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Pompeius was a wyse Emperoure Reignyng in the cite of Rome, the wiche had̛ a faire dowter, named̛ Aglaes, and̛ she had̛ ij. vertues ouer al oþere maydens; þe fyrst was, she was faire in face, & plesaunt to þe ye of men̛; the secounde was, sche was so wyght of
fote, that no man̛ myght Rynne with hire by a grete space, but that she wolde come to the marke [leaf 170, back, col.1] longe afore him. when the Emperour sawe thes twoo vertues in his dowter, he enioyed̛ and̛ was glad in al his herte; and̛ he made a proclamacion̛ in al that londe, that who so euer wolde rin with his dowter, and̛ come to the marke afore hir, he shulde wed̛ hir with goodis infinite; and̛ yf ther wer̛ eny, þat wolde profre him selfe to Rinne with hir, & myght not wynne of hir, he shulde lese his hede. her̛ for lordes of estate, as dukes, barons, & knyghtes, come thikke, and̛ proferid̛ to Rin with hir, but þere was non̛ that myght holde fote with here; þerfor echon̛ for hir fayling loste hir hedis, as the lawe was. so þere was in þe citee a por̛ man̛, þe wiche thovght in him selfe, "I am pore, and̛ comen̛ of lowe kynrede; & hit is a comun crye I-made, that yf eny man̛ myght by crafte or by cautile passe in Rynnynge the dowter of the Emperour̛, he shulde wedde hir, & be hiliche avauncyd̛. & þerefore, yf swiche a por̛ felow as I myght ouercome hir by cautil, wherby that I and̛ al
my kin myght be enhied̛ & honovrid̛, sothely hit wer a goode torne." what dude he but yede, and̛ purveyde him of iij. cautils; scil. of an honest Garlonde of Rede Rosys, in a Riaƚƚ a-Ray; the secounde cautille of a silkyn̛ gyrdil, sotilly I-made; for þe damyseƚƚ comunely lovithe swiche fantasijs; the thirde of a sotil purse made of silke, honourid̛ with precious stonis, and̛ in this purs was a balle of iij. colowris, and̛ hit had̛ a superscripcion̛, þat saide thus, Qui mecum ludit, nunquam de meo ludo saciabitur, þis is to seye, he that pleithe with me, shalle neuer have I-nowhe of my pley. he putt vp in his bosom̛ þes iij. lakayns, & yede to the yate of the palys, & cride, & saide, "Come, fair̛ damisel, I am Redy to Rynne with þe, and̛ to fulfille the lawe in al poyntes." And̛ when̛ thes wordes wer̛ borne to þe Emperour, he comaundid̛ his dowter to Rinne with him. Þe damisel lokid̛ oute at a wyndow, for to se him; & when she had̛ sen him, she defied̛ him in hir herte, and̛ saide to hir selve, "Alas! þat I, that have ouercome so many noble men̛, now shulde Rynne with suche a chorlis sone as þou art; neuerþeles me must fulfiƚƚ the wiƚƚ [leaf 170, back, col. 2] of my fadir." She yede, & made hir Redy to Ren̛ with him, & come to him; & bothe thei stode to-geder, for to begynne to Rynne. And̛ when̛ þei hade Ronne a while, the mayde had̛ Ronne afore him a grete weye. when that oþere sawe þat, he caste afore hire the fair̛
garlond̛; and as sone as she sawe the faire garlond̛ afore hir, then she tornid̛, & toke it vp, and̛ sette it vppon̛ hir hede, and̛ made so gret dilectacion̛ þere in, þat that oþere Ran fer afor̛ hir. when she saw that, she wepte bitterly, and̛ in a grete wrethe cast a-wey the garlonde, & Ran, & ouertoke him. And̛ as sone as she was by him, she toke vp hir honde, and̛ yafe him a grete boffete vndir the cheke, and seide, "lewde wrecche, wel bysemithe þi siris sonne to wedde me!" And̛ fer she Ran̛ afore. & when he saw that, he toke oute a gyrdille, and̛ caste it in the same maner afore hir ayene; & as faste as sche had̛ a sight þere on̛, she bowed̛ downe, & toke it vp, & gyrde hir þere with; and̛ had̛ so grete lykyng þere in, þat she lefte Rynnynge, & by þat tyme he was fer afore hir. whenne she caste vp hir yen̛, & saw him, she made grete lamentacion̛, and̛ toke þe gyrdil in anger, and̛ bote hit with her teþe [in thre] partis; & Ran ayene in al the myght þat was in hir, & ouertoke him, & yaf him a grete boffet, and̛ Ranne fro him, & saide, "what, harlot! trowist thow to ouercome me?" Þat oþere was wily, & wold̛ not caste þe purs, vnto
