ff. 100 v

congiengs doun to the stok of Amphion

Cenounly, by lyneall dy stent

But lene al this pleynly of euent

To telle forth in bokes as I jede

hon litrys by plocesse gan pnde

hepe begyneth the story of thebes

To bege the quene in this mighty londe
holdyng the acceptye of thebes in his horte
manly and Svy snynyng al his lye
and yocasta called Sias his Svyf

Of king Latius and Iocasta his quene

ful Samanly the story seith telteyn
for a tynne though ahe were layen

Til layus in ful humble Svy se

to hane a childe, he dde satyfice

ffyft to Apollo in his chape so bright
and to Iubitey that hath so gyet a myghe

Deseching hem, Suth deuontte jelence

to grannte only, thorugh heuenly influence

That his jeques may executes be

and especially to godesses three

He befought Dallas and Jimo

and Dyane foe to helpen alfo

That he be not defjaud of his bone

and his pater acceptes Sias ful cone

That finally, thorugh his jytes olde

euen like as his hept Solde

The quene Iocasta hath anon conceues

Whiche than the King, fully beith pceues

He in se in haft, him lift not to a byse
thorgh his lyngsom, messengers to yde.

ff. 10 coste to coste the ficey can deuyse

for Snyynobs and philosophours Svy se

ffor suche as Seyn famous pfiʃiens
and Svel expert, Astronomiens

To come in haft, vnto his presence

to fyrden oure shortly in seintence

By qafte only of calculation

To telle tionche aus wo thyn to hyde
auffeyvinge che. he wold naht a byde
Lenger with hym. but yde aus enquest
til tyme he map the way ay soth leve
In ony part of nap or of fortime
and for that he was so puroportune
In his defie the lyng which oute alde
ceupiously to the hyn him it stode

**The ensdey of the kyn to Esipus.**
In a forest first hou he was founde
upon a tree by the fete bounde
Aus hou he caste in conclusion
to make him lyng of that jegyon
After his nap shortly to telle
but Esipus. Sil no lenger swelle
But toke leue. er in haft gan yde
to a temple fast there befyse
Of Apollo in steep as it is tolde
Whos statue stode in a chare of golde
On Sheles foye. bōnes brighte shene
and they with yn. a copit ful ondene
By faike only and false illusyon
answering yaf to eneyp question
Of mynging the peple in ful gret eyne
onche as to hym. anden falls honour
By ytes used in the olde sages
after the entiny of pagamyms laws
An Esipus with ful hambile chere
on to Apollo. makes his prayer
Desefying him on his fées lowe
by som signe that he might fioche
Therethen euence shortly comprehend
of what pured that he was destent
An Sthan Esipus by get semptyou
fmysfied hath fully his desen
The fende Sith yn. anon pnuisible
Such a cooy. spousul and forpible.
Has hym in haste take his mind
towrat thekes. shee of his lynage

JESUS SAVIO, THAT HE HATH HANE AT
REGALIE, AND ELE DOMINA EYON
AND THE LORDSHIP, HOLY OF THE TON
AND HE HATH Nought ONTE OF THE CYTE
BUT LYNE IN EXILE, AND IN PONERTO
FFUL CONCITING. SITH ONTE FERE, SITH
JATHEY THAN TO COFFEE THAT HE SIT, BE SIT
AND THUS ALLAS THOGH HER EMPYON FLYNG
AT ENDE EUNCHE LOSE HIS LYF

AT SOET MESTHES, AS YE CHAL AFOH HAW
BUT THILH TYME, THE LORDS ALLÉ YFERE
FFUL BESCH. Diden her Diligence
BY SICET AIYS, AND FUL HIE PRUDENCE

TO SETTEN HEM IN QINETE AND IN JES-
COMSEILING HEM, PLEINLY FOR THE BEST

TO LEENE HEY, DYPF, OF SISDOM, Z JESON
AND CONDESTEIDE, TO COM CONELYS YON
SABICHE TO LOTHE, MOST MYSHT ANAILE,
THAT FINALLY THORGH HER GONEYNALE

