An Introductorie for to Lerne to Read, To Pronounce, and to Speke French Trewly

by Giles Du Wés

A MESSAGER COMMING

FROM THE KYNGES GRACE, TO HIS WEL BELOVED
DOUGHTER LADY MARY.

Mary.
From wens come you, my frende.
Dou uenes uous, mon amy.
The messanger.
I come from the court.
Certes, madame, je uiens de la court.
Mary.
How doth fare the Kyng my father and the good lady my mother.
Coment se porte le Roy mon pere et la bonne dame ma mere.
The messanger.
In truthe, madame, they dyd right well at my partyng, or whan
En uerité, madame, ilz se portoient tresbien a mon departement, ou quant
I came thens.
je men partis.
Ma.
I am right glad of their good prosperite, and pray Our Lorde always so
Je suis tresjoieuse de leur bonne prosperité, et prie Nostre Seigneur tousjours
to maintene them: do nat you bryng me some remembraunce or token
ainsy les maintenir: ne maportés uous quelque souuenance ou enseigne
from them.
de par eulz.
Le mes.
I do presente unto you, in the name of the good grace of the Kyng your father, this
Je uous presente, ou nom de la bonne grace du roy uostre pere, ce
herte of golde, amelde of trewe hope, whiche is russet couller, and from
ceur dor, esmaillé de uray esperance, qui est coulleur grise, et de par

Page 1024

the good lady your mother, a flour of forget me nat, with the
la bonne dame uostre mére, une fleur de ne moubliez mye, auec la
blessyng of God, gyven to Jacob.
benediction de Dieu donnée a Jacob.
Mary.
What blessyng do ye speke to me of.
Quelle benediction me mectés uous en termes.
Le mes.
The same that Abraham gave to Isaak, and Isaak to Jacob, and Jacob to Judas,
Celle que Abraham donna a Isaak, et Isaak a Jacob, et Jacob a Judas,
the whiche is suche that all they that shall blesse you, shalbe blessed.
laquelle est telle que tous ceulx qui uous benyront seront benyes.
Ma.
Blessed be God and blessed be the Kyng and the Quine and all creatures
Benoit soit Dieu et benoitz soient le Roy et la Royne et touttes creatures
of good wyll: now tell me what newes bringe ye to me.
de bonne uoullenté: orsus die moy quelles nouuelles maportés uous.
Le mes.
Trewly ma dame, I do know none other thyng that I may say openly,
Ueritablement, ma dame, je ne scay aultre chose que puisse dire en appert,
but that the Kyng is a knyght.
sinon que le Roy est cheuallier.
Ma.
For soth, or in my God: ther be fayre tidynges, ye may go whan
En mon Dieu, vas les belles nouuelles, uous uous poués en allér
shall please you.
quant uous playra.
Le mes.
Wherfore madame.
Pourquoy, madame.
Ma.
Because that ye have done your arande.
Pource que fait aués uostre message.
I pray you how do myne uncle, myne ante, my lorde,
Je uous prie comment se porte, se portent mon oncle, ma tante, monsieur,
my lady, my my
madame, maistre, maistresse; mon cousin, mes cousins, ma cousine,
neigh bour, my
mes cousines, mon uoisin, mes uoisins, ma uoisine, mes uoisines, mon
God father, my God mother, gospy,
parin, ma marine, mon compére, ma commére, maistre, maistresse,

Page 1025

women, the men: and all my
les damoiselles, les gentilz femmes, les gentilz hommes: et tous mes
good fryndes.
bons amis.
Le mes.
He or she they an hondred times,
Il ou elle se recommande, ilz ou elles se recommandent cent fois,
a thousand times, to your good grace, to your highnesse, to your excellency,
mille fois, a uostre bonne grace, a uostre haultesse, a uostre excellence,
to your lordshyppe.
a uostre seigneurie.
Ma.
I am glad, that he do well, that she that
Je suis joieus, je suis joieuse, quil se porte bien, quelle le fait bien, quilz
they do.
le font bien, quelles se portent bien.
Whan shall ye retourne, whan pretende you or purpose ye to
Quant retournerés uous, quant pretendés uous, quant proposés uous de
returne toward the court, toward the Kyng, the Quene, my lorde,
retourner deuers la court, deuers le Roy, deuers la Royne, devers monsieur,
my lady.
devers madame, etc.
Le mes.
Certainly to morow, after to morow, within this two dayes, within
Certainement, madame, demain, appres demain, dicy a deux jours, dicy a
viii daies, within this moneth: will it please you to commande me any
huit jours, dicy a ung mois: uous plaist il me commander aulcun
servyce.
seruyce.
Ma.
I you pray to do my most humble recommendations to the good grace
Je uous prie de fayre mes tres humbles recommandations à la bonne grace
of the Kyng my father, and the good lady my mother, and to saye to them
du Roy mon pere, a la bonne dame ma mere, et leur dire
that I them pray alwayes of their blessynges.
que je les prie tousjours de leurs benedictions.

Page 1026

MONICION TO THE LADY MARY, BY THE LADY OF MAL
TRAUERS, HUMBLE SERVANT TO HER NOBLE GRACE,
UPON A PROVERBE WHICHE IS HERYNG
SAY GOTH BY THE TOWNE.

I you have herde say
Madame, je uous ay ouy dire
that by the towne gothe here say
que par uille ua ouyr dire
wherfore I you say, and for trouth
pourquoy je uous dis, et pour uray
that if ye ne do other dever
que sy ne faictes aultre debvoir
ye shall fynd that one hath missaide
uous trouuerés quon a mesdict
in that which of you one hath saide
en ce que de uous on a dit
that you dyd speke ryght good frenche
que uous parliéz tresbon francois
passed allredy more than six monethes
passes desja plus de six mois
wherfore, for the love that I you owe
pourquoy pour lamour que uous doy
and that to you have gyve my fayth
et que uous ay donné ma foy
I you requyre and monishe
je uous requier et admoneste
as she whiche is redy
comme celle qui est preste
to serve you and worshyppe
de uous seruir et honorer
that it please you to remember
quil uous plaise rememorer

Page 1027

that whiche more touche your honour
ce qui plus touche uostre honeur
for if it dyd please our lorde
car sil plaisoit nostre seigneur
that you might ones come to
que uous peussiéz ja paruenir
where your hert hath his desire
ou uostre coeur a son desir
without knowyng the frenche speche
sans sauoir parler francois
ye shulde be forced to take by election
il uous faudroie prendre par chois
a faire lady and mynyon
une belle dame et mignonne
for to assiste your persone
pour assistér uostre personne
and also for to interprete
et aussy pour interpreter
that whiche it shulde please you to declare
ce quil uous plairoit declarér
to your husbande and lorde,
a uostre mary et seigneur,
were he either kyng or emperour,
fust il ou roy ou empereur,
whiche might be occasyon
qui poulroit estre occasyon
to gyve you suspicion
de uous donner suspicion
puttyng you in jalousye
uous mectant en jalousie
wherfore howe be it that I am nat
pourquoy combien que ne soie mye
wise ynough nor discrete
asses sage ne discréte

Page 1028

for of you to be secrete
pour de uous estre secréte
faithfulnes nevertheles bynde me
loiaulté neantmoins me lie
the whiche humbly supplye
le quel humblement suplie
to your hygh excellency
a uostre haulte exellence
to do dever and delygence
de faire debuoir et diligence
to lern of all your power
daprendre de tout uostre pouoir
to the ende that ye may can
affin que uous puisses scauoir
at the commyng of your father
a la uenue de uostre pére
speke frenche in suche wyse
parler francois de telle maniére
that Jesu be therof worshypped
que Jesu en soit honoré
and the noble Kyng contented
et le noble Roy contenté
and that it tourne you to honour
et quil uous tourne a honeur
and in proffit to the servant
et a prouffit au seruiteur
whiche for to serve your grace
qui pour seruir uostre grace
nothyng is possyble that he ne do
nest rien possible quil ne face
the whiche God be wyllyng to kepe
laquelle Dieu ueulle gardér
and in suche wyse to enlumine
et tellement enluminér

Page 1029

that you may have at the later ende
que uous puisses auoir en fin
the joy that last without ende.
la joie qui dure sans fin.
Amen.

A MESSANGER COMMYNG FROM THEMPEROUR, THE FRENCH KYNG,
OR ANY OTHER PRYNCE.

God save you good life and honour gyve you God.
The mes. Dieu uous sauue, madame, bonne uie et honneur uous doint Dieu, madame.
Ye be welcome my frende, my lorde.
Mary. Bien soiez uenu, mon amy, mamie, monsieur.
The empereur your cosin recommende to your good grace, to your
The mes. Lempereur uostre cousin se recommande a uostre bonne grace, a uostre
or the Kyng my maistre or your father grete you well.
celsitude, ou majesté, le Roy mon maistre ou uostre pére uous salue.
How doth his good grace, his lordshyp.
Ma. Comment le fait sa bonne grace, sa seigneurie.
he doth as the prince of this worlde, that most desyre
Le mes. Certes, madame, il se porte come le prince de ce monde qui plus desire
your welth, your honour, and for the maintenyng of the whiche he wolde
uostre bien, uostre honeur, et pour le maintenement du quel il uouldroit
bestow body and richesse, or richesse.
emploiér corps et auoir, ou cheuance.
I thanke him hertely, for I do holde him for suche, and
Ma. Certes je le mercie de tresbon coeur, car je le tiens pour tél, et
I do certifye you that of my parte I wolde do lykewyse
uous certifye que de ma parte je uouldroie fayre le pareil, le semblable
for him. Now rise up I shall beholde your letters, than I shall
pour luy. Or sus levés uous, je regarderay uos lettres, puis je uous
gyve you an answere.
donerai responsse.

Page 1030

At your good pleasure. Wyll it please your grace, your highnesse,
Le mes. A uostre bon playsir, madame. Plaist il a uostre grace, a uostre haultesse,
to comande me any servyce to the of your cosin the Emperour,
me comandér aulcun seruice a la majesté de uostre cousin lempereur,
or of the Kyng my maistre.
ou du Roy mon maistre.
I praye you to recomende me to his majestie, as she that is glad
Ma. Je uous prie de me recomandér a sa majesté, come celle qui seroit joieuse
of his welth, honour and prosperite. And for the which or to encrease
de son bien, honneur et prosperité. Et pour laquelle ou lequel encoistre
I wolde do my power.
je uouldroie faire mon pouoir.
I shall fulfyll your commandement with the helpe of God, madame.
Le mes. Jacomplyray uostre commandement a laide de Dieu, madame.
I pray you therof my frende: and fare well.
Ma. Je uous en prie, mon amy, et a Dieu soiez, etc.

A PRESENT SENDE TO THE LADY MARY.

God save you or preserve you from evyl and mishap
Le mes. Dieu uous garde ou preserue de mal et dencombrier, ma dame.
Ye be right well come, my gentylman.
Mary. Vous soiéz le tresbien uenu, mom gentilhomme.
My lorde of Worcestre and my lady his wyfe recomende them
Le mes. Monsieur de Worcestre et ma dame sa femme se recomandent
humbly, mekely, to your good grace, and doth send you this lytell present
humblement a uostre bonne grace, et uous enuoient ce petit present
of suche comodities that it hath pleased Our Lorde to send them.
de telles comodités quil a pleu Nostre Seigneur leur envoiér.
Forsoth I thanke them hertely: it is nat the fyrst
Ma. En bonne uerité je les mercye de bonne amour: ce nest pas la premiére
goodnesse and courtesy that they have done to me: how doth he,
bonté et courtoisie quilz mont faicte: comment se porte il,
I pray you, and how doth the good lady his wyfe.
je uous prie, et comment le fait la bonne dame sa femme.

