it was. She sayd in the mery moneth of Maye. Than sayd the confessour this wyse / a fayre yonge lady with a lusty galante, in a pleasaunte herber and in the mery moneth of Maye ye dyd but your kynde / nowe by my truthe god forgyue you and I do, and so she departed. And incontynent the olde nonne mette with her, askynge her howe she lyked her con [...] / whiche sayd he was the best gostly father that euer she hadde, and the moste easyest in penaūce geuyng. For comfort wherof this other nonne went to the same confessour, and shroue her lykewyse y ^e she had synned in Lechery. And he demaunded with whome, whiche sayde with an olde frere / he asked where, she said in her olde cloyster. He asked what season, she sayde in Lente. Than the confessour sayd, and olde hore to lye with an olde frere in her olde cloyster, and in the holy tyme of Lente / by cockes body if god forgyue the, yet wyll I neuer forgyue the. whiche wordes caused her to departe all sadde and sore abasshed.

¶ By this tale men may lerne that a vicyous acte is more ab [...]omynable in one person than in another, in one season than in another, and in one place than in an other.

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[...] to blowe / a yonge squyer of Englande rydyinge on a [...]ul [...] courser, of why [...] horse the noyse of the trumpettes so prycked the [...]urage that the squyer cou [...] nat hym retayne / so that agaynste hys wyll he ranne vpon hys enemyes whyche squyer seynge none other remedy set [...]e hi [...] spere in the rest, and rode throughe the thyckest of hys enemyes [...] all conclusyon had good fortune and saued hym selfe alyue without hurt / and the [...] [...]onste folowe [...] and had the victorye. And ofter whan the [...] this hynge Edwarde called the squyer / and [...] wolde make hym knyght because he valyauntely was the mant [...]a [...] day [...] couragyous [...] [...]ake aduentured fyrste vpon theyr enemye [...] [...] [...]home the squyer thus answered, if it lyke youre grace to ma [...]ke [...] fore / I beseche you to make my horse knyght and na [...]mn [...] his dede and nat myne / and full sore agaynste my wy [...] [...] were the kynge herynge refrayned to promote hym to the order of [...] purynge him in maner but for a cowarde / and euer after fauo [...] [...] be lisse therfore.

¶ By this tale a man may lerne howe it is wysedo [...] [...] in good credence to kepe hym therein, and in no wyse to, [...], selfe to moche.

A yonge man late maryed to a wyfe thought it was good pole [...]e to gette the maystrye of her in the begynnynge. Came to her the potte sethynge ouer the fyre, all thoughe the meate therein were nat ynoughe / sodenlye commaunded her to take the potte fro the fyre / whiche answered and [...], that the meate was nat redy to eate. And he said agayne I wyll haue it taken of for my pleasure. This good woman lothe yet to offende hym, sette the potte besyde the fyre as he badde. And anone after he commaunded her to sette the potte behynde the dore, & she said agayne ye be nat wyse therin. But he precysely said it shulde be so as he bad. And she gentylly agayne dyd his cō maundement. This man yet nat satiffyed cōmauūded her to set y ^e pot a hygh vpon the henne roste / what ꝙ the wyfe I trowe ye be madde. And he fyerslye than commaūded her to sette it there or els he sayd she shulde repente it. She somwhat afrayde to moue his pacyence toke a ladder & sette it to the rost, and wente her selfe vp the ladder and toke the potte in her hande prayeng her husbande than to holde the ladder faste for slydynge whiche so dyd. And whan the hu [...]de loked vp and sawe the potte stande there on hyght he sayd thus. Lo nowe standeth the potte there as I wolde haue it. This wyfe hearynge [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...]