THE LORDS ALLÉ, BEYNG THE PRESENT
THEI HAN HEM BROUGHT TO BE OF ONE ASSENT
OF ONE HERT, AS BROTHER INTO BROTHER
ENEJICHE OF HEM, TO VEGNE AFTER OTHER
PERY PER, AS IT WERE A BOUTE
TO THAT THE TON, CHAL ABSENTE HIM ONTE
FFULLY THAT PER, AND HIM SELF GPE
BY HIS MANSHOD, AND HIS CHINALE
HAUNTE HIM SELF IN SEDES MATERIAL
SIBILE, HIS BROTHER, IN HIS SE, JYAL
HOLISTH HIS OSTEPRE, THE CYTE TO GOING
AND SHAN THE YERE, HATH VONE HIS TO YONE

AND IS COME ONTE, HE CHAL HANE JEPAT
TO VEGNE IN THEBES, LIKE AS LORD & HEW

THERE TO JECNE, FULLY HIS DIGINTS

SIBILE THAT OTHRE, PONDITH THE CATE
PACIENTLY, TALKING HYS AVENTURE
TIL HE AGEYNI, HIS HONDE, MAY VECRE

THUS ENDESHANGE, EUY YERE THEI CHAL

THAT ONE ASTEINDIS, THAT OTHRE HATH A FUL

The couenaon of the tos o Hertheen

## Scanda,⁵

and the best called Sas Asyne
Dephile, y named the second
Sas Asjastus, like as it is founde
This Sorth King, gone had non
to succede, after he be gon
ffor chiche he Sas dying al his lyf
tryst in heyt, and passing pensyf
Sint hole his tryst, to his hope strose,
by aliancte, of whom Sorth blake
brought yn by meene, of his boughtyes toreyn
that he shal be jelees of his peynt
Thorough jecomfort of whom he marriage
and coshy yet, ful he in his cosage
The speem of Asjastus of a bore and a lion
He toubles Sas by occasyon
of a keuen and airyspon
Chesse to hym, upon a stepe inysht
for as him thought in his ymysaps byghe
While he clepte, by clepe infsccyron
a Sido bore, and a fees hyn
Dossese chul these bestes, in hey jage
his boughtyes to the by londe of marriage
In short tyne, Sith yn a day
Asche brought his heyt in ful gjet aff Jay
Sint thing in soth, that destene hath shape
hepe in this world, ful hayd it is testape
Eke inuelons, a man testhie his fate
and poolimyte, of whom I make late
Sith the tempest bete, to be jeynes
by grace only, the cyte hath atteyned
Where Asjastus, ful statly of segye
thilk tyne, helde his joyal see
The touble nysht, myke, ful obstine
hath brought this kight, only by auenture
Thogh the cyte, enclosed Sith a tal
unto the paleys chief, and principal
Skepe as the kight in his chamber alofte
lay in his bed, and clepte wondely cosse
And alle his folk, had he, chambre take

Days 2

like as fortune-painters has shape
The selfsame tyme, by cause it was so late
and casuely, no porte, at the gate
As it has been right for the nones
and in a porche, built of square stones
fful myghtely, enaiches emprion
Where the domes and the pieces of the town
Seje euent, and fides of the lyng
and the se this right, Sith oure more tajeyng
Sevy and maat, fio his stede a light
hangyng the jene, in al the keif he myght
Upon his arm in the sijer him to kepe
and leide him sou, er gan anou to alepe
As him sempte, that tyme for the beste
and as he lay, thus for to jeste
Of anenture the se come a right jeryng
the Northest, in the South, leuyng
Custeks, louely and right venious
as seith myit anctor, called Tydeus
Cujous in armes, and mainly in Sejling
of his bythe, cone vnto the lyng
of taladonpe, a louse of gjet jenon,
and he allas, oure of that jegyon
Exiles Das, for he his biothe, old
as the stace of thebes, Sith the midne
ffor on a day, as thei on hintyng, vinte
al he, that he to him no malice mente
In a forest, for hest and for hynde
to as he stode, vnder a gyene lyue
And casuely lete his ajos slippe
he old his biothe, called Menalippe
Throngh moetal sort, his honde Das be gylod
for Shiche, he Das banefshed and exiles
As the lasse, uajous, cette his charge
ans for this cas, he come first to Agge
In to the porche, Sijes polinnyte alepe
of anenture, or he toke ony kepe
The same myght hidouely be seyu
Sith the tempest of thondje, Espin, er jeyn