Page 1031

Certaynly, madame, they do, or they fare, as they that ben
Le mes. Certainement, madam, ilz se portent, or ilz le font come ceulz qui sont
all yours.
tous uostres.
Forsoth I am glad therof, for he is a noble lorde,
Ma. En mon Dieu, jen suis bien joieuse, car il est noble personne, seigneur,
man: and she is a good, and vertuouse lady, trewe,
homme: et elle est bonne et uertueuse dame, honeste, preude, gentille
lady, woman, I pray you
dame, damoisel, femme de bien, je uous prie ou requier de
to thanke her, to thanke them, and to them say that I
me la remercier, de me les regraciér, et leur ou luy dictes que je
shalbe glade, to remembre the honour that he they
seray joieuz, joieuse de recognoistre lhoneur quil ou quelle, quilz ou
do to me when oportunite or tyme shalbe.
quelles me fait ou font quant temps oportun ou oportunité en sera.
I shall endever me with all my power to fulfyll your comandement, madame.
Le mes. Je menploiray de tout mon pouer a accomplir uostre commandemant, madame.
Tresourer.
Ma. Tresoriér.
Madame.
Le tres. Madame.
Gyve him fifty crownes.
Mar. Dones luy cinquante escus.
It shalbe done, madame.
Le tres. Il sera fait, madame.
Hussher.
Mar. Hussher.
What please your grace.
Lhus. Que plait il a uostre grace.
Go and brynge this gentilman to the seller and make him good chere, and
Ma. Allés et menés ce gentil homme au celiér et luy faictes bonne chière, et
loke that he lake no thinge.
regardés que riens ne luy faille.

Page 1032

I shall fulfyll your pleasure, madame.
Lhus. Jaccompliray uostre plaisir, madame.

AN EPITAPHE MADE UPON THE DETH OF FRENCHE, WHICHE
WAS FAYNED FOR TO TECHE HER GRACE, HER MAISTRE
BEYNGE SYKE OF THE GOWTE.

Here lyeth the frenche ouerthrowen
Cy gist le francois renuersé
as ye se and cast downe
come uous uoiéz et abatu
the whiche is more than a yere a gone
lequel plus dung an a passé
that he came among us;
quauec nous sest embatu;
wold to God that he had lyved
pleust ore a Dieu quil eust uescu
reignyng alwayes as he was wont
regnant tousjours come il soulloit
sith that no man he wolde none yvell
ueu qua nulluy mal ne uoulloit
Alas, at his begynnyng
Helas, a son commencement
he was so right well accepted
il fust sy tresbien accepté
of his lady and of her people,
de sa dame et de sa gent,
but at the ende dere it hath coste
mais en la fin chiere a cousté
for he hath ben slayne
car il a esté assomme
and cast downe by stronge warre
et rues jus par forte guerre
and now lyeth deed in the grounde
et maintenant gist mort en terre

Page 1033

In dyeng made his complainte
En se mourant fist sa complainte
against thre man of this house
contre trois hommes de ceans
wherof one of them hath deceived many
dont lung diceulz a diceu maintes
as ben customed all phisiciens
come seulent tous phisiciens
for I have herde say to the ancientes
car jay ouy dire aux anciens
that with our peril they lerne,
qua nos perilz font discipline,
that which may be proved by Plyny.
ce qui se peult prouuer par Pline.
The other whiche was his enemy
Laultre qui fust son ennemy
is called maistre amener,
sapelle monsieur laumosnier,
whiche at the fyrst to him was lovyng
qui au premier luy fust amy
cherisshyng him as a frynde dere,
le festoiant come amy chiér,
but at the ende of a hert of stele
mais en la fin dung coeur daciér
him renouncynge put him in oblivion,
le renoncant mist en oubly,
wherof he died for great thought.
dont il mourust par grant soucy.
The thirde that best him dyd mainten
Le tiers qui mieulz le maintenoit
had it nat ben for his absence
se neust este pour son absence

Page 1034

one him dyd name
Jehan ap Morgan on le nonmoit
the whiche hath him put in forgetyng,
lequel la mis en non chalance,
for howbeit that great knowyng
car combien que grant science
to him mainteyn he had nat,
a le soubstenir point nauoit,
by him nevertheles over al he dyde lyve.
par luy neantmoins sur tous uiuoit.
But sith that it is so hapned,
Mais puis quainsy est aduenu,
it must be take paciently
prendre le fault paciamment
prayeng for him and his salvation
priant pour luy et son salu
sens that it may nat be otherwyse.
ueu questre ne peult aultrement.
that it please to God almyghty
quil plaise a Dieu omnipotent
of him and us to have mercy
de luy et nous auoir mercy
whan by the deth we shalbe passed.
quant par la mort serons transy.
Amen.

A LETTER SENDE TO THE LADY MARY FOR TO LERNE
THE SAME, IN THE ABSENCE OF HER SERVANTE
WHICHE DYD TECHE HER GRACE.

To my lady, my lady Mary of Englande, doughter of the most cristen Kyng,
Madame, madame Marye dEngleterre, fille du roy trescrestiien,

Page 1035

my most redoubted lady and mastresse, gretyng with renowne immortall.
ma tresredoubtée dame et maistresse, salut auec renommée immortelle.
Consideryng that here before I have advertysed you, most
Considerant que deuant ores, ou par ca deuant uous ay aduerty, tres
illustre and right excellent lady, how we have the deth before us,
illustre et tres excellente dame, coment nous auons la mort deuant nous,
to the whiche by the wyll of God we haste us of all our strength
a la quelle par le uouiloir diuin nous nous hastons de touttes nos forces
to come. The whiche in my memory revolving about my partyng,
parvenir. Ce quen ma memoire reuoluant enuiron mon partement,
nat knowyng if I shall have grace to retourne in your servyce or no:
ignorant se jaray grace de retourner en uostre seruyce ou non:
have advised me of herte trewe and contrit in all mekenesse to requyre
me suis aduisé de coeur loyall et contrit en toutte humilité uous requerir
you forgyvenes and pardon of the rudenesse that I yvel manerd have used toward
mercy et pardon de la rudesse que (je mal morigére) ay usé enuers
your hyghnesse, administryng you my pore and unworthy servyce,
uostre haultesse, uous administrant mon poure et indigne seruyce,
supplyeng you humbly that specially for the love of him
uous supliant humblement quespeciallement pour lamour de celluy
please you to pardone me, for the whiche willyng to serve, I have right often passed
me ueulles pardoner, pour lequel uoulloir seruir jay souuent transgressé
the markes and lymytes of reason, having confidence assuredly that the syngular
les limites et bournes de raison, me confiant asseuréement que la singuliere
mekenes of your excellency, joined with the fulfullyng of all other
benignité de uostre excellence conjoincte auec le comble de toutes aultres
graces shall nat rejecte nor refuse this my lyttell request, and for a token
graces ne rejectera ne refusera ceste ma petitte requeste, et pour signe
of the graunt of the same, shal please you benignely to rede and understande this
de lotroy dicelle uous plaira benignement lire et entendre ceste
rude and unworthy letters, the whiche (as I hope) shall nat do you lytell
rude et indigne lettres, la quelle (come jespoir) ne uous sera point petit
proffit with that that by this meane ye shall restore and excuse myn
de prouffit auec ce que par ce moien uous suplérés et excuserés mon

Page 1036

absence, prayeng our Lorde thus most hye, most illustre, and most
absence, priant nostre Seigneur a tant tres haulte, tres illustre, et tres
excellente lady, to gyve you rest pleasant and slepe delicat.
excellente dame, uous donner repos plaisant et sompne delicieuz. Amen.
Written by your unworthy servant the nyght that he toke leve of your
Escript par uostre indigne seruiteur la nuyt que prins congie de uostre
grace.
grace.

ANOTHER LETTER SENDE TO THE LADY MARY
BY JOHN AP MORGAN SQUIER, CARVER
OF THE SAME, HER GRACE BEYNG
SOMWHAT CRASED.

To the right hygh, right excellente and right magnanyme my right redouted
A tres haulte, tres excellente et tres magnanime ma tres redoubtée
lady my lady Mary of Englande, my lady and mastresse, grettyng with joye
dame ma dame Marye dEngleterre, madame et maistresse, salut auec joye
everlastyng.
sans fin.
The tribulations of this worlde most grevous and most intollerable to
Les tribulations de ce monde plus angoisseuses et plus intollerables a
bere and suffre, right illustre and prosperous lady, ben whan a
comporter et souffrir, tres illustre et bien heurée dame, sont quant une
body desiryng to satisfie and to obtemperate to his pleasur and affection is
persone desirant de satisfaire et obtemperér a son plaisir et affection est
contrained by strength and inforced to the contrary, wherof I may of my
contrainte par uiue force et efforcée au contraire, de quoy je puis de ma
part bere trew witnesse, for of the one side I am holde and bounde after
part portér uray tiesmoygnage, car dung coste je suis tenu et obligé selon
the lawe divyne to entertaine my wyfe and espouse, nat onely of the lytell
la loy diuine dentretenir ma femme et espouse, non seullement des petis
goodes temporals that it hath pleased to God to sende me, but also of my
biens temporélz quil a pleu a Dieu menuoyér, mais aussy de mon

Page 1037

owne body in all her necessities and busenes, to ayde and lene unto: with
corps mesme en toutes ses negoces et affaires, suffultér et assistér: auec
that that of the other part your excellency, to the whiche I am bounde by nature
ce que daultre part uostre excellence, a laquelle je suis obligé par nature
and by othe, doth styre and move me continually to desyre the of
et par serment me instique et esmeult incessament desirer la fruicion de
your presence for the more and more to consider and beholde the indicible
uostre presence pour de plus en plus ruminér et speculér les inconprehensibles
vertues, of the whiche our Lorde of his grace infinit hath
uertus, desquelles nostre Seigneur de sa grace inmense uous
you above all other ladyes of this worlde, as the sone above
a pardessus touttes aultres dames de ce monde, come le soleill par dessus
all the sterres of Heven made to shine and glistre: but sens that none
touttes les estoilles du ciel fait luire et resplendir: mais ueu que nul
may to the Creatour satisfy without kepyng the faith promised, I have suche
ne peult au Createur satisfayre sans garder la foy promise, jay tél
hope and trust in your hygh that this mekely
espoir et confidence en uostre haulte circonspeccion, que ce bénignement
considred, shall holde me in myne absence for excused: certifyeng you
consydéré, me tiendra en mon absence pour excusé: uous certifiant
trewly that it were nat for to pray and requyre our lady of Matheley
ueritablement que se ne fust pour prier et requerir nostre dame de Matheley
that it please her to sende you or to gyve to fare well again and helth
qui luy plaise uous donér conualescence et santé
to recover, with longe youth and age of Nestor, I had lefte my
recouvrér, auec longue jeunesse et uiellesse Nestorienne, jeusse laissé mon
hert all togyder with you, as in the place of this worlde, where lieth all
coeur totallement auec uous, come ou lieu de ce monde ou gisent touttes
his thoughtes and affections most desired, praieng the swete Jesu thus, moste
ses pensées et affections plus desiréez, priant le doulz Jhesus a tant, tres
hygh, most illustre and most excellente lady Mary, to gyve you the hole fulfillyng
haulte, tres illustre et tres excellente dame Mary, uous donér lentiér
of your nobles desirs.
de uos nobles desirs. Amen.

Page 1038

CONFABULACION BETWENE THE LADY MARY AND HER SERVANT GYLES
TOUCHYNG THE PEACE.