AL [...] [...]tayne confessour in the holy tyme [...] saye dayly for his pen [...]ure this prayer. Agnus [...]e [...] miserere me [...], whiche was as moche th saye [...]nengly she as the lambe of god haue mercye vpon me. This penytence acceptynge his penaunce departed / and that tyme twelfe monthe after came agay [...]e [...] confessed of the same confessour whiche demau [...]ed of him whether he had fulfylled his penaunce that he hym enioyned the laste [...] say he thus, ye syr I thanke god I haue fulfylled it. For I haue sa [...] [...]hu [...] [...]daye in the mornynge and so dayly / the shepe of god haue mercy [...] me. To whome the confessour said. [...] [...]ad the say Agnus [...] mei, that is the lambe of god haue merc [...] [...]: ye syr quod [...] ye say truthe that was the laste yere. But nowe it is a tw [...]le [...] [...] it is a shepe by this tyme. Therfore I muste nedes say no [...] of [...]od haue mercy vpon me.

[...] ye may perceyue that if holy scripture be expowned [...] lay people onely in the lytterall sence. Peraduenture it shall [...] lytell good.

I [...] dyuers to be in communicacyon, amonge whome there was a [...] a parysshe pr [...]est / and one Iohn̄ Dawe a parisshon of his whiche . [...]. had communicacyon more busy than other in thys maner. This pre [...]st thought that one myght not by felynge knowe one from a nother in the darke. Iohn̄ dawe his parysshone of the contrarye opinyon layde with his curate for a wager .xl. pence / wherupon the parysshe preest wyllynge to proue his wager wente to this Iohn̄ dawes house in the euenynge and sodenly gate [...] to bedde with his wyfe where whan he began to be somwhat busye / she felynge his crowne sayde shortely with a loude voyce / by god thou arte nat Iohn̄ dawe. That hearynge her hushand [...] answered, thou sayest trouthe wyfe I am here Iohn̄ dawe. Therfore mayster persone gyue me the money for ye haue loste your .xl. pence.

¶ By this tale ye may lerne to perceyue that it is no wysedome for a man for the couetous of wynnynge of any wager to put in ieopardye a thynge that maye turne him to greatter displeasure.

A Ryche Frankelyn in the countrey hauynge by his wyse but one [...]ylde and no mo, for the great affeccyon that he had to his sayd chylde foūde hyin at Oxforde to scole by the space of .ii. or .iii. yere. Thys yonge scoler in a vocacyon tyme for his disporte came home to his father [...] [...]ortuned afterwarde on a nyght, the father, the mother, and the sayd yonge scoler [Page] [...] in the dysshe [...] thre chekyns. Mary sayde the father that wolde I fayne [...]e. The scoller toke one of the chekyns in his [...] and said. Lo here is one chekyn, and incontynente he toke bothe the chekyns in his hande io [...]ntely and sayd, here is .ii. chekyns / and one and .ii. maketh .iii. Ergo here is .iii. chekyns. Than the father toke one of y ^e chekyns to him selfe & gaue another to his wyfe & sayd thus. Lo I wyll haue one of the [...]hekyns to my parte, & thy mother shal haue a nother, and because of thy good argumente thou shaire haue y ^e thyrde to thy supper, for thou gettyst no more meate here at this tyme / whyche promyse the father kepte and so the scoller wente without his supper.

¶ By this tale men may se that it is great f [...]ly to put one to scole [...] lerne any subtyll scyence whiche hathe no nature, [...]wytre.

A Frere of London there was that on a sonday in six mornynge yerly in the somer season came fro London to Barnette t [...] make a co [...]cyon / & was there an houre before hye masse began, and bycause he wolde come to the churche honestly / he wente fyrst to an ale house there to wype his shoes and to make him selfe clenly. In the whyche house there were podynges to sell / and dyuers folkes there brekynge theyr faste and eatynge podynges. But the frere brake his faste in a secrete place in the same house. This frere sone after came to the churche, and by lycence of the curate entered into the pulpet to make a colacyon or sermon. And in his sermon there he rebuked sore the maner of them that vsed to breke theyr faste on the sonday before hye masse & said it was called the deuyls blacke brekefast. And with that worde spekynge as he dyd caste his armes out to make his countenaunce, there fell a podyng out of his sleue / whiche he hym selfe had stolen a lytell before in the same ale house / and whan the people sawe that and specially they that brake theyr faste there the same mornynge and knewe well that the wyfe had complayned howe she had one of her podynges stolen / they laughed so moche at the frere that he incontynente wente downe out of the pulpet for shame.