þe tyme þat he come ner þe marke; and þenne he cast þe purse, as he dude þat othir thing. & thenne she rest ayen̛, & toke it vp, & openyd̛ hit, & toke oute the balle, and̛ Radde the superscripcion̛, scil. he that pleithe with me, shaƚƚ neuer be suffisid̛ of my pley. And̛ tho she began̛ to pley with the balle so longe, þat þe Iogeler was afor̛ at the marke; and̛ so tho she made muche lamentacioune; & he weddid̛ hir, & had̛ grete Richesses, as the lawe wolde.
DEre frendes, þis Emperoure is oure lorde Ihesu Crist; þe fair̛ dowter is þe soule of man, made like him selfe, & clansid̛ fro original synne by baptyme; & hit is swyfte in Rynnynge, scil. goode werkes, while that he is in his innocense, & þat so swifte, that no dedely synnys may ouercome hir; & so thei lese hir hedes, scil. hir̛ power̛, whenne þat þey maye not ouercome hir. Þe por̛ man̛, þat Imagenithe þes cautilis, is the devil, þe whicℏ studijthe nyght & day to ouercome innocence; and̛ þerfor he purveithe him of iij. cavtilis, first of a garlonde. [By] the garlonde we maye vndirstonde pryde, & by this Reson̛, For a garlonde is not sett on the arme, ne in non̛ oþere party of the body; hit is I-sette vpon̛ the hede, for it shulde be sene. in
the same wyse wol the prowde man be sen, & sprede his hemmys; and̛ þere fore seithe Austine, Cum superbum videris, filium diaboli esse non dubites, þis is to sey, when thowe seist a proude man̛, doute the not þou seest the sonne of the devel. Þerefore when the devil castithe this garlonde of pryde in thin yen̛, wepe, as did̛ the damisel; & do of that garlonde of pryde, and̛ caste it into the diche of contrucion̛, & so þou shalt yeve þe devil a buffet, & ouercome him. Thenne whenne þe devil seeþe þat he is ouercome, he temptithe a man yn an noþere synne, & castithe afore him a gurdil of lecheri; of whiche maner girdil thus seithe Gregorius, Cingite lumbos vestros in Castitate, þis is to seye, or þis is to vndirstonde, Gurdiþe youre lendys in chastite. for who so euer is gyrd̛ with the gyrdeƚƚ of lechery, certenlye he levithe the Rynnyng of goode lyf, & is ouercome with the devil; as the Apostle seithe, Nullum Opus bonum sine Castitate, þis is to seye, Þere is no gode werke with oute Chastite. & ther-for do as she did̛; smite the gurdiƚƚ in thre, scil. in prayer̛, fastyng, and̛ almesdede, and̛ withe oute dowte, þenne þou shalt ouercome the devil. Aftir ward̛ this por̛ [leaf 171, col. 2] man̛, scil. þe deuil, castithe forthe a purs with a balle,—what is that? ye wit wel a purs is opin above, and̛ shut be-nethe, & that betokenithe the hart of man, that shulde
euer be opyn̛ to hevenly thinges, & shut to Erthely thinges. Þe twoo cordis, that seruithe to Opyn̛ þe purs, & to shitte, signifiethe love of god̛ & of thi neybour̛; the bal that is Rounde, & colovrid̛ so diuerselye, betokenithe the vice of covetice, that is meuid̛ as wel in the olde as in the yonge; and̛ þerefor the Reson̛ that is wretin̛ aboute is trewe, wher it is I-seyde, Qui mecum ludit, nunquam saciabitur, for the covetouse man̛ can̛ neuer be fillid̛. & ther-fore lete vs be ware that we pleye not with the balle of covetise, as she dude; for yf we forsake god̛, & yeve vs to transetorie godis, and̛ vanites, sothely we shul neuer þenne come to the glorie of euerlastynge lyf. Ad quam &c.