Mary.
How ye shew well that ye have great cure and care to
Comment, Giles, uous montrés bien quaués grant cure et soing de
teche me when ye do you absente se from me.
maprendre quant uous uous absentés ainsy de moy.
Gyles.
Trewly me thinke that I am continually here.
Certes, madame, il me semble que suis continuellement icy.
Ma.
Ye, and where were ye yester day at soupper, I praye you.
Uoire, et ou estiés uous hier a soupper, je uous prie.
Gyles.
Trewly ye have reason, for I forgate myselfe yester night,
Ueritablement, madame, uous aues raison, car je mentroubliay ersoir
bycause of company and of
a cause de compagnie et de communication.
Mar.
I pray you, faire sir, make us partener of your
Je uous prie, beau sire, faictes nous parconniere de vostre communication,
for I suppose that it was of some good purpos.
car jestime quelle estoit de quelque bon purpos.
Gyl.
Trewly it was of the peas, the whiche (as they sayde) is proclamed
Certes, madame, elle estoit de la paix, laquelle (come on disoit) est proclamée
by all this realme.
par tout ce royaume.
Mar.
Of what maner, I praye you, and of what lastyng.
De quelle maniere, je uous prie, et de quelle durée.
Gyl.
Of the lastyng shall God answere you, but of the forme and maner
De la durée uous respondera Dieu, madame: mais de la forme et maniere
can I shew and report, the whiche is cried as wel in this realme of England
uous scay je bien rapporter, laquelle est criée tant en ce royaume dEngleterre
as of France, so longe as the noble Kyng your father
come de France, et tant que le noble roy Henry uostre pere
(whiche God preserve) shall lyve and the frenche Kynge lykewyse with
(que Dieu ueulle garder) uiura et le roy Francois pareillement auec
the addicion of a day.
laddicion dung jour.

Page 1039

Ma.
Must that day be anexed to it and comprehended.
Fault il que ce jour y soit anexé et compris.
Gil.
Ye verily
Ouy certes, madame.
Ma.
Wherfore me thynke that it is but
Pourquoy il me semble que ce nest que superfluité.
Gil.
Nat so, save your for the addicion of a day yelde the tyme infinit,
Non est, sauue vostre grace, car laddiction dung jour rent le terme infiny,
for the lastyng of the worlde is but a day.
car la durée du monde nest qung jour.
Ma.
I wolde fayne understande how that may be, how be it I love better
Jentenderoie uoullentiér coment cela peult estre, toutesuoies jayme mieulx
that for this tyme you do declare unto me what is of peas.
que pour le present uous me declarés que cest que paix.
Gil.
Well I shall kepe to you the exposicion of that day for whan I shall
Bien, madame, je uous garderay lexposicion de ce jour pour quant uous
teche you the spere the whiche parteine and serve to that purpos, and touchyng
apprendray lespére laquélle duit et sert a ce propos, et touchant
the peas, howbeit that, after the holy lectres, it excede and surmonte
la paix, combien que, selon la saincte lectre, elle excéde et sourmonte
all the wyttes, I shall recite you neverthelesse that that of it saint
tous les sens, je uous reciteray nonobstant ce que dict monsieur saint
Austin sayth, spekyng of the worde of God, in his nynty and seven omelye,
Augustin parlant de la parolle de Dieu, en sa nonante septiesme homelie,
howbeit that it shulde be necessary to make you understande first
combien quil seroie necessaire uous donnér a entendre premiérement
how many kyndes or maner of warres ben.
quantes espéces ou maniére de guerres sont.
Ma.
How is there more than one maner.
Coment, en est il plus dune maniére.
Gil.
there is warre betwene reame and reame, betwene town and
Certes, madame, il y a guerre entre royaume et royaume, entre uille et
towne, betwene parishe and parishe, betwene linages, betwene neygbours, betwene
uille, entre paroisse et paroisse, entre lignages, entre uoisins, entre

Page 1040

the man and the wyfe, and betweene the body and the soule, the whiche is the
lhome et la femme, et entre le corps et lame, laquelle est la
worste, and more dangerous of the others, but touchyng the peas, saint
pire, et plus dangereuse des aultres, mais quant est de la paix, saint
Austin, in the place above alleged, sayth that it is clennesse of thought,
Augustin, ou lieu dessus allegué, dict que cest serenité de pensée,
peas of corage, simplenesse of hert, bonde of love, feliship of
tranquilité de courage, simplesse de coeur, lien damour, compagne de
charite, breker of strife, pacifier of molifiyng of
charyté, destruiseresse destrif, apaiseresse de batailles, mollifieresse de
angre, vainquisshyng proude men, love of humilite, asswagyng
couroux, uainqueresse des orguilleus, amour dhumilité, en mitigant
discorde, and agreyng ennemys, nat sekyng but his, that can nat
les discordz, et concordant ennemis, non cerchant laultruy, non scachant
hate, callyng nothyng his, that can nat exalte him nor be proude,
hair, rien ne reputant sien, non scauant soy exaultér ne enorgueillir,
techyng to love, pleasante to every body, he that had it let him kepe it,
ensegnant aimér, plaisante a chescun, quil la tient sy la garde,
he that lese it let him seke it, for he that in it shall nat be founde, God the father
qui la pert sy la cerche, car qui en elle trouué ne sera, Dieu le pére
him shal pluck out of his roote, and the Sonne him shal disenherite, and of the Holy
le disracinera, et le Filz le deshéritera, et du Saint
Goost shalbe unknowen, wherof the same be willyng us to defende and
Esprit sera descongneu, dont icelle Trinité nous ueulle deffendre et
kepe.
gardér.
Ma.
In my God it is a great thyng of peas; I requyre the swete Jhesus
En mon Dieu, cest grand chose que de paix; je requiér le doulz Jhesus
to mainteyne it to us.
la nostre uoulloir maintenir.
Amen.

Page 1041

HERE FOLOWETH CERTAYNE VERSES, SENDE TO THE NOBLE LADY MARY,
FOR TO LERNE THEM HER SCOLE MAISTER BEYNG SICKE.

To you, most soverayn,
A uous, tressouueraine maistresse,
I sende these vers, wyllyng to signifie
jenvoy ces uerse, uoullant sinifiér
my great dolour and that more me oppresse
ma grand doulleur et que plus mopresse
that I may nat you serve and teche
ne uous pouoir seruir et enseygnér
than for to suffre sekenesse and danger
que de souffrir maladie et dangiér
wherfore, if it please so moche do to your grace
pourquoy, sil plaist tant faire a uostre grace
them for to rede some lyttell space
les uoulloir lire quelque petitte espace
my hope is that better therof ye shalbe
mon espoir est que mieulz uous en vauldrés
and by that point also shall excuse me.
et par ce point aussi mescuserés.
Me thinketh that other than you ought nat
Il me semble quaultre que uous ne doibt
to be judge of my greuous payne
estre juge de ma griéfue payne
bycause also that other myght nat
pource aussy quaultre ne pouroit
nat knowyng the whiche lede me
non congnoisant la cause qui me maine
but as for you, I know that ye be
mais quant a uous, say questes certaine
of the good wyll and great
du bon uoulloir et grande affection

Page 1042

that I have to serve, and the
quay de seruir, et la déuocion
to fulfyll of hert and of power
pour accomplir de coeur et de pouoir
all that whiche please to the noble kynge to wyll.
tout ce quil plaist au noble roy uoulloir.
Amonge the monethes which fulfyll the yere
Entre les mois qui accomplissent lan
two there ben specially
deux en y a espéciallement
whiche have done me yvell, great sorowe and harme
qui mont fait deul, grant ennuy et ahan
it may nat be that I say otherwyse
estre ne peult que je die aultrement
often I have sene theyr maner and how
souvent ay ueu leur maniere et comment
they me have entreated, without any deservyng
ilz mont traicte, sans lauoir deseruy
bycause they ben of courage bounded
pour ce quilz sont de courage asseruy
never lovyng the workes of the springe of the yere
naimant jamais les oeuures de printemps
rather without cesse than doth yvell at all tymes.
ains sans cessér leur font mal en tous temps.
The principall of the whiche more I me complayne
Le principal duquel plus je me plains
in his blason him doth name
en son blason se fait nommér Décembre
by him I have made weppyng and syghes many
par luy ay fait pleurs et soupirs mains
never shall it be but I shall
ja ne sera que ne men remembre

Page 1043

he and me have ravyshed a
luy et Januiér mont tollu ung membre
whiche me shall make that so longe as I shall lyve
qui me fera que tant que je uiuray
in great sorow fromhensforth shall go
en grant doulleur doresnauant iray
wherfore I drede that in great melancoly
pourquoy je crains quen grant merencolie
at the latter ende shall behove that therof I lose my lyfe.
en fin fauldra que jen perde la uie.
If it hap nat that the springe
Sansy naduient, que printempz gracieuz
to his commyng the whiche is nygh
a sa uenue laquelle est prouchaine
beholdyng me and seyng so pitious
me regardant et uoiant sy piteuz
to heale me, put him nat in paine
de me guerir ne se mecte en paine
for trewly, I know well that he love me
car pour certain, bien je scay quil mayme
by him first in this worlde was I put
par luy primiér en ce monde fus mys
with that always he hath him indever
auec ce tousjours sest entermys
duryng his tyme, to do me somme good
son temps durant, de me faire du bien
wherof from ever I shall yelde me for his.
dont a jamais je me tiendray pour sien.
Whiche I requyre that it may hap
Ce que requiér ainsy puist aduenir
to the ende that to God I may crie mercy
affin qua Dieu puisse criér mercy

Page 1044

of my synnes, and to go and come
de mes pechéz, et allér et uenir
in servyng you, for to satisfie also
en uous seruant, pour satisfaire aussy
to your good dedes, that do entreate me so
a uos biens faitz, qui me traictéz ainsy
wherfore next Good, I am more bounde
dont appres Dieu, je suis plus obligéz
to your grace, than to any under heven
a uostre grace, qua nul dessoubz les cielz
wherfore in the meane tyme that I shalbe in this worlde
pourquoy tandis que seray en ce monde
I shall him requyre to kepe you pure and clene.
luy requerray uous garder pure et monde.
Amen.

A COMMUNICATION BETWENE THE LADY MARY AND HER AMENER,
HER GRACE BEYNGE WITH A PRIUY FAMILY
IN THE PARKE OF THEUKESBERY.

Mary.
Ah, maister Amener, I had nat wened that ye had so forgotten
Ha, monsieur lAumosnier, je neusse pas cuidé que meussés ainsy mise
me.
en oubly.
Laum.
Howe, madame.
Coment, madame.
Ma.
Bicause that ye well knowe that I solytarie and of all company destytute,
Pource que bien scaués que moy solitaire et de toutte compagnie destituée,
ye have me forsaken and lefte.
uous maués relenquie et laissée.
Lau.
God forbede, madame, that it be as ye say, for it is nat to you
Ja Dieu ne ueulle, madame, que soit come uous dictes, car il ne uous est point
unknowen that I must nede be with your counsayle, leavyng to them of
incongneu quil ne me faulte estre auec uostre conseil, les assistant de
my power.
mon pouoir.