Tolde plainly, and made no lesyng
Hou that he wasSONE to the lyng
Of talcisdopne, and jightful hey theto
and of evile, the sothe he tolde also
As ye han heped in the storpye jad
and polimpte. Sith these (and face sad
On to the kyn, touching his twyje
Seide he was bome in thebes the cire
And jocasta the gjet famous quene
His model, was. Sith oure ony Stene
Sut of his fadey. Shildom kyn (and
for wych chame, he opah neve a word
Only for he, yf I chal not feyne
His fadey was, and thyshe, the theseyne
The Swithiche in soth, he was ful lothe to telle
and eke the lyng. Seld him nat compelle
Of gentellesse, but had Sith oure blame
of his bythe, for to have no chame
ffor hool the cas, and maude elly del
Touching his lyn, he kess the gjon ful wel
lyche as it was, by ful cleye jeport
enfor cying hym, for to do comfert
Sith al his myght, and his liefy peyne
this manly kyn, to these kightes thepeye
And to hem orde, to fore him as thei stonde
he sift del, that of ful Sorthy blode
They Seje desterdes, touching hee lympe
and made in hest his offeys lede
The fangre kightes, beyng att sebatt
thyogh his paleys, to chambres of estat
Esche by him self, for to take his eze
and elly thyng in sothe that myght hem plese
Sas of jes to hem, like to hei estates
and Sihau the Sern Sisajmes of hee plates
Unskeges, gjeues, and hee subatons
hee hayneys, voides, and hey, habey gons
Twey mauntels vnto hem Seje brought
fiet, with perle, & piche, & stones brought
Of althe of solde, & reluer tjemesyn

A Secunda

Change ne dubelnesse chold not be in a lyng

Change of Deed, or mutabilite
fiancte or decept, outher or untabilité
Shold in a lyng hane diuépon
to causen aftre his seftuayon
Of Lynges, yeth the forp souþ by jome
and death, hou mony hau be ouelthoode
for her falles, thowgh fœtines hel
for vnto god pleſith it neue a del
A king to be double of entent
for it may happe that the Deed is bleat
ſful ofte anthe by cause of her Deſking
but this the touse the god death al thyng
Right as it is, for ther mai be no dome
to fore his right touse he ferto ofſoide
To may be dippes or deſked by decept
by fail engyne lieng in a Bayte
As a spent fœt to vnder myne younke
but at laste it soth clerel thyne
Schoo ſay nap way or onche his bright ſemes
for it in coth of Lyngdoms of jenes
Is bejea, exp and conſequentice
To al mesthef, coth fast mediatice
To god alone, cho so lyft to see
To kepe a king in god pfeſitie
Du euyl ſide as I affeime day
Shee for ye kinglyes or londes be eke Sar
Pone beheſes, inſtly for to holde
And thenk, hou thebes eith his Salle olde
Deſjoed Saes, plathly this no lees
for the dubelnesse of Ethnoles
Siche hou peple aftre core abought
only for he nat by conſaple Sijaghe
Of hem that Deja, both the jors or Sijg
hym lyft not Soreche aftel her deuys
Sut leſte touse and seate the falſtay
to be goines, lip falſe flatene
The conſault of ſſlaterers *
That has him thenk hou he was a kinght