¶ By this tale a man may se that whan a precher dothe rebuke any synne or vyce wherin he is knowen opēly to [...]egyltie him selfe / suche prechynge shall lytell edefye to the people.

A Certayne scoler there [...]as intendynge to be made a pre [...], whyche hadde nother great [...] nor lernynge came to the byss [...]oppe to take orders / whose folysshenes the bysshoppe perceyuynge b [...]use he was a ryche mannes sonne wold [...] nat very strongly appose him but asked him thys [Page] [...] scoler to departed and came home to his father & shewed hym the cause of the hynderaunce of his orders. Hys father beyng angry at his folisshenes thought to teche hy [...] the solucyon of this questyon by a famylyer example, and called his [...]pan [...]ess before hym and sayd thus. Thou knowest well Colle my dogge hathe these .iii. whelpes, ryg, trygge, and tryboll. Muste nat all my dogges nedes be syre to tryboll. Than quod the scoler by god father ye sayd trouthe let me alone nowe, ye shall se my do well ynoughe the nexte tyme. wherefore on the mo [...] we he wente to the bysshoppe agayne and sayd he coulde soyle his questyon. Than sayd the bysshoppe, Noye had thre sonnes, Sem, Came, and Iaphete. Nowe tell m [...] who was Iaphetes father, mary syr quod the scoler [...] youre l [...]deshyppe colle my fathers dogge.

¶ [...] tale a man may lerne that it is but loste tyme to teche a [...] thinge whiche hathe no wytte to perceyue it.

IT [...]ortuned so that a frere late in the euenynge desyred [...]dgynge of a poore man of the countrey, the whiche for lacke of other lodgyng glad to harborowe the frere lodged him in his owne bedde. And after he and his wyfe. The frere beynge a slepe came and laye in the same bedde. And in the mornynge after the poore man rose and went to the market leauyng the frere in the bedde with his wyfe / And as he wen [...]e he smyled and laughte to hym selfe. wherfore hys neyghbours demaunded of hym why he so smyled / he answered and sayd I laughe to thynke howe shamefaste the frere shalbe whanne he waketh, whome I lefte in bedde with my wyfe.

¶ By this tale a man may lerne that he that ouershoteth hym selfe dothe folysshely, yet he is more fole to shewe it openly.

SOmtyme there dwelled a preest in Stretforde vpon auyne of small lernyng which vndeuoutly sange masse, and oftentymes twyse on one day / so it happened on a tyme after his secōde masse was done in shorte space nat a myle from Stretforde / there mette with hym dyuers merchaunte men whiche wolde hau [...] harde masse / and desyred hym to synge masse and he shulde hau [...] a grote, whiche answered them and sayd. Syrs I wyll say masse no more th [...]s day / but I wyll say you two gospels for one grote, and that is [...]ogge chepe [...] masse in any place in Englande.

¶ By this tale a man may se that they that be rude and vnlerned regarde but lytell the meryte and goodnes of holy prayer.

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[...] the frere [...] so drowned and gone, say [...] herte thou shuldest haue taryed and foug [...] [...] haste caused me lese an halpeny for my fare.

¶ By thys tale a man may se that [...] and cruell company, shall lose that [...] passyon vpon his neyghbour [...]

A Precher in pulpet whiche preched the wo [...] [...] matters spake of mennes soules, [...]nd sayd [...] subtyll that a thousande soules myght daunce. [...] mannes fynger. Amonge which audyence there was a [...] concey [...] [...] of small deuocyon that answered and sayde thus. Ma [...]ter [...]ortour [...] thousande soules may daunce on a mannes nayle, [...] we you than [...]he [...] shall the pyper stande.