Page 1045

Ma.
I had wened neverthelesse that for the regarde of me and of your profyte,
Jeusse cuide toutesfois que pour le regard de moy et de uostre prouffit,
ye had made you dispensed.
uous uous eussés fait dispensér.
Lau.
Trewly, madame, there is nothyng in my power that I ne dyd for the honour
Certes, madame, il nest chose en mon pouoir que je ne feisse pour lhonneur
of you, how be it that I do nat understande well what thyng ye do thynke,
de uous, combien que je nentens pas bien quelle chose uous pensés
spekynge of dispence and of profyte.
parlant de dispense et de prouffit.
Mar.
I understande by the dispence, that ye myght excuse you from the counsayle for
Jentens par la dispense, que uous uous pouiéz escusér du conseil pour
a tyme, and touchyng the profyte, ye knowe that whan I dyd prayse
ung temps, et touchant le prouffit, uous scaués que quand je prisoie
your frenche, ye dyd warant me that whithin a yere I shulde speke as
uostre francois, uous masseuriez que dedans ung an le parleroye aussy
good or better than you, wherfore by suche condycion that so
bon ou meilleur que uous, pourquoy par telle condicion quainsy
myght be, trusting more of the power of the Kyng my father, and of the good
peult estre, me confiant plus du pouoir du Roy mon pére, et la bonne
lady my mother than of myn owne, dyd promis you a good benefyce, for
dame ma mére que du mien, uous promis ung bon bénéfice, pour
the impetration of the whiche me thynketh that ye ought to do some dylygence.
lympetracion duquel il me semble que deueriez faire quelque diligence.
Lau.
Trewly, madame, that whiche me moved so to assure you was especially
Certes, madame, ce que me meult a uous ainsy asseurér fut especiallement
by cause of your synguler undentandyng, for the whiche ye ought well
a cause de uostre singuliér entendement, pour lequel uous debuéz bien
to thanke God, and for that also that after the phylosopher, the soule of the
Dieu remerciér, et pour ce aussy que selon le philosophe, lame de la
person is as the table planed, or as the perspectif or glasse
persone est come la table rasée, ou come le perspectif ou mirouer
in the whiche the kindnes and symilitudes of thynges ben shewed,
ouquel les especes et similitudes des choses sont representées,

Page 1046

spiritually duryng the tyme that the sayd glasse or table is nat
signanment durant le temps que le dict mirouer ou table nest point
infected, deturpat, nor made foule by synne, wherfore contemplyng
contaminée, deturpée, ne maculée par peché, pourquoy contemplant
the same similitude to have confirmite and agreyng, to your grace, might
icelle similitude auoir conformité et conuenience a uostre grace, ne peuz
nat say that that I sayd.
non dire ce que je diz.
Ma.
In good fay I thanke our Lorde and shall thanke duryng my lyfe
En bonne foy je mercye nostre Seigneur et merciray tant que uiuray
of all the that it hath pleased to him to gyve me, howbeit that
de touttes les graces qui luy a pleu me donnér, combien que
of suche wherof ye me praise I have no knowlege, but
de telles dont uous me louéz nay je point de congnoissance, mais
all suche wordes set asyde, I shall nat be nevertheless of
toutes telles parabolles arriere mises, je ne seray touttes uoiez ja de
you content without mende.
uous contente sans amende.
Lau.
Without faute, ma dame, the mende shalbe made at your jugement, for
Infailliblement, ma dame, lamende sera faicte a uostre arbitrement, car
I have me exyled and banyshed from all lybertie for the love of
je me suis exillé et banny de toutte liberté pour lamour de
your service, wherfore nothynge to me shalbe possible, that hayyng your
uostre service, pourquoy rien ne me sera possible, que aiant uostre
I do nat fulfyll to my power.
comandement, je nacomplisse a mon pouoir.
Mar.
Trewly, I thanke you, mayster Amener, certifyeng you surely
Certes, je uous mercye, monsieur lAumosnier, uous asseurant tresacertes
that suche is my trust in you.
que telle est ma fiance en uous.
Lau.
Trewly, madame, ye may therof well be assured,
Pour certayn, madame, uous en pouéz bien estre asseurée.
Mar.
Now than I comande you that ye visite me as often as
Or bien doncques je uous comande que me uisités le plus souuent que

Page 1047

goodly and conveniently may do, and specially at dinner,
bonnement et licitement faire poulrés, et especiallement a disnér,
to the ende to talke and to speke with me.
affin de confabulér et comunicquér auec moy.
Lau.
It shalbe done, madame, if it please God.
Il sera fait, madame, se Dieu plaist.
Ma.
Se than that there have no faute.
Uoiéz doncques quil ny ait point de faulte.
Lau.
Nomore shall have.
Non ara il, madame.
Finis.

CONFABULACION BETWENE THE LADY MARY AND THE TRESORER
OF HER CHAMBRE, HER HUSBAND ADOPTIF, HER NOBLE GRACE
BEYNG WITHDRAWEN WITH PRIVY COMPANY IN A PLACE
SOLITARY, BY CAUSE OF THE DETH,
FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE FRENCHE
TONGE.

Amour. Of love.
Marye.
In good faith, my husband, I can nat me mervaile ynough, how I have
En bonne foy, mon mary, je ne me puis asses esbahir coment je nay
no more comfort of you, for in that that I may se, ye take great
plus de confort de vous, car en ce que je puis veoir, vous vous souciez
care of your goute the whiche one hath tolde me that ye have, than ye
plus de vostre goute (la quelle on ma dit que vous avés) que ne
do of your wyfe.
faictes de vostre femme.
Le tre.
Certainly, ma dame, your grace hath sayd truthe, howbeit that it is agaynst
Certes, ma dame, vostre grace a dit uerité, combien que ce soit contre
my wyll and by force.
ma voullenté et par force.

Page 1048

Ma.
In my God with great payne may I beleve that the goute myght withholde
En mon Dieu, a grant paine puis je croire que la goute peult retenir
a good husbande havyng some love to his wyfe, specially
ung bon mary aiant quelque amour a sa femme, especiallement
beyng so nygh of her, but he shulde more oftener to visyte her.
estant sy pres delle, qui ne la uinst plus souuent uisyter.
Le tre.
Without faulte it is an harde thyng and dyffuce to go to hym that hath neither
Infailliblement cest chose ardue et difficile dallér a qui na ne
fote nor legges, nevertheles as your grace hath sayd, love
piedz ne jambes, nonobstant que comme uostre grace a dit, amour
dothe moche.
fait moult.
Ma.
I pray you, good syr, to declare me what it is of love. For ye
Je uous prie, beau sire, declarés moy que cest que damour. Car uous
be a doctour and well lettred, with that that a good husbande ought to teche
estes docteur et bien lettres, avec ce que ung bon mary doibt endoctriner
his wyfe, wherfore I pray you to do your devour to teche
sa femme, pourquoy je uous prie de faire [uostre] debuoir dendoctriner
yours.
la uostre.
Le tre.
Infallibly, madame, the mater is to hyghe for my symplenesse, but
Sans faulte, madame, la matiere est trop haulte pour ma simplesse, mais,
for nat be wyllyng to disobey you, with my power I shall shewe you of it
pour non uous uoulloir desobair a mon pouoir je uous en diray
willyngly that I therof can.
uolentier ce que jen scay.
Ma.
I requyre you therof, my good husbande, for I knowe you suche that ye cannat
Je vous en requier, mon bon mary, car je vous congnis tel que ne scariez
say ywell.
mal dire.
Le tre.
Now than sith that it please you so, trew it is that I fynde thre
Or sus doncques, puis quainsy vous agrée, il est vray que je treuue trois
maners of love, that is to say and the
manieres damour, cest a scavoir filialle, matrimonialle, et animalle: a

Page 1049

is that same which the father and the mother have to their chylde, the whiche
filialle est celle que le pére et la mére ont a leur enfant, laquelle
is nat nor easy to your grace to understande, unto
nest pas facile ne aysée a uostre grace dentendre, jusques a
that that he please God that ye understande it by experiens, for the childe
ce quil plaise a Dieu que lentendes par experience, car lenfant ne
know never the love that the father and mother have toward him, unto
cognoist jamais lamour que le pére et mére ont vers luy, jusques à
the tyme that he be made father or mother, bycause that suche love is nat reciprocque
ce quil soit fait pére ou mére, pour ce que telle amour nest pas reciproque,
or retorning, but rather comyng from God to the firste father or prothoplauste
ains uenant de Dieu au premiér pére ou prothoplauste
it goeth and retourne to God from father to the sonne. The seconde
sen va et retourne à Dieu de pére en filz. La seconde
love is called matrimoniall the whiche is of mervellouse strength and
amour est dicte matrimonialle, la quelle est de merveilleuse energie et
vertu, specially whan the mariages ben made after the ordynance of
vertu, especiallement quant les mariages sont faitz selon lordonance de
God, that is to say, by true love and, if it were nat to eschewe prolixite,
Dieu, cest a dire par uray amour, et, si ce nestoit pour non estre prolix,
I myght recite you of many women whiche ben deed
je vous poulroie recitér de pluisieurs femmes qui sont mortes
and perished for the love of their husbandes, and many men lykewyse
et perie pour lamour de leur maris, et pluisieurs hommes semblablement
for the love of their wyves. And touchyng to the thirde, that is sayde
pour lamour de leur femmes. Et quant a la tierce qui est dicte
animalle, she is without conparacion stronger than the others, bycause
animalle, elle est sans comparacion plus forte que les aultres, pour ce
it is the love that the soule hath to his body the whiche is so great that
que cest lamour que lame a a son corps, laquelle est sy grande que
nothyng is so moche loved in this worlde, that the man ne renounce and refuse,
riens nest tant aymé en ce monde que lhomme ne renounce et refuse,
first that he suffre his soule to departe from his body, nor nothing
premier quil souffre son ame departir de son corps, ne riens

Page 1050

is so terrible painful nor dangerous, that the man ne shulde suffre,
nest sy terryble, penible ne dangereus, que lhomme ne tollerast,
before or rather than to suffre devorce or departyng betwene his soule and his
auant souffrir diuorce ou separation entre son ame et son
body, bycause that nothyng is so more to be drede than the deth: nevertheles
corps, pour ce que rien nest plus a craindre que la mort: neantmoins
all these premisses set aside, God the creatour hath loved us
toutes ces premisses, madame, Dieu le createur nous a aimé
above all the above sayd loves. For touchyng the filiall, he
par dessus toutes les dessus dictes amours. Car touchant la filialle, il
hath sende his dere sonne here beneth, for to redeme us and from the paines
a envoie son chier filz ca bas pour nous redimér et des paines
of hell to deliver, makyng him of a lorde a servant and of immortall mortall,
denfer deliurer, le faisant de seigneur serf et de immortel mortel,
suffring him rather to dye for us than in havyng pyte of him
le souffrant plus tost mourir pour nous que en aiant pité de luy
to leve us in periclitation. And touchyng the howbeit
nous laisser en periclitation. Et touchant la matrimonialle, combien
that he had love inestimable to his swete mother the virgyn Mary, that
quil eubt amour inestimable a sa doulce mére la vierge Marie, ce
natwithstandyng he hath chosen rather to dye for us, leavyng her
nonobstant il a préesleu plus tost mourir pour nous, la laissant
desolat and desconforted than in her comfortyng to leave us in perdicion.
desolée et desconfortée que en la consolant nous laisser en perdicion.
And as touching to the animalle, what so ever great feare that he have had to
Et quant a lanimalle, quelque grant pour quil ayt eubt de
dye and what so ever love that he hath had to his soule, yet hath he nevertheles
mourir et quelque amour quil ayt eu a son ame, sy sest il touttes fois
made himselfe for us obedient unto the deth of the crosse: ther is,
faict pour nous obedient jusques a la mort de la croix: vesla,
madame, that that I can of love: howbeit nevertheles that the worlde
madame, ce que je scay damour: combien touttes fois que le monde
doth use of dyverse other maner of love, as of richesses and
use de dyuerses aultres manieres damours, come de richesses et biens

Page 1051

temporall goodes and other folishe love whiche do merite bettre to be called
temporelz et aultres folles amours qui meritent mieulz destre appellées
folyes than love, wherfore I love them, so prayeng your noble grace
foliez quamour: pourquoy je men passe, a tant priant uostre noble grace
to pardone me in that that I have sayd.
me pardonner en ce que jen ay dict.
Ma.
In good soth my husbande, I thanke you of good hert, for ye
En bonne uerité, mon mary, je uous mercie de bon coeur, car uous
have you ryght truly acquited toward your wife.
uous estes tresloiallement acquité enuers uostre femme.
Le tre.
I requere to God, madame, that it may to you in suche wyse proffite that
Je requier a Dieu, madame, quil uous puisse tellement prouffitér que
in lovyng God above all thynges, and the good grace of the Kyng
en aymant Dieu par dessus touttes choses et la bonne grace du Roy
your father, and the good lady your mother of trewe love filiall
uostre pére, et la bonne dame uostre mére de uraie amour filialle,
ye may love your husband whan God shall gyve you one, of
uous puissés aimer uostre mary, quant Dieu uous en donra ung, de
good and trew love in suche wyse that it may be to the
bonne et loialle amour matrimonialle, de sorte que ce soit au
helth of your soule.
salut de uostre ame.
Ma.
So pleased our Lord by his goodnes to graunt me.
Ainsy le me ueulle nostre Seigneur par sa bonté ottroiér.