And leeches eke, the kefte that she wise fynse
ful clafely to staunte her hem and to hrynde
And euy thyng, that map do hym eſe
to codaſe his peyne, or his do tapese
Was in the coint, in the castel ſought
and by his bydding, to his chamber manok
And for his sake, she hath after ſent
for ouche Seyntes, as Syen ouneuent
n ofte intytyp, by phylſkes lore
hem that Seje eyle or Sontred to jeſt
making her Szymen, eke to take lew
and Sayte on hym a nyſhtes, ſhan he ſele,
And be wel dar, that no thing after
that Sas or myſht be, liffy to his heſte
And Sith al this, she praiseth him albyde,
tyl he Seje ſyong, and myſhty to myde
In the castel, to playe him and diſtorte,
and attre leyſey, hom ageyu jeſtore,
Sithau he myſht bydelde hym at his lyege,
but al for noſht he sol hom to dyge.

## Hou tædeus jepeyes hom to dyge al foreſounded
Take his leene on the next day
Sith oute alode, to hafte hym on his Say
Louly thonſyng, vito his gyet godenſſe
of his ſesom, or of his kounſenous lay ſenge
So Somauſy that his lyst to take heſe
hym to jeſſeth, in his gyet nede
Behotpug, his Sath al his ful myſht
he Sold be his deyuant, or by tijds pynſht
Shile he ſyneth, of Sath that he sold hym charſe
and forth he jose, tyl he come to dyge
In ful gyet hafte, or sold noother Sdelle
but Siche to shold, if he heſen othei telle
Of his jepay, the cosſes of the plepnes
the claggy joches, or the hry monſteynes
Or al the made, of his hom cunyng
of the metpug or of the Scloumpug
or the iore, that adjaſtus made
noz Hou his ſoftje ne his ſpſ & seje glaze

Days?

and by his gesdes of metal of ston
fful ofte he were. bothe of hee thought
that it chal fust ful dere ben y bought

Aus many a man. Sich pollay. Deys er kynf
tofze this toon. chal fust lose hys lyf

Aus these chal eke many sydes blese
or his hother. peysibl possede

The toon in pes like as the gjecke Sene
but at euse the tjeuthe chal be bene

Lat him be Say. er Scl tofore punde

for Adjastus ou that other cyde

ffor his partis. Sas not uesligent
but ou a day. helde a parlement

Alle his lores. atting emprion

to dyue shorthly a playne conclinsyon

Aus (up tapoy ute the fyn of hey euent
but som thought ful expedient

Or they pade. to Deyle by thauys
of one that Sas ful prudent er just Sas

Aus eyenmisse in his Deyle alle
a Sorthyn bisshop in to age falle

Aus called Sas fothly by his name.

Ampforsay of Shom the gjet fame.

Thorghe alle the londe bothe ceft er south
among gjekes. passynely Sas touthe

A man in sothe of olde antiquite

and moost acceptes of anatorite

ffyst by jefon of his he eftat

and eke for he Sas so fortimat

In his Sekes. er Sas also sege

Sich the gesdes knosving hee piete

By gunt of Shom as boles opecafye
he had a fpynt of the Jppeye

This conde a fom ful openly dyupne
things begone. hou they fhold fyne

Ans eke by clafee of caleulaton
yeue a swom. of euy questyon

And had in magy gjet experience

and finde conde by heuently influence

An chathly cense they toke theie of non hies
ne Siln no thing goine han a fe his ies
This Sas the clamor ? noys in euy cosf
of hie ? los. thornesh al the oſt

An especially of the condones
and of lords. jeyming in hee-floours
And of the states effectually I mene
Saufiche of age. See. but tendive ? evene
That hane not had. by martis inſtience
of the Seepe seet expience

Hou age and youthe ben of dyuers opinions

Heere p[er] ye lift. ye may consider ? so
of conceytes. ful gret dyuerſito
hou that youthe. no peere taf a ſon
tyl by meſt heſt. godely be loen

Shee as age. p[er]oxideth every thynge
or he begyn. to tafen the end eyng
Youthe is goulued. by a latke jeypne
to wue forth. ? can not him reſ eyne