¶ By this tale a man may se that it is but foly to shewe or [...] vertue to them that haue no pleasure nor mynde therto [...] [...]

IN Lōdon there was a certayne artifycer hauyng a feyre [...]fe to whom a lusty galante made pursute to accomplisshe his pleasure. This woman denyeng shewed the matter vnto her husbāde, whiche moued there with bad his wyfe to appoynte him a tyme to come secretely to lye w ^t her all nyght / And with great crakes and othes sware, that agaynst his lyfe except comyng he wolde be redy harneysed & wolde put him m [...]a [...]pardye of his comynge / he wolde make hym a great amendes. Thys nyghte was them appoynted / at whiche tyme this courtyer came at hys houre & entred in at the chamber, and set his two handesworde downe and sayde these wordes Stande shou there thou sworde the dethe of thre men. This husbande lyenge vnder the bedde it hatneys herynge these wordes lay styll for fere. The courtyer anone gate hin to bed with the wyfe about this prepensed busynesse. And within an houre [...] two the husbande beynge wery of lyenge beganne to remoue hym. The courtyer that hearynge asked the wyfe what thinge that as that remoued unde [...] the bedde, whiche excusyng the matter said it was a [...]tell shepe y ^e [...] [...]ont [...] dayly to go about y ^e house. And the husbande that herynge a [...] [...]yed ble a [...] it had ben a shepe. And so in conclusyon whan the courtyer [...] hys tym [...] he rose and kyssed the wyfe & toke his leaue and departed. [...] sone as h [...] was gone the husbande arose, and whan the wyfe loked on and somwhat [...] basshed began to make as [...]d countenaunce and sayde / alas syr why dyd [...] [Page] [...]

[...] the is nat wyse that wyll put his con [...]dence [...] crakers whiche ofte tymes wyll do but ly [...] [...] poynte.

[...] in his shope that sawe a colyer come by, [...] because he was so blacke / and asked hym what [...] and howe the deuyll fared. To whome the [...] whan I sawe hym laste / for he was rydynge [...] souter to plucke on his botes.

[...] may se that he that vseth to deryde other folkes, is somtyme [...] more deryded and mocked.

I Fynde [...] [...]monge olde gestes howe god made saynt Peter porter of [...] that god of his goodnes sone after hys passyon suffered [...] men to come to the kyngdome of heuen with small deseruynge, at [...] tyme [...] was in heuen a great company of welchemen, whyche with theyr [...] babelynge troubled all the other. wherfore god sayde to saynte Peter [...] the was wery of them, and that he wolde fayne haue them out of heuen To whome saynte Peter sayd, Good lorde I warrente you that shalbe shortly done / wherfore saynt Peter wente out of heuen gates and cryed wich a loude voyce, Cause bobe. That is as moche to saye, as rosted these / whiche thynge the welchemen herynge ranne out of heuen a great pace. And w [...]an saynt Peter sawe them all out he sodenly wente into heuen and locked the dore and so sparred all the welchemen out.

¶ By this y [...] may se that it is no wysdo [...] or a man to loue or to set his mynde to moche vpon any delycate or worldely pleasure wherby he shall lose the celestyall and eternall ioye.

Two knyghtes there were whiche wente to a standynge fylde with theyr prynce / but one of them was confessed before he wente / but the other wente into the fell [...] without shryfte or repentaunce. Afterwarde thys [...]ryme [...] the fylde [...]had the victory that day / wherfore he that was con [...]ssed came [...]o the prynce and asked an offyce and sayd that he had deserued it, [...]r he [...]ad d [...]ne good seruice and aduentured that day as [...]arre [...]s any man in [...]e felde to whome the other that was vnconfessed answer [...] and sayd. Nay the masse I am more worthy to haue a rewarde than he / for he aduentured [...] his body for your sake, for he durst nat go to th [...] felde tyll he was cōfessed / [Page] [...] he had lefte fewe or none behynde him / wherfore [...] & wyst not [...] said [...] wolde / & the next [...] that some curatys that loke full holy [...] but [...].