Page 1052

WHAT IT IS OF THE SOULE IN GENERALL AND SPECIALL,
AFTER PHILOSOPHY AND SAINT ISYDORE, BY WAY
OF DYALOGUE BETWENE THE LADY MARY
AND HER SERVANT GYLES.

Anima quid.

Mary.
After that well I me remembre, I have herde here above speke of the soule,
Selon que bien me recorde, je uous ay ouy cy dessus parlér de lame,
but neverthelesse ye have nat declared what it is, wherfore I wolde of it
mais toutes fois uous naues point declaré que cest, pourquoy jen uouldroie
faine here somwhat.
bien ouir quelque chose.
Gil.
Trewly, madame, it shuld be necessary to be better lerned in good lettres
Certes, madame, il seroit necessaire destre mieulz qualifiéz ez bonnes lettres
than I am for to satisfy to your question.
que ne suis pour satisfaire a uostre question.
Ma.
It is nat to me unknowen that ye be nat of the best lettred of the worlde,
Il ne mest point incongneu que nestes pas des mieulz lectrés du monde,
howbeit that I doubt nat but of it ye can somwhat, wherfore
combien que point ne doubte que nen scaues quelque chose, pourquoy
take hede that the lytell that ye therof can, be nat hydde to me.
gardés que le petit que uous en scaués ne me soit point celé.
Gyl.
Trewe it is that the philosophers have spoken therof, albeit that it hath nat ben
Il est bien uray que les philosophes en ont parlé, ja soit que pas na esté
sufficiently specially touchyng the soule resonable, for some
souffisanment, especiallement touchant lame rationnelle, car aulcuns
of them have it esteme mortall, as Pliny among other that sayth that suche
deulz lont estimé mortelle, come Pline entre aultres qui dit que tel
shalbe the soule after the dethe of the body, as she was before the lyfe
sera lame appres la mort du corps, quelle elle estoit deuaunt la uie
of the same, and it is nat yet come to my knowlege that
dicelluy, et il nest point encore uenu a ma congnoissance que
the holy scripture doth make of it any mention; but syth that your
lescripture saincte en face mention aulcune; mais puisque uostre

Page 1053

pleasure is suche, I shall recyte you (submyttyng me to the correction of
plaisir est tel, je uous réciteray (me soubmetant a la correction de
your grace, and of all persons connyng) that whiche I have therof gathered
uostre grace, et de toute persone scauante) ce que jen ay peu ceulliér
from the philosophers, and of the holy s. Isodore, wherfore it shall please you to knowe
des philosophes, et de saint Isidore; pourquoy il uous plaira scauoir
that all thynges created of God under the moone ben or elemented
que touttes choses créez de Dieu soubz le globe lunaire sont ou ellementées
onely, as precious stones and other with all mettalles, or
seullement, come pierres precieuses et aultres auec tous metaulz, ou
be elemented and vegetables, as herbes, trees, and all maner
sont ellementées et uegetables, come herbes, arbres, et touttes manieres
of plantes, or ben elemented vegetables and sensytyves, as ben
de plantes, ou sont elementées uegetables et sensitiues, come sont
all beestes, byrdes, fyshes, reptyll them movyng from place to other,
touttes bestes, oiseaulz, poissons, reptiles se mouuant de lieu a aultre,
or ben elemented vegetables sensytyves and reasonable, as ben the
ou sont elementées uegetables sensitiues et racionelles, come sont les
men whiche have in them all the fours proprietees above sayd;
hommes lesquelz ont en eulz touttes les quatre proprietes dessus dictes;
for as touchyng the body (which is a masse elemented) it is but a
car quant au corps (qui est une masse elementée) ce nest que une
conglutination and combination of the foure elementes in the whiche our
conglutination, et combination des quatre elementes ezquelz nostre
Lorde hath planted the soule vegetable by the whiche it groweth in length,
Seigneur a planté lame uegetable par laquelle il croist en longeur,
largenes, and depnes (whiche one calle thre dimensions) by cause that the
largeur et profundité (quon dit trois dimensions) a cause que la
sayd vegetable hath in her foure vertues, by the whiche she subsiste and
dicte uegetable a en soy quatre uertus, par lesquelles elle subsiste et
groweth, that is to saye, the atractyve or appetityve, the retentyve, the digestyve,
croist, cest a scauoir, latractiue ou appetitiue, la retentyue, la degestiue,
and expulsive; a body may nat ete without appetit, nor may nat
et expulsiue; une personne ne peult menger sans appétit, ne ne peult

Page 1054

degeste without holdyng that mete, or keping in his stomake that which is eten,
degérér sans retenir ce qui est menge,
nor may nat grow by the vertue of such degestion without expulsion or
ne ne peult croistre par la uertu de telle degestion sans expulsion ou
evacuation, for it is nede or to destroy the meate receyved in
euaccuacion, car il est de necessité ou de destruire la uiande receue en
the stomake, or to be destroied by the same; but to be wyllyng to warne your
lestomac, ou estre destruit par icelle; mais uouloir aduertir uostre
grace of all that which doth depend to this purpos, shulde be to be wyllyng to declare
grace de tout ce qui depend a ce pourpos, seroit uoulloir declarér
all the philosophy naturall withe all phisyque and astrologie
toutte la philosophie naturelle auec toutte phisycque et astrologie
in shewyng with all all the movyng of nature, wherof procede
en comprenant tous les mouuemens de nature, dont procedent
and sprynge all corruption and generation expoundyng what it is of the XII
et pulullent toutte corruption et generation declarant que cest des douse
signes of the Zodiacque with the seven planettes and all the starres
signes du Zodiacque auec les sept planettes et touttes les estoielles
fixe, and to shew how the sayd XII signes havyng relacion, and similitude
fixe, et monstrér comment lesdictz douse signes aiantz relacion, et similitude
to the foure ben devided by foure triplicites the whiche
aux quatre elementz sont distinguez par quatre triplicités lesquelz
up holde and kepe up the fore sayd foure might and
suffultent et maintiennent les deuant dittes quatre puissances et
to the whiche one ought to have recourse for to put them agayn in ordre by medecyne
auxquelz on doibt auoir recours pour les remectre en ordre par medecine
whan by some accident they ben alterat. But for to eschew so
quant par alcun accident ilz sont altérés. Mais pour euitér sy
wondrefull prolixite and that I have hope here and there therof to talke
enorme prolixité et que jay espoir cy et la den communiquer
somtyme with your grace, with that that of it ye have somwhat tasted
alcune fois auec uostre grace, auec ce quen aues quelque petit gousté
in lernyng the Ephemerides I shall passe it so.
en apprenant lEphémérides je men passeray a tant.

Page 1055

Now turnyng agayn to our porpos the soule vegetable, as I have tolde you, is
Or retournant a nostre pourpos lame uegetable, come je uous ay dit, est
setted within the myght elemented, the whiche doth upholde her as the
plantée dedans la puissance ellementée, la quelle la soubstient come le
vessell doth the lyker, and the sensytyve nother more no lesse is setted within
uaisseau fait la liqueur, et la sensitiue ne plus ne moins est plantée dedens
the vegetable, as the ratyonell is within the sensytyve, the whiche ye may
la uegetable, come la racionelle est dedens la sensitiue, ce que pouéz
clerely parceyve by that that whan the body begynneth to fayle
clerement apercepuoir par ce que quant le corpz commence a deffaillir
by age or otherwyse, the vegetable lyfe herselfe by and by, bycause
par uiellesse ou aultrement, la uegetable se pert incontinent, pour ce
that thappetite begyn to fayle whith retayning and voyding, which make to perish
que lappetit se pert auec retencion et euacuacion, qui fait perir
the sensytyve, for as the persone lese the luste, and the dygestion, also soone
la sensitiue, car come la persone pert lappetit et le degérér, tout aussy tost
begynne he to juge the switte bytter, and the bytter swete, and say that he seeth
commence il a jugér le doulz amér, et lamér doulz, et dit quil uoit
that whiche other may nat se, and also of all his fyve wyttes, and
ce que les aultres ne peuuent ueoir, et ainsy de tous ses cincq sens, et
lykewyse thintellectyve lese the reason and the jugement of thynges,
par consequent lintellectiue pert la reason et le discernement des choses,
for she beynge in the body humayne can nat attayne to any knolege
car elle estant ou cors humain ne peult paruenir a aulcune cognoissance
(nat beyng inspyred ghostly) without it be by the meane of the fyve
(selle nest inspirée diuinement) ce se nest par le moien des cincq
wyttes aparteyning to the sensytyve, for before that ye do understande any
sens apartenant a la sensitiue, car deuant que uous entendez aulcune
thyng, it behoved fyrst that it be to you shewed by the syght, by
chose, il faut premiérement quil uous soit monstré par la ueue, par
meane of colours, or by the hering by the meane of sound or voise, or by
moien de coulleur, ou par louye moiennant son ou uoix, ou par
smelyng, goustyng and tastyng, the whiche thyng so perceved by the fyve
flairér, goustér et tastér, laquelle chose ainsy aperceue par les cincq

Page 1056

wyttes, is sende to the comon witt which lieth in the formest parte of the
sens, est enuoiée au commun sens qui gist en la partie anteriore du
braine, the whiche goeth incontinently to the memory in the whiche he
cerueau, lequel sen ua incontinent a la remembrance en laquelle il
fynde what thynge it is after that one have him somtyme sayd and thought,
treuue quelle chose cest selon quon luy a autfrefois dit et appris,
wherfore it appere clerly that these thre myghtes beyng in man
pourquoy il appert clérement que ces trois puissances estant en lhome
and named onely by the name of soule resonable, in takynge denomination
et nommée sullement par le nom de ame raisonable, en prenant denomination
of the most noble, that is to understande of her which doth discesse,
de la plus noble, qui est a entendre de celle qui discerne,
ben hankyng the one of the others, and we juge clerely that the
sont dependantes les unes des aultres, et dijudicons clérement que la
sayd intellectyve or resonable is without comparation more excellent than
dicte intellectiue ou racionelle est sans comparation plus excellente que
the others, wherfore we juge her a thought or understandynge incarnate,
les aultres, pourquoy nous la jugeons une pensée ou intelligence incarnée,
the whiche is perpetuell and immortall, by cause that she is created to
laquelle est perpétuelle et inmortélle, pource quelle est crée a
thymage of God almighty, and if you aske me of what substaunce
limage de Dieu tout puissant, et sy uous me demandés de quel matiére
she is, I may say that it is fyre spirituell as ben the angels of God,
elle est, je puis dire que cest feu espirituél come sont les angeles de Dieu,
the whiche shalbe in her hyghe strength and prosperitie, whan she shalbe separate
laquelle sera en sa haulte uigueur et prosperite, alors quelle sera separée
from her body, by the meane of the whiche she is infatuate, for by
de son corps, par le moien duquel elle est infatuée, car par
the vegetable myght, with the whiche she is bounde, she thynketh day
la uegetable puissance, auec laquelle elle est liée, elle pense jour
and nyght to serve her body of drinke and meat, and by cause of the sensityve,
et nuyt a seruir son corps de boire et menger, et a cause de la sensitiue,
with the whiche she is lykewyse alyed, she hath her syght to
auec laquelle elle est semblablement aliée, elle a son respect a
Page 1057
generation, to pride of lyfe, and to all lyfe sensyble, the whiche yelde her
generacion, a orgeul de uie, et a toutte uie sensuelle, qui la rend
blunt, rude and forgetefull, and by the whiche she becomed spotted and cancred,
obtuse, rude et ygnorante, et pourquoy elle deuient tachée et enroullé,
as a harneys or clere glasse doth cancre by humydite of
come ung harnois ou clér mirouer senroullist par humidité de
rayne or other moystnesse, in suche wyse that by this meane she is all togeder
pluie ou aultre moisteur, tellement que par ce moien elle est du tout
blynded, and hath no knowlege of her pasture wherby she becometh
aueuglée, et na nulle cognoissance de sa pasture par quoy elle deuient
lene and folyshe; for as the wyse man saith, truth is the fote of the
mesgre et ignorante; car come dit le sage, uerité est le past de
soule. Aristotel saith that the soule is as a table made euyn and clere,
lame. Aristotle dit que lame est come une table rase et clére,
polished, in the whiche all maner shape and effigiation doth shyne clerely so
polie, en laquelle toutes formes et effigie reluysent clérement sy
well corporates as incorporates, by cause therof we understande with
bien corporéez come incorporéez, a cause de quoy nous entendons auec
the angels, that is to saye, in the meane tyme that she is nat cancred by
les angeles, cest a dire tandis quelle nest pas enrouyllée par
synne, as I have sayd before. Here myght I open unto you, what it is
peché, come jay dit deuant. Icy uous poulroy je ouurir que cest
of understandyng actyve and passyble, but in this doyng I shulde be to tedyous.
dentendement agent et passyble, mais en ce faisant je seroie trop tedieus.
Ma.
Trewly, Gyles, I laude your persuacion, for by that that ye have sayde of it
Certes, Giles, je los uostre parsuasion, car par ce quen aués dit
I parceyve clerelye that it is nat possyble to declare it, the whiche one may
japarcoy clérement quil nest possible a la declarér, ce quon peult
conjecte by that that she doth resemble unto God and to be wyllynge
conjecturér parce quelle resemble a Dieu et uoulloir
to declare his ymage shalde be wyllyng to do a thyng impossyble, bycause that he is
declarér son image seroit uoulloir faire impossible, pource quil est
uncomprehensyble.
incomprehensyble.