over-take her by a grete space, but ever she come first to the marke that was sette by the Emperour̛. ¶ Whan he had̛ perseived̛ thise ij. vertues in his doughtir, he was right glad̛; and he did̛ make a crie thurgℏ out his Empire, that yf any man wold̛ rynne witℏ his doughtir, and come rathest to the marke than she, he shuld̛ have her to wyf, witℏ infinite goodes; and yf any man ranne witℏ the maiden̛ , and yf she come sonner̛ to the marke than he, than shuld̛ he lese his hede. ¶ *There were dukes, Barons, and knyghtes of the Empire *that herden̛ this crie, and *anon̛ thei came and profered̛ *hem to rynne witℏ the maiden̛ ; so that eche man ranne witℏ the maiden̛ one after another̛, and the maiden̛ over-ranne hem aƚƚ, and so aƚƚ thei losten her hedes, as the law wold̛. ¶ Than was there a man in Rome, that thought witℏ in hym self̘, "I am poore, and *no gentile man borne, and of a vile bloode brought forthe; and *the crie is made, that yf any man by any cautele *can over-rynne the maiden̛ in rynning, he shaƚƚ be promoted̛ vnto grete richesse. ¶ And therfor yf I may by any sleight or cautele over-come her, I shuld̛
not only be promoted̛, but I myght helpe aƚƚ my kynrede." ¶ Than he ordeyned̛ hym self̘ thre cavteles; The first was a Garlond̛ of Rede Roses *and white, wele araied̛ ; The second̛ was a Girdeƚƚ of silke, wele harneysed̛; The third̛ was a purse of silke, *sotelly arrayed̛ witℏ precious stones, and in the purse was a balle of iij. colours, and on the balle was this scripture written, he that shaƚƚ pleye witℏ me, shaƚƚ never be fuƚƚ of my playe. ¶ Thise iij. he put in his bosome, and went vnto the palays gate, crying, "come, maiden̛, come, for I am redy to rynne witℏ the." ¶ whan the Emperour hadde herd̛ this voice, he bad̛ his doughtir to *make her redy to rynne; and so thei ronne to-gedre, and in shorte tyme the maiden̛ ronne before hym.
This wyly man, whan he sawe that, he cast the Garlond̛ before her . The maiden, when she saw the Garlond̛, she stouped̛, and toke vp the Garlond̛ from the erthe, and sette it on her hede; and had̛ grete likyng of̘ the Garlond̛, and *taried̛ tille this sligℏ man was ferre before. [leaf 13] ¶ Whan the maiden̛ sawe that, she wept bitterly, and cast the Garlond̛ in a depe dike; and *than she ranne swiftly after hym, and *over-toke hym, and lifte vp her right honde, and gaf̘ hym a buffet, and badde hym, "abide, wrecche!" and said̛, "it is nought semely, that thi fadirs sone shuld̛ have me to wyf̘." and than she ranne before hym right fast. ¶ Than sawe this sleigh man, and drew a Girdeƚƚ out of his bosome, and cast it before the maiden̛. She sawe the Girdeƚƚ, and toke it vp, and girte her witℏ the Girdeƚƚ and hadde so moche delite of the Girdeƚƚ, that he was before a grete way. ¶ The maiden̛, whan she sawe that, she sorowed̛, and gnewe the Girdeƚƚ witℏ her tethe, and brake it on iii. peces; and ranne after hym strongly, and toke hym, and gaf̘ hym a buffette, and said̛, "Trowest thou, wrecche, to over-come me?" and anon̛ she ranne before hym.