A welcheman on a tyme went to chirche to [...] to come in [...] farryng time when he had [...] he went home wher one of his felowes askyd hym [...] alimighty to day which answerd & sayd nay but I [...]

¶ By this ye may se that they be [...] deuocyon to prayer and ve [...]tew.

VPon a tyme certayn women in the countrye were [...] and mokke a frere a limitour that vsyd moche to [...] wherupon one of them a lytll before that y ^e frere came [...] & for dysport leyd it vnder the borde after the maner of a corse [...] frere it was her good man and dylyrd hym to say dirige for his [...] fore the frere and his felaw began. Placebo and Dirige / and so [...] the seruyse full deuowtly / which the wyues so heryng coud not [...] them selfe from lawghynge / and wente in to a lytyll parler to lawgh [...] [...] at theyr pleasure. These freris somwhat suspected the cause and [...] that the women were ware lokyd / vnder the boide and spyed that [...] hog sodenly toke it bytwene them and ba [...]e it homedard as fast as they [...] [...] The women seyng that ran after the frere & cryed com agayn maeste [...] [...] come agayne and let it allone / nay by my fayth qoud the frere he is [...] of ours and therfore he muste nedys be buryed in oure cloyster an [...] [...] the frerys gate the hog.

¶ By this ye may se that they that vse to deride and mok other [...] tyme it tornyth to theyre own losse and damage.

A Certayn prest there was that dwellyd in the cūtry which was [...] very well lernyd Therfore on Ester euyn he sent his boy to [...] of the next town that was .ii. myle from thens to know [...] he sholde synge on the morowe. This boy came to the sayd prest and [...] may [...]ers errande to hym. Then quod the prest tel thy mayster that [...] [Page] [...] shuld synge on the morowe. By my trothe [...] forgotten it / but he bad me tell you it began [...] I trowe thou sayst trewth for now I remem [...] / for god almighty dyed vpon good fry / [...] soule.

[...] one fole sendyth a nother fole on hys [...] ys folyshly sped.

[...] which had studied the iudicials of astronomy / [...] rydyng by the way which came by a herdinā and [...] how far it was to the next town / syr quod the herd [...] past a mile and an half but six quod he ye nede to ride [...] a showre of rayn or ye com thider what quod y ^e skoler / [...] herdman but ye shall fynd it so The skoler thē rode forth [...] had ryden half a myle forther there fell a good showre of [...] was well washyd & wett to the skyn the sokler thē tornyd [...] rode to the herdman and desyryd him to tech him that conn [...] [...] the herdman I wyll not tech you my connynge for nought thā [...] de hym. xl. shyllyngys to teche hym that connynge the herd [...] he had reseyuyd hys money sayd thus Syr se you not yonder [...] with the whyte face yes quod the skoler. Suerly quod the herdmā [...] daunsith and holdith vp her tayle ye shall haue a showre of rayn with [...] an howre after.

¶ By this ye may se that y ^e connyng of herdmen & she pardes as touchīge alteracyons of weders is more sure than the iudicials of Astronomy /

IN a certayne town there was a rych man that lay on his deth bed at poynte of deth whyche chargyd hys executours to dele for hys soule a certayne some of money in pence and on this cōdicion that gyd them as they wolde answere afore God that euery pore man that cam to them and told a trew tale shulde haue a peny and they that said a fals thīg shuld haue none / and in the dole tyme there came one whych sayd that god was a good man / quod the executors thou shalt haue a peny for thou saist crouth. Anone came a nother and said y ^e deuil was a good man quod y ^e executou [...] there thou lyest therfore thou shalt haue nere a peny. At laste came one to the executors and said thus ye shall gyue me nere a peny which wordes made the executors amasyd and toke aduysment whyther th [...] [...]ld [Page]A [...] howe he agreed with his wyfe, for he sayd [...] she coude neuer agre, by god quod the other [...] I pray the howe so. Mary ꝙ the other I shall tell [...] mery, & whan I am sad she is sad / for whan I go [...] to go from her and so is she / & whan I [...]