Page 1058

Gil.
Trewly, madame, ye saye the truthe, neverthelesse that the scriplure wytnessed,
Certes, madame, uous dicte la uerité, nonobstant que lescripture tiesmoigne
that Moyses by the graunt of God dyd merit to se his posterioritie, the whiche is
que Moyse par lotroy de Dieu merita de ueoir sa posteriorité, qui est
to understande his workes, of the whiche knowlege, the cabalystes doth make
a entendre ses oeuures, de la quelle cognoissance les cabalistres font
fyftie gates that they name of intelligence, sayeng that the sayd
cinquante portes quilz sournomment dintellygence, disant que le dit
Moyse had nat but fourty and nyne, by cause that the first is to knowe
Moyse nen eust que quarante neuf, parce que la premiere est congnoistre
God from the begynnyng, which is impossyble: but he may be knowen
Dieu par prius, ce qui est impossible: mais il est bien cognoissible
by posterius, whiche is to understande by his operacions, as knowlege
par posterius, qui est a entendre par ses operacions, come cognissance
comunely cometh unto us for bycause that we do serche the causes by
comunement nous uient pour ce que nous perscrutons les causes par
the dedes of them, and nat to the contrary. From hensforth I shall tell you
les effectz dicelles, et non point au contraire. Desormais je uous diray
of the philosophers of the whiche some have sayd that it is nombre movyng him
des philosophes desquelz les ungz ont dit que cest nombre soy mesme
selfe others that it is made of atmos which ben parties nat possible to divide
mouuant les aultres quelle est faicte de atmos qui sont partiez indiuiduez
or indivisible: others that it is fyre, the others that it is ayr, the
ou indiuisyble: aultres que cest feu, les aultres que cest air, les
others have sayd that it is a maner of armonie with others infinites
aultres ont dit que cest une maniere darmonie auec daultres infiniez
opinions: but levyng them there, the prophete spekyng in our Lorde
opinions: mais les laissant la, Isaie le prophete parlant en nostre Seigneur
sayd: All brethyng have I made, whiche is to understande of the soules that our
dit: Omne flatum ego feci, qui est a entendre des ames que nostre
Lorde have all created, and the spekyng of those soules sayth:
Seigneur a touttes créez, et le psalmistre parlant dicelles dit:
He that created all hertes: whiche is to understande the soules, for the hert is
Qui finxit singulatim corda: cest a dire les ames, car le coeur est

Page 1059

the principall membre of the man, the whiche is the candelstyke of the soule
le principall membre de lhomme, lequél est le chandeliér de lame
susteynyng her by maner of spekyng, as the candelstyke doth the candell,
la soustenant par maniere de parlér, come le chandeliér fait la chandelle,
the whiche beyng racionelle and quycke dothe quicken invisible and
la quelle estant racionelle et sensible uiuifie inuisiblement,
spiritually and mervellously all the membres and inward of the
spirituellement et merueilleusement tous les membres et entrailles du
body by the comandement of the , as well by within as by without,
corpz par le comandement du canter, tant par dedens come par dehors,
in ministring of onespecable maner to the fyve wyttes their power, for she
en administrant de maniere indicible aux cincq sens leur pouoir, car elle
seeth by the eyen and heer by the eeres, she mel (smele) and by the nosse trilles,
uoit par les yeulz et oyt par les oreilles, odore et flaire par les narilles,
and discerne the savours by the , by the feelyng she reule and governe
et discerne les scaueurs par le goust, par le tacte elle regle et gouuerne
all the membres of the body in generall, she and stande by
tous les membres du corps en generall, elle subsiste et demeure par
foure maner of reasons, by wit, sapience, and wyll,
quatre manieres de raisons, par sens, sapience, cogitacion et uoullenté,
the wit doth parteyne to the lyfe, the sapience to the understandyng, the cogitation
le sens appartient a la uie, la sapience a lentendement, la cogitacion
to the counsel, the wyll to the defence. And howbeit that the sayd soule
au conseil, la uoullenté a la deffence. Et combien que la dicte ame
be one, she hath nevertheles many kyndes and rayment in her,
soit unicque, elle a touttes fois plusieurs especes et aornament en soy,
for wher she doth brethe she is called sperit, whan she fele one
car la ou elle espire elle est appelée esperit, quant elle sent on la
do call her wit, and whan she take strength one call her corrage, whan she
nomme sens, et quant elle prent uigueur on la dit courrage, quant elle
understande, she is named understandyng, whan she discusse, one call her
entend, elle est nommée entendement, quant elle discerne, on lapelle
reason, whan she consente, one call her wyll, and whan she
raison, quant elle consent, on la nomme uoullenté, et quant elle

Page 1060

remembre she is sayde memory, and whan she doth grow and encrease
remembre elle est dicte memoire, et quant elle uegéte et croist en multipliant
the vertue, she is called the soule, the whiche lyveng justely is
la vertu, elle est appellée lame, laquelle uiuant loiallement est
the ymage of God, so pleasant that he of her make is chare and his temple,
limage de Dieu, tant pleasant quil en fait sa chare et son temple,
as wytnesseth my lorde saynt Poule sayeng.
come le tiesmoigne monsieur saint Paul disant: Templum Dei quod estis vos.
The beautie or raymentes of her ben, that by heryng she beleveth, she sercheth
Les aornementz dicelle sont que par louye elle croist, elle cerche
by desyre, and fynde by sapyence, she aske by prayers, and receyve
par desir, et treuue par sapience, elle demande par oraison, et recoit
by grace, she kepe by mekenes, and helpe by mercy, by
par grace, elle garde par humilité, et sequeure par misericorde, par
benignite forgyve, and aquiere by teachyng, she worke by penaunce,
benignité pardonne, et acquiert par doctrine, elle compose par penitence,
by examples, the faire thynges, and by connyng the clere and fayre, she
par exemples, les belles choses, et par sciences les cléres et nectes, elle
is fre by onely goodnes, and by softnes, mansuetude, and swetenes
est franche par seulle bonté, et par leintz mansuetude et doulceur
plaine, she is by prudence discrete, and by symplenes hoole, by
playne, elle est par prudence circonspecte, et par simplicité entiére, par
subtiltie sobre, and by justice ryghtfull, she is nat hasty by impacience,
subtilité sobre, et par justice droituriére, elle est longanime par pacience,
and by obedience redy, by good doyng pure and clene, and by hope
et par obedience preste, par bien faire pure et monde, et par esperance
abydyng, by abstinence temperat, and by chastyte holy, by rejoissyng
attendable, par abstinence attrempée, et par chasteté saincte, par resjouissement
spirituall and mery, and by confession open, by martirdom
spirituelle et joieuse, et par confession ouuerte, par martire
aornat, and by unite catholicque, by concorde peasyble: and by love
aournée, et par unité catolicque, par concorde pacificque, et par amour
and deleccion of her neyghbour large and lyberalle: by charite parfect
et deleccion de son prouchain large et lyberalle, par charité parfaite.

Page 1061

Ma.
Trewly I am ryght glade to here you, and you have gyve me
En bonne uerité, Giles, je suis tresjoieuse de uous auoir ouy, et maués donnés
in your wordes solas and recreation: but I praye you, good syr, tell
en uos parolles soulas et recréation: mais je uous prie, beau sire, dites
us somwhat of the body and of his worckes.
nous quelque chose du corps et de ses operations.
Gil.
Certainly the body, as I have tolde you here before, is the
Certainement, madame, le corps, come je vous ay dit cy deuant, est le
vessell of the soule, and doth serve of none other thynge but to beare the soule,
uaisseau de lame et ne sert daultre chose que de porter lame,
howbeit that some sayen that the soule doth beare him, by cause that without
combien que alcun dient que lame le porte, pour ce que sans
her, he his deth and may nat styre ne move. But settyng asyde
icelle il est mort et ne se peult bouger ne mouuoir. Mais postposant
suche reasons, trew it is that in his necessite he must be holpen by him
telles raisons, il est ueray quen ses necessités le fault secourir
that wyll kepe the soule hole in a hole body, in his hungre one must
qui ueult garder lame saine en ung corps sain, en sa fain lui fault
gyve him meate, and in his thurst drinke, in labour rest, slepe in
donnér uiande, et en sa soif a boire, en labeure repos, sompne en
werinesse, in tristes and hevynesse myrth, in sorow confort and
fatigacion, en tristesse et ennuy armonie, en doulloir comfort et
helth, in sekenesse strength and vertue, in drede socour and in darkenes
salut, en foiblesse force et uertue, en crainte refuge et en tenebres
lyght, and in bataill peas, and lykewyse as the body may nat
lumiére et en bataille paix, etc. et tout ainsy que le corps ne peult
lyve without that whiche to him is necessary, nother more nor lesse may
uiure sans ce qui luy est necessaire, ne plus ne moins ne
nat the soule by proces of tyme contynewe without her propre norsinge,
peult lame par diuturnité de temps subsistér sans sa propre nourriture,
for her meate his the dyvyn commandement, her drinke is
car sa uiande est le diuin comandement, son beuurage est
pure praier, her bath is fastyng trew and ryghtwyse, her clothyng
oraison pure, son baing est june legitime et droituriére, ses uestementz

Page 1062

almesses of her propre goodes, her songe and melody is the
sont aulmosne de son propre, son chant et melodie est la
contynuall laude of God, her rest is parfait poverte, her helth
continuelle louenge de Dieu, son repos est parfaitte poureté, sa santé
is the sekenes of the body, her socour is pure penaunce, her peace is
est la maladye du corps, son refuge est pure penitence, sa paix est
charite plentyfull, wherfore we ought well to folow our creatour
charité habondante, pourquoy nous debuons bien ensuiuir nostre creatour
Jesu Christ, and the saintes fathers whiche have ben before us in
Jhesu Crist, et les saintz peres qui nous ont précédés en
lernyng mekeness of Jesu Christ, devotyon of saynt Peter, charitie
apprenant humilité de Jhesuh Crist, deuotion de saint Pierre, charité
of saynt Johan, obedyence of Abraham, hospitalytie of Loth, longe abidyng
de saint Jehan, obedience dAbraham, hospitalité de Loth, longanimité
of Isaac, sufferaunce of Jacob, pacience of Job, chastitie of Joseph,
de Isaac, tolerance de Jacob, pacience de Job, chasteté de Joseph,
softnesse of Moyses, stedfastnesse of Josue, benignytie of Samuell,
mansuetude de Moyse, constance de Josue, benignité de Samuel,
mercy of Davyd, almysdede of Tobye, abstynence of Danyell,
misericorde de Dauid, aulmosne de Tobie, abstinence de Daniel,
speculation of Hely, experience of saynt Paule, penaunce soroufull of
theoricque de Helié, practicque de saint Pol, penitence lacrimeuse de
Mary Magdaleyne, pure confessiyon of the thefe, martiyrdome of saynt
Marie Magdalaine, pure confessyon du laron, martire de saint
Stephane, and lyberalytie of saynt Laurence. Ye may se, right noble lady, all
Estienne et liberalité de saint Laurens. Vesla, tres noble dame, tout
that I have founde so well of the soule resonable, as of the vegetable
ce que jay peu trouuer tant de lame raisonable come de la uégétable
and sensytyve, howbeit that I have here touched no thyng but the outside,
et sensitiue, combien que nay icy rien touché sinon la superficie,
for I to you dare well say, that every worde here doth comprehende
car je uous ose bien dire que chescune parolle icy comprent
a great boke in his declaration, trustyng that whiche rudely I have
ung grant liure en sa declaracion, esperant que ce que rudement jay

Page 1063

here putte in termes shalbe occasyon that in tyme to come ye shalbe
icy mis en termes sera occasion que ou temps aduenir uous seres
moved for to serche the remenaunt, prayeng the swete Jesus, that it
instiguée de perscrutér le demourant, priant le doulx Jhesuh que ce
be to the honour of God and to the helth of your soule.
soit a lhonneur de Dieu et au salut de uostre ame.
Ma.
God graunt that so may it happen.
Dieu ueulle que ainsy puist aduenir.
Amen.