But of h[is] ſett on al at ones
as he that hurelth arene the hars ſtones
Sufieth him ſelf. on darly and parzakath
but age expeet no thyng. under takath
But he to ſon of goode dyſtreyon
make a due exaynndeyon
Hon it ſal tue either to bad or god
But youthe. as fast as ſeues is the blod
takath emprises of hasty Silfulness.
Jou at gyming the ence is dyed chedneſſe

The olde p[er]ſident in al his gove[n]ance
ful long a ſon. maketh purneſt
But youthe a[ll]as by consuſal ſil not berke
Shee for ful ofte. ſe flowſereth in the derke,
Thus cold is cene. the t[yp]outhe to t[em]me
that age ? youthe. diſes by o. lyne
And Shee that folve. hath diuidey
Suyam is put in to subjeccion
Like as this byſſop. Shee al this h[is] ſence
for cause he myſt. hane non auidence

Of hem echone, yf it foth pæde
to be parfomed e execut in depe
Sut thilk tyne, foe al his eloquence
he has in soth, but livel audience
ffe Shat co eue it menti gode e il
lyng Asjastus. Bad him to be syl
An tho pocafta, as Susam ad he teche
humble of his port Suth ful sofe sfeche
Jan ceke menes, in his fantasye,
yf she myght the ye inode fye
Of the gjeckes, to make hem to entyne,
in ony Syp hee janour for to fyne
She is his Senoye, an his besy eye,
But tho befe a Bourdej anentime
Of a tame igre debelling, wath in thebes,

Canfe e groins, of gjet confitifhon
gjeckes pertubling, e eke the toun
And it to telle, may not me afterte,
for Shiche a Shule, my stile, i mot spuite
And choorthly telle, by estripepon
of a tyge debelling, in the toun
Shiche fio a lyngdom beside adiacent
oute of egipte. Was to thebes sent,
Shiche beste, by jears ofcriptiue
is most wyft, as of his natury
And of his lynde most damage
and most quicl. Sthan he is in his jage
And as clefes, make mencpon
he of body, resembleth a Lyon
And like a grechond, the mosel e the hes
and the euen, as any fye tees
ere of his ofyn. Siten as i fynde
like a panter, conidant in ynde,
Suth al maner hues and colons,
and is ful ofte secuesed Suth mejors
Sy fande of huntee, e fal appajenac
dheves in glas. Suth onten existence
Sthan his fyniles, as he cleight the tafe
and he secuesed may no jestus make

Tercia

thensnous fye, so her hepees brent
Sith hate canhes, of onkinde blode
ans like, twoo tigive, in her jage ssode
Sith cpejes chapp, gjeons for the nones
so as they jonne, mette bothe attones
roue eche of the theban oles othe, to forze the cire

Poluntye thorgh plate maile, & chels
jof him thorgh oure, & onote him into the fels
Sith theban he seys the fenues of his blode
Jayle aboute in maner of a floce,
At cosenfiche of compassyon
fio his courser he-light a dom

Ans brotherly Sith a pitons fac-
tas faue, his lyf, gan him to embrae.

Ans fio his Soimde of noes a ffeacpon
ful besy Sas, to pulle oure the tjonchou
Of lone only, handeles him ful cofte,
Gut o, alfla, Sthile he lay a cofte,
fful yonfly, ethnocles the fel
of al this coss, lay soirs ans Selle,
Sith a sagger in al his peynes fineyt
His hjothe, onote, ondayly to the heyt
Sthiche al hej lyf, has he so Sjoth,
and thus the thebans Sepe class both

At entje enen a forn the toun,
but gjeles tho ben analles Soim
Oute of the feld the Northi kightes aff
and in thebes, loude as any chaff

The epe ajos, Sthau hej kinget Sas des
and to the gates, apined fot and hes

Oute of the toun, come many pjoide theban
and dom of hem, upon the Sall do jau
Ans gon to choute that pite Sas to hepe
and thep Suth oure of her lyf in Sere.

Sith oure comfort or consolacion
Dispeyje, jonne hom to the toun

Tus gjeles foluen afo atte bahe,
that many one thilk, lay goth to dyah

Ans as her fomen, pjoide, hem assaple.