ON the tyme of visytacyon a bysshoppe [...] and had gote many chyldren / prepared [...] what rule he kepte, whiche preest had a [...] and by her had two or thre small chyldren in shorte [...] shoppes cominynge he prepared a rowme to hyde [...] ouer in the rofe of his hall. And whan the bysshope [...] in the same hall hauynge .x. of his owne chyldren about [...] coude speke lytell latyn or none, had the bysshoppe in [...] Comode episcope. This woman in rofe of the house hear [...] so, had went he had called her byddynge her come Ede, and [...] and sayd / shall I brynge my chyldren with me also. The byssh [...] [...] this sayde in sporte, vxor tua sicut vitis abundans in lateribu [...] [...] The preest than halfe amasyd answerd and sayd. Filij tui sicut [...] rum in circuitu mense tue.

¶ By this ye may se that they that haue but small lernyng somtyme speke truely vnaduysed.

ON asshe wednysday in the mornynge was a curate of a churche whych, had made good chere the nyght afore & sytten vp late / and came to the churche to here confessyon, to whome there came a woman / and among other thynges she confessed her that she had stolen a potte. But than because of great watche that this preest had, he there sodenly felle a slepe. And whan this woman sawe him nat wyllynge to here her, she rose and went her waye. And anone an other woman kneled downe to the same preest and began to say Benedicite / wherwith this preest sodenly awaked wenynge she had ben y ^e other woman & sayd all angerly / what arte thou nowe at Benedicite agayne, tell me what dyddest thou whan thou haddest stolyn the potte.

SOne after one maister whyttington had bylded a colege on a nyght as he slepte he dremed that he satte in his church & many folkes there also / And further he dremed y ^e he sawe our lady in y ^e same church with a glas of goodly oyntemente in her hande goynge to one askynge him what he had done for [...]ke, whiche sayd that he had sayd our ladyes sauter euery daye / wherfore she gaue him a lytell of the oyle. And anone she wente to another, [Page] [...] college and was very g [...]a [...]e [...] hys [...]. [...] hym, she asked him what he hadde suffred for her [...] greatly abasshed because he had nothynge to [...] that for all the great dede of buyldynge of [...] that goodly oyntemente.

[...] to suffre for goddes sake is more [...] gyue great goodes.

[...] appoynted to go on visytacyon to a preestes [...] haue the preest do but lytell coste vpon him, [...] lytell meate, sayenge thus in latyn. Preparas [...] preest whyche vnderstode hym nat halfe well had [...] / wherfore he thoughte to obtayne the bysshoppes [...] the bysshoppes commynge kylled his horse that was [...] the bysshoppe and his seruauntes ete parte / whiche [...] knewe afterwarde was greatly displeased.

[...] this ye may se that many a fole dothe moche coste in makyng [...] dyners, whiche hathe but lytell thanke for his laboure.

[...] dwellynge in Englāde fortuned to stele an Englysshemans [...] set it on the fyre to sethe / wherefore this englysheman suspectyng [...] welcheman, came to his house & sawe y ^e cocke sethyng on the fyre and [...] thus. Syr this is my cocke. Mary ꝙ the welcheman & [...] shalte haue thy parte of it. Nay ꝙ the englyssheman that [...]. By cottes blut and her nayle ꝙ the welcheman if her be nat yn [...]ghe nowe, her will be ynoughe anone for her hath a good fyre vnder her.

CErtayne of vycars of Poules disposed to be mery on a sonday at hye masse tyme, sente another madde felowe of theyr acquointaunce vnto a folysshe dronken preest to gyue hym a bottell / whiche man mette w ^t the preest vpon the toppe of the stayres by the chauncell dore and spake to him and sayd thus. Syr my mayster hathe sente you a bottell to put your drynke in because he can kepe none in youre braynes. This preest therwith beynge very angry / all sodenly toke the bottell and with his fote flange it downe into the body of the churche vpon the gentylmens hede.