OTHER COMMUNYCATION BETWENE THE LADY MARY AND HER AMNER,
OF THEXPOSYTION OF THE MASSE, FOR INTRODUCTION
IN THE FRENCH TONGE.

Mary.
I have good memory, maistre Amnere, how ye sayd one day that
Jay bonne memoire, monsieur lAumosnier, coment uous disiéz ung jour que
we ought nat to pray at masse, but rather onely to here and
ne debuons point orér ne priér a la messe, ains seullement ouir et
harken, and dyd prove it by that one say comunely: I go here
accoutér, et le prouuez par ce quon dit comunement: je men uoy ouir
masse, whiche my lorde the President fortifyng sayd that we be nat
messe, ce que monsieur le President corroboroit disant que ne sommes point
bounde by the lawe to say, but onely to here, is it nat trewe?
obligés par la loy de dire, mais seullement douir, nest il pas uray?
Lau.
Ye, verely, madame.
Ouy, certes, madame.
Ma.
Wherfore than sayth the preest after the offytorie, in hym tournyng to the
Pourquoy doncques dit le prestre apres loffertoire, en soi tournant au
people, pray for me, etc. and our Lorde at his passyon sayd to
peuple, priez pour moy, etc. et Nostre Seigneur a sa passion disoit a
his discyples, watch and pray, that ye entre nat in temptation, with that
ses disciples, ueillés et orés, affin que nentrés en temptation, auec ce
that if our Lorde wolde nat our prayers, why had he made
que sy Nostre Seigneur ne uoulloit nos priérez, pourquoy eust il fait
the
le Pater noster.

Page 1064

Lau.
Certaynely that whiche I shewed you was nat onely but for
Certainement, madame, ce que uous disoie nestoit seullement que pour
to shew you how you ought to maintene you at the masse, specyally
uous monstrer coment uous uous debués contenir a la messe, especiallement
unto that that one monysshe you for to pray.
jusques a ce quon uous admoneste de priér.
Ma.
In my God, I can nat se what we shall do at the masse, if we pray nat.
En mon Dieu, je ne puis uéoir que nous ferons a la messe se nous ne prions.
Lau.
No.
Non, madame.
Ma.
No, trewly.
Non, certes.
Lau.
Ye shall thynke to the mystery of the masse and shall herken the wordes that
Uous penserés au mistére de la messe et accouterés les parolles que
the preest say.
le prestre dit.
Ma.
Yee, and what shall do they whiche understande it nat.
Uoir, et que feront ceulz qui point ne lentendent.
Lau.
They shall beholde, and shall here, and thynke, and by that they shall understande.
Ilz regarderont, et accoutteront, et penseront, et par ce lentenderont.
Ma.
I pray you, good syr, tell me what they shall thynke, so that I may
Je uous prie, beau sire, dictes moy a quoy ilz penseront, affin que puisse
se where lyeth that that ye tell me.
ueoir ou gist ce que me dictes.
Lau.
I shall shewe it you of good herte but if it please you
Je le uous diray de bon coeur, madame, mais sil uous uient a plaisir
it shalbe at soupper, for your diner is ended.
ce sera a souppér, car uostre disnér est acheué.
Ma.
Well at soupper be it.
Bien a souppér soit.

COMMUNICATION AT SOUPER TO THIS PURPOS.

Mary.
Now, maistre Amener, I have herd say that promysse is dette.
Or sus, monsieur lAmosniér, jay ouy dire que promesse est debte.

Page 1065

Lau.
Trewly it his trew, specially of the mouth of a faithfull man.
Certes, madame, il est certain, especiallement de bouche de fidél.
Ma.
Do ye nat holde you for suche?
Ne uous tenes pas itél?
Lau.
Ye verely.
Sy fay certes, madame.
Mar.
Now acquite you than and kepe promis, for to kepe promys cometh of
Or uous acquités doncques et tenés promesse, car tenir promesse vient de
noblenesse.
noblesse.
Lau.
Well, sith it is so that ye do comande it, it shall please you to know that the
Bien puisquainsy est que le comandés, il uous plaira scauoir que la
masse is the testament, the which our Lorde made before
messe est le testament, le quel Nostre Seigneur Jhesu Christ fist deuant
his deth and passyon, whiche is none other thynge (as ye well know) but the
sa mort et passyon, que nest aultre chose (come bien scaués) que la
laste wyll of a parson, touchyng the disposicion of is goodnes
darniére uoullenté dune parson, quant a la disposition de ses biens
after his deth, wherfore our Lorde wyllyng to dye for the humaine
appres sa mort, pourquoy Nostre Seigneur uoullant mourir pour lhumain
kyndred, dyd ordayne that his precious body shuld be put to deth for
legnage, ordonna que son precieuz corps seroit mis a mort pour
our synnes, in memory and wytnesse therof he lefte us and ordayned
nos péchés, en mémoire et tiesmoing de quoy il nous laissa et ordonna
us the sacrament of theaulter in remembraunce of his sayd passyon, to the ende
le sacrement de lautél en commemoracion de sa dicte passion, affin
that every one whyche shal beleve in the sayd mistery, that is to know in his
que chescun que croira ou deuant dit mistére, cest a scauoir en son
incarnation, passyon and resurrection represented in the foresayde sacrament
incarnation, passion et resurection representez ou deuant dit sacrement
shuld be made partener of the merite of the same, which is our redemption.
seroit fait participant du merite dicelle, qui est nostre redemcion.
Now it is so that we may make no greatter honour to God
Or est il ainsy que ne pouons faire plus grand honneur a Dieu

Page 1066

than to estymat him trew, vhere as he is trew lyfe, nor greatter dishonour
que lestimér uéritable (la ou il est uray uerité) ne plus grand deshonneur
than to mystrust hym. He hath left us the sayd sacrament by way of
que de le mescroire. Il nous a laisse le dit sacrement par maniére de
testament, to the ende that every one of us may be proved by his fayth:
testament, affin que ung chescun de nous soit prouué par sa foy:
for so moche as the parsone beleved, so moch she shall receyve: the masse
car autant que la personne croyt, tant elle rechoit: la messe
than is rehersyng of his glorious passyon, in the whiche lyeth the
doncque est recapitulation de sa glorieuse passyon, en laquelle gist la
remyssyon of synnes, and where one ought to seke it, and nat elswhere, for
remission des pechez, et la ou on la doibt cerchér, et non ailleurs, car
the gyveng remyssyon doth ratify and approve the repentaunce and contrityon
le donnant remission ratisfie et approuue la compunccion et contricion
of the synner, askyng pardone by the meryte of the said passion, the whiche
du pecheur, demandant pardon par le merite dicelle passion, la quelle
is nat goten in angre agaynst Anna, Caiphas, Pylate, Herode
ne saquiert pas en ce courouceant encontre Anne, Caiphe, Pilate, Herode
and the turmentours whiche dyd put our Lorde to dethe, and to be
et satellites qui meirent Nostre Seigneur a mort, et destre
soroufull that our Lorde hath so moche suffred for us, rather is all
desplaisant que Nostre Seigneur a tant souffert pour nous, ains est tout
the contrary, for he it defended, where he said: doughter of Jerusalem
le contraire, car il le defendist, ou il dist: fille de Jhrusalem
wepe nat upon me, but rather upon you and your chyldren, as
ne plourés point sur moy, mais sur uous et sur uos enfans, come
he wolde have sayd: ye and they ben cause of my deth, for I dye in
sil uoulsist dire: uous et eulz sont cause de ma mort, car je meurs en
satisfaccion of your synnes. In approbation of the whiche our mother holy
satisfaction de uos pechéz. En approbacion de quoy nostre mére saint
Churche make myrth and her rejoyse in suche wyse, that she is nat aferde to say:
Eglise exulte et se resjouist tellement quelle ne craind point a dire:
O happy synne, which hath deserved suche a redemer! Ye, and that more
O heureulz pechez, qui a merité tél redempteur! Voire, et qui plus

Page 1067

is, she doth call the crosse swete, and the nayles the whiche were ryght swete
est, elle appelle la croix doulce, et les clouz lesquelz furent bien doulz
for us, but nat for hym, for they hym peerced his glorious fete
pour nous, mais non mie pour luy, car ilz luy percérent ses glorieus piédz
and handes, in shedyng his sacred and blessed blode, with inestymable
et mains, en respandant son tressacre et benoit sang, auec inestimable
payne and sorowe. We shall leave here tyll to morowe or another tyme,
paine et doulleur. Nous laisserons icy jusques a demain ou une aultresfois,
if it so please to your good grace.
sy ainsy plaist a uostre bonne grace.
Ma.
The pleasure of God be done, maister amner, the whiche wyll rewarde you
Le plaisir de Dieu soit, monsieur laumosnier, lequel uous ueulle remunerer
of your good wordes.
de uos beaulz diz, etc.

THE REMENAUNT OF THE SAYD COMMUNYCATION,
WICHE IS OF THE CEREMONYES OF THE MASSE,
FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE SAYD
TONGE.

The amener.
Your hignes was wont here before to begynne altercation betwene
Uostre celsitude souloit par cy deuant commencer laltercation entre
us twayne, but bycause that I se you sadde and hevy more than
nous deux, mais pource que uous uoy pensive et remyse plus que
ye have of custome, I shall inhardysshe and put me in prease at this tyme
naués de coustome, je menhardiray et ingereray a ceste fois
to move you and provoke to wyllyng to here thexposition of the ceremonyes
de uous instiguér et prouocquér a uoulloir ouir lexposition des cerimoniez
of the masse.
de la messe.
Ma.
Without falte ye shall do to me servyce agreable, wherfore begynne
Infalliblement uous me ferés seruice agreable, pourquoy comencés
whan ye shall thinke best.
quant bon uous semblera.