¶ This Iogeler̛ was wyly, and cast the purse before *her. The maiden̛ saw the purse, and opened̛ it; and founde a balle, and radde the scripture on the balle; ¶ That was this, who that playetℏ witℏ me, shaƚƚ never be fuƚƚ of my playe. And she beganne to play witℏ the Balle, and so longe she played̛ witℏ the Balle, that the Iogeler̛ came before her to the marke; and so he had̛ her to be his wyf̘.
Frendes, this Emperour̛ is oure lord̛ Ihesu Crist; the faire doughtir is the soule, made by likenesse of god̛. She is swifte in rynnyng to gode vertues, while she dwelletℏ in her Innocence, that no man, that is to sey, no-dedly synne, may overcome her. ¶ This wyly man, this Iogeler̛, that is comen̛ of vile bloode, is the deveƚƚ, that aƚƚ way studies to brynge downe Innocentes in to synne. ¶ First he ordeyned̛ hym of iij. cavteles, that is, a Garlond̛, by the whiche we shaƚƚ vndirstond̛ pride, for this reason̛. A Garlond̛ is not put on the arme, nor on the foote, but vpon the hede, that it may be
sayn̛. ¶ Right so the proude man wold̛ be seen alway, and therfore thei maken̛ hem self̘ gaye; ¶ And therfore agayn̛ proude men speketℏ seynt Austyn̛, and seietℏ, whan thou seest a proude man, doute not but that he is the devels sone. Therfore do thou as the maiden̛ did̛; wepe for thi synne, and put downe the Garlond̛ of pride, and̛ put it in the diche of contriccion̛, and so thou shalt yeve the deveƚƚ a buffette, and overcome hym. ¶ Than the deveƚƚ seetℏ that he is overcome in one synne, Than he temptetℏ hym witℏ another; and than he cast before man or woman the Girdeƚƚ of̘ lechery. Who so is girte witℏ this Girdeƚƚ he levetℏ the course of̘ [leaf 13, back] goode lyf̘, and so is overcome of the deveƚƚ; ¶ For the appostle seitℏ, There is no goode werke witℏ oute chastite. do Therfore as the maiden̛ did̛; devoide the Girdeƚƚ in iij. parties, that is, into praier, fastyng, and almesdede; And than thou shalt overcome the deveƚƚ. ¶ The purse witℏ the Balle is open above, and shitte bynetℏ, and it betokenetℏ thyn̛ hert, that
alway owitℏ to be shitte by-nethe, that is, to thise erthely thynges, and open above to hevenly thynges. The strenges of the purse to open̛ and to shitte betokenetℏ the love of god̛, and of our Eme-cristen̛. The Balle, that is rounde, and is cast from one to another, betokenetℏ Covetise, that is, aƚƚ way stered̛, as well in olde and yonge; therfore it hatℏ a superscripcion̛, the whiche is this, he that shaƚƚ playe witℏ me, shaƚƚ never be fuƚƚ of my playe, That is, Covetise, that no man shaƚƚ never be fuƚƚ therof̘. ¶ And therfore Senek̘ seitℏ, whan alle synnes wexe olde, Covetise alone wexetℏ yonge. ¶ And therfore studie we not for to playe withe the balle of Covetise, as the maiden̛ did̛, for whi? yf we forsake worldly thynges, that are transitorye and passyng forthe before god̛, we mowe come to everlastyng blisse in heven. Amen.
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