A Certayne Iury in the countye of Myddelsex was enpaneld for the kynge to [...]nquere of all endytementes, murders, and felony [...]s. The persones of thys panell were folysshe couetous and vnlerned / for who so euer wolde gyue them a grote, they wolde assyne & verifye [...] whether it were true or fals without any profe or euydence / wherefore one that was [Page] [...] [...]yn as was [...] which byll whā it was p̄sented into y ^e [...] said opēly before all y ^e people. Lo syrs [...] presented by any enquest / for here they haue [...] lyng of an asse / whiche whan the people harde it, [...] & to wonder at the folysshenes & shamefull periur [...] [...]

¶ By this ye may se it is great parell to [...] equest whiche be folysshe and haue but [...]

IN a certayne parrysshe a frere preched / & [...] that rode on the sonday, euer lokyng vpon [...] spurred redy to ryde. This man perceyuy [...] [...] hym sodenly halfe in angre, answered the frere [...] moche agaynste them that ryde on the sonday / for [...] on Palme sonday, as thou knowest well it is wrytten [...] whome the frere sodenly answered and sayd thus. But [...] therof, was he nat hanged on the fryday after / whiche [...] in the churche fell on laughynge.

THere was a certayne man that had two sonnes [...] For the eldyst was lustye and quycke and vsed [...] walke into the fyldes. Than was the yōger slowe and [...] to lye in his bed as longe as he myght. So on a day y ^e elder [...] roseerly & walked into the fyldes, & there by fortune he founde a [...] & [...] it home to his father. His father whan he had it wente [...] to hys [...] yet lyenge than in his bed, & sayd to him. O thou sloga [...] quod he, seyst thou not thyne eldest brother howe he by hys erly rysynge had foūde a purse with money, whereby we shall be greatly holpen all our lyfe / whyle thou sluggynge in thy bedde dost thou no good but slepe. He than wyst nat what to say, but answered shortly and said / father quod he if he that hathe loste the purse and money had lyne in his bedde that same tyme that he loste it as I do nowe, my brother had founde no purse nor money to day.

¶ By this ye may se that they that be accustomed in vyce & synne wyll alwaye fynde one excuse or other to cloke therewith theyr vyce and vnthryfty [...]s.

A Certayne wyfe there was whiche was somwhat fayre and as all women be that be fayre was somwhat proude of her beautye / and as she and her mayde satte together she as one that was desyrous to be praysed sayd to her thus. I faythe Ione howe thynkest thou / am I nat a fayre wyfe / yes by my trouth maistres ꝙ she, ye be the fayrest that euer was excepte [Page] [...] place, whyche lorde than hadde [...] lorde than asked this Northen man [...] [...]yens ꝙ the northen man y ^e I dare, for I [...] retayned him into his seruyce. So after it [...] go fyghte with his enemyes with whome also [...] shortly was smytten in the hele with an arowe, [...] downe almost dede, wherfore one of his felowes [...] all harte and for so lytell a stroke in the hele nowe [...] he answered and sayde, by goddes sale I as [...] helys, and all. Therfore ought nat one to feare whan [...].