Page 1068

Lau.
I suppose that your hath nat forgotten that which here before
Je suppose que uostre grace na point oublié ce que par cy deuant
I have shewed you of the masse, wherefore in procedyng further, it is
uous ay dit de la messe, pour quoy en procedant plus oultre, il est
trew that the cloth or the first lynyne that the preest put upon
bien uray que le uoille ou la primiér linge que le prestre mect sur
his heed in makyng him redy at the masse, doth signifie the cloth wherof our
sa teste en se preparant a la messe, signifie le drap dont Nostre
Lorde had his eyen bynded, whan the tormentours gyvyng him
Seigneur eubt les yeulx bendés, quant les satellites luy donnant
blowes dyd say: prophecy who hath stroke the. Than he put on
des buffes et souffletz disoient: prophetise qui ta frappé. Puis il veste
the aube white that signifye the gowne whiche gave him reputyng him
laube blance qui signifie la robbe que Herode lui donna lestimant
a fole, bycause that he beyng in his presence wold nat do some
fol, pour ce que luy estant en sa presence ne uoullut faire aulcun
miracle. She do sygnifye also that so well the herer of the masse as
miracle. Elle signifie aussy que sy bien lauditeur de la messe come
the saier, ought to be chaste, or they be nat worthy to be to
le diseur, doibuent estre chaiste, ou ilz ne sont point dignes destre a
suche misteris. The gyrdell lykewyse sygnifye chastité, for our
tel mistére. La chainture pareillement signifie chasteté, car Nostre
Lorde in apperyng to his prophetes was wont to say: gyrte thy
Seigneur en apparoissant a ses prophétes seult dire: chains tes
raynes as a man, for the vertu of the man lyeth in his rains;
rains come ung homme, car la vertu de lhome gist ez rains;
than the stole that he put about his necke and of his body, signifieth
puis lestolle que mect entour de son col et de son corps, signifie
the corde wherof his precious body was tyed to the pylar by Pylate. The
la corde dont son precieus corps fut lie au piliér par Pilate. Le
manypule doth sygnifye the same wherof his preciouse handes were bounde,
manipule signifie celle dont ses precieuses mains furent léez,
and the cheasuble doth represente the pylard and the crosse that Pylate dyd
et le chasuble represente le pilier et la croix que Pilate luy

Page 1069

charge upon his precious sholdres after that he had juged him to be
chergea sur ses espaules precieuses appres lauoir jugés destre
for us crucified; than after in lyke maner as in beryng
pour nous crucifiéz; puis appres ne plus ne moins come en portant
the same crosse, he went to his deth and passyon, in lyke wyse come
icelle crois, il alloit a sa mort et passion, tout ainsy uient
the preest for to begynne the memory of the same, in himselfe
le prestre pour comencér la remembrance dicelle, en se
fyrst shrivyng to us, where as prayeng to God to be wyllyng him
premierement confessant a nous, la ou priant Dieu luy uoulloir
to forgyve, we confesse us to him lykewyse, the whiche praieng
pardonnér, nous nous confessons a luy pareillement, le quel priant
for us, doth gyve us absolucion, than goth he to the auter. I
pour nous, nous donne absolucion, puis sen ua a lautél, etc. Je
have declared to you the signification of the raymentes belongyng to the servyce
uous ay declarés les signifiances des abillementz appartenant au seruice
of the masse, unto the introite of the same, the whiche with the
de la messe, jusques a lintroite dicelle, le quel auec le
overplus shalbe to you declared an other tyme at your good pleasure and
sourplus uous sera epilogué ung aultre fois a uostre bon plaisir et
commandement.
commandement.
Ma.
I agre therto, maistre amener, thankyng you with all my herte
Je my acorde, monsieur laulmosniér, uous remerciant de tout mon coeur
of your good techyng.
de uostre bonne doctrine.
Lau.
To good and honour may it tourne to you, madame.
A bien et honneur uous puist il tournér, madame.
Finis.

Page 1070

ANOTHER COMMUNICATION, WHERE DYVERSE MANER METES BEN NAMED,
WHICHE IS A RIGHT NECESSARY WAYE FOR SHORTELY
TO COME TO THE FRENCHE SPECHE, BETWENE
THE LADY MARY AND HER AMENER.

Lau.
Moche good do it you, madame.
Bon prew uous face, madame.
Ma.
Ye be well come, maistre Amener.
Bien soiéz uenu, monsieur lAumosniér.
Lau.
What? is it so late. Trewly I thought nat that the borde was
Comment? est il sy tard. Certes je ne cuidoie point que la table fust
covered nor the clothe layde, and ye have alredy eaten your porage.
couuerte ne la nappe mise, et uous aués desja mengé uostre potage.
Ma.
How knowe ye the same, paraventure that I have nat.
Coment le scaues uous, peult estre que non ay.
Lau.
It is well possyble, how be it that I wolde parswade you to eate of it
Il est bien possible, combien que uous uouldroie persuadér den mengér
somwhat.
quelque petit.
Ma.
Why, I pray you.
Pourquoy, je uous prie.
Lau.
Bycause that physicions ben of opynyon that one ought to begyn the meate
Parce que les medecins sont dopinion quon doibt comencér le mengér
of vitayle to thende that by that meane to gyve direction
de uiandes liquides affin de par ce moien donnér direccion
to the remenant.
au sourplous.
Ma.
How are you a physicion, I thought that ye had been a lawyer.
Coment estes uous medecin, je cuidoye que vous fusses legiste.
Lau.
Trewly men ben wont to say every man to be a phisycion, but he
Certes, madame, on seult dire ung chescun estre medecin, synon le
that is sycke.
malade.

Page 1071

Ma.
And ye be nat sicke, wherfore ye have concluded you a phisycion,
Et uous nestes point malade, pourquoy uous uous estes conclud medecin,
declare me therfore the qualyties and properties of these meates
declarés moy doncques les qualités et propriétés de ces uiandes
that I may knowe the whiche ben most holsome for me, and
que puisse congnoistre lesquelles sont les plus saines pour moy, et
I shall alowe your phisycke.
japprouueray uostre medecine.
Lau.
Certaynly, madame, I shall shewe you gladlye all that I can. I have
Certes, madame, je uous en diray uoullentiér ce que jen scay. Je vous
tolde you alredy myne advyse of the porage, and touchyng the befe: I
ay desja dit mon aduis du potage, et touchant le beuf: je
do estymate him of nature melancolyke and engendre and produce grose
lestime de nature melancolyque et engendre et produit gros
blode well norisshyng folkes and of stronge complexion, whiche
sang bien nourissant gens robustes et de forte complexion, qui
occupy them in great busynesse and payne; the moton boyled is of
se exercent en grand trauaill et labeurs; le mouton bouilly est de
nature and complexion sanguyne, the whiche, to my jugement, is holsome
nature et complexion sanguine, lequel a mon jugement est sain
for your grace; capons boyled and chekyns ben lykewyse
pour uostre grace; chappons boullis et poucins sont semblablement
of good nourysshyng and doth engender good blode, but whan they ben
de bonne nourriture et engendrent bon sang, mais quant ilz sont
rosted, they ben somwhat more colloryke, and all maner of meates
rostiz, ilz sont ung tantet plus colericques, et toutte maniéres de uiandes
rosted the tone more the tother lesse. And all foules and byrdes
rostiez lune plus laultre mains. Et toutz uollatilles et oyseaulz
of water as ben swannes, gese, malardes, teales, herons, bytters,
de riuiéres come sont cignes, oiez, malartz, cercelles, hairons, butors,
and all suche byrdes ben of nature melancolyke, lesse neverthelesse
et tous telz oyseaulz sont de nature melancolicques, moins touttesfois
rosted than boyled. And conys, hares, rabettes, buckes, does, hartes,
rostis que boullis. Et conins, lieures, laperaus, dains, daines, cerfs,

Page 1072

hyndes, robuckes or lepers holde also all of melancoly, but
biches, cheureus ou saillantz tiennent aussy tous de melencolie, mais
of all meates the best and most utille to the body of man is of
de touttz uiandz la meillure et plus utille a corps homain est de
capons, chyckyns, faisantes, partriches, yonge partriches,
chappons, poucins, faisans, perdris, perdreaus, plouuiers, pigeons,
quailles, suites, wodcockes, turtell doves, knyghtes, stares,
calles, becasses, uidecocz, tourterelles, cheualiers, estourneauz,
sparows, or , finches, , gold finches,
moinons, ou passeriauz, pinchons, uerdieres, frions, cardinotes, linotes,
thrushe felde fare, and all kyndes of small byrdes, (wherof the
maluis griues, et touttes espéces de petis oiseletz, (desquelz les
names ben without nombre) ben metes norisshyng and of litell degestion,
noms sont infinitz) sont uiandes nourrissantes et de facille digestion,
and that engendre good blode, howbeit that in Spaine and in
et qui engendrent bon sang, combien quen Espagne et en
Fraunce the use of suche metes is more to be commended than ours.
France lusage de télz uiandes est plus comendable que le nostre.
Ma.
Why, I pray you, have ye nat haboundance of suche game in this
Pourquoy, je uous prie, nauons nous pas plenté de tél gibiér en ce
realme as they have there.
roialme come ilz ont la.
Lau.
Ye forsoth, madame, but we do nat use it so well, for they begynne
Sy auons certes, madame, mais nous nen usons point sy bien, car ilz commencent
alwayes with the best and ende with the most grosse whiche they
tousjours la meillure et finissent a la plus grosse quilz
leave for the servantes, where as we do al the contrary.
laissent pour les seruiteurs, la ou nous faisons tout le contraire, et cetera.
If it please to your grace, we shall make ende of our comunication,
Sil plaist a uostre grace, nous ferons fin de nostre comunicacion,
unto soupper, at the whiche, if ye thynke best, we shall make an ende.
jusques a souppér, auquél, se bon uous semble, nous paracheurons.
Ma.
Se be it as ye wyll.
Ainsy soit come le uoullés.

Page 1073

THE COMMUNICATION AT SOUPER.

Mary.
Do ye remembre, maistre amener, that ye have nat yet satisfied of the
Uous souuient il, monsieur laumosnier, que naues pas encore satisfait des
complexions and propertes of meates that whiche have begonne, and nat
complexions et nature de uiandes que uous aues entaméez, et non
finished.
acheuéez.
Lau.
Trewly, madame, ye have reason, wherfore in fulfyllyng that whiche I have
Certes, madame, uous auéz rayson, pourquoy en accomplissant ce que jay
begon, I do warne you that all maner meates sodden what
encomencé, je uous aduertis que touttes uiandes bouilliez quelles
so ever it be, holde more of the ayre and of the water (whiche ben two
quelles soient, tiennent plus de lair et de leau (qui sont deulx
elementes wherof doth come and springe blode and fleame: understande
elementz dont procedent et pullulent sang et fleugme: nentendes
nat neverthelesse but all maner of meate holde of the foure complexions,
pas touttes fois que touttes uiandes ne tiennent des quatre complexions,
the one more and the other lesse, for if I be well enformed, the complexion
les unes plus et aultres moins, car se je suis bien aduerty, la complexion
of thynges take denomynation of the qualytes principall domynant in
des choses prent denomination de la qualyté principalle dominant en
the same) than they do of the other twayne. But of all maner of meate,
icelle) quelles ne font des aultres deux. Mais de touttes uiandes,
the moost daungerous it that whiche is of fruites, as cheres, small cheryse,
la plus dangereuse est celle de fruitz crudz, come cherises, guingues,
great cherise, strauberis, fryberis, mulberis, preunes, chestaynes nuttes,
gascongnes, freses, framboises, moures, cornelles, prunes, chastaignes,
fylberdes, walnuttes, cervyse, medlers, aples,
nois franches, grosses nois, cerues, mesles, pommes,
peres, peches, melons, and all other kyndes of
poires, pesches, melons, concombres, et touttes aultres espéces de

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fruites, howbeit that youth, bycause of heate and moystnesse, doth dygest them
fruitz, ja soit que jeunesse, a cause de challeur et moisteur, les digére
better than age dothe.
mieulz que uiellesse ne fait.
Ma.
Howe, mayster amener, this meate that we do eate do they engendre
Coment, monsieur laumosnier, ces uiandes que nous mengeons engendrent-elles
the blode; I thought that we had our blode from our
le sang; je cuydoie que nous eussions nostre sang des nostre
byrthe.
naissance.
Lau.
Trewly, madame, so have we, but we do norysshe hym and encrease
Ueritablement, madame, sy auons nous, mais nous le nourissons et encroissons
of meate, for as a phylosopher sayth: suche as the
des uiahdes, car come dit ung philosophe: quelles sont les
mete is, suche is the blode, and suche as the blode is, suche is