[...] sowne there was a wife somwhat aged that had beryed [...] whose name was called Iohn̄ / whome she loued so ten / [...], that after hys dethe she caused an ymage of tymber [...] and persone as lyke to hym as coude be / whiche ymage [...] her bedde, and euery nyghte she caused her mayde to [...] and lay it in her bedde and called it olde Iohn̄. Thys [...] prentyse whose name was Iohn̄ / whiche Iohn̄ wolde fayne [...] maystres, nat for no great pleasure, but onely for her good [...] ryche. wherefore he ymagened howe he myght obtayne hys [...] speke to the mayde of the house and desyred her to lay hym in his [...] for one nyghte in stede of the pycture / and promysed her a [...] re [...]rde for her laboure. whyche mayde ouer nyghte w [...]pped the sayd yonge man in a shete and layde hym in his maysters bedde as she was wonte to laye the pycture. Thys wydowe was wonte euery nyght before she slepte and dyuers tymes whan she waked to kysse the sayde pycture of olde Iohn̄. wherefore the sayde nyghte she kyssed the sayde yonge man, beleuynge that she hadde kyste the pycture. And he sodenly starte and toke her in his armes, and so well pleased her than / that olde Iohn̄ from thens forthe was clene out of her mynde, and was contente that this yonge Iohn̄ shulde lye with her styll all that nyghte / and that the pycture of olde Iohn̄ shulde lye styll vnder the bedde for a thynge of noughte. ¶ After thys in the mornynge thys wydowe intendynge to please this yonge Iohn̄ whyche hadde made her so good pastyme all the nyght, bad her mayde go dresse some good mete for their brekefast to feaste therwith her yonge Iohn̄. This mayde whan she had longe sought for wode to dresse y ^e said mete, tolde her maystres y ^e she coude fynde no wode y ^e was drye except onely y ^e pycture of olde Iohn̄ y ^e lyeth vnder the bed / [Page] [...] and from thens forth yong Iohn̄ occupye [...]

A Certayn merchaunt & a [...] at dyner hauyng a hote custerd [...] somwhat homely of maner [...] in hys mouth whych was so hote that it [...] chaunt lokyng on him thought that he had [...] he wept / this curtear not wyllynge to be [...] mouth with the hote custerd āswerd & said sir [...] a brother which dyd a certayn offence wherfore he [...] think now vppon his deth it makith me to wepe / [...] had said trew and anō after the m̄chaunt was disposid to [...] & put a sponefull of it ī his mouth & brent his mouth also y ^e [...] this courtear y ^e ꝑseyuīg spake to the merchaunt & seyd sir [...] why do ye wepe now. The merchaunt ꝑseyuid how he had [...] & said / Mary quod he I wepe because thou wast not [...] ther was hangyd.

A yōg man y ^e was desirous to haue a wif cam to a cōpany [...] losofers which wer gadirid to gider reqrig thē to gyf [...] ō how he might chose hī sich a wyf y ^e wer no shrew. [...] with gret study & delyberacō det̄minid & shewd this mā y ^e thes [...] poītes wherbi he shuld sure know if a woman were a shrew / The [...] is that if a woman haue a shri [...] voyce it is a gret tokē y ^e she is a shrew [...] poīt is y ^e if a womā [...]aue a sharp nose then most commēly she is a [...] in poīt is y ^e neuer do [...]hmis y ^e if she were kerchefl ye may be sure she is a shrew.

A Cōnīg paīt ther was d [...]ellīg in lōdō which had a fayre yōg wife & for thigl y ^e he had to do wēt ouer se but because he was sōwhat Ielous he praid his wyfe to be cōtēt y ^e he might paīt a lāb vpō her bely & praid her it might remain ther til he cam home agaī wherwith she was cōtēt aft which lāb so paītid he deꝑtid & sone after y ^e a lusti yōg m̄chaūt a bacheler / cāe & wo [...]d his wif & obteinid her fauor so that she was cōtēt he shuld ly w ^e her which resortid to her and had his plesure oftiml & on a time he toke a penfeil & to y ^e lāb he paītid .ii. hornl wenīg to y ^e wif y ^e he had but refreshid y ^e old pain [...]tīg thā at y ^e last about a yere after her husbā cā hōe agaī & y ^e first night he lay with his wyfe lokid vppō his wifl bely [...] saw the .ii. hornes paintid there he said to his wif that sōe other body had be be [...]yther & made a new paītīg for y ^e picture y ^e he paītid had no hornes & this hath hornes to whōe this wif shortly

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[...] of a. ¶ mery [...] the sygne of [...] gate next.

Iohannes. Rastell

¶ Cum priuilegio, Regali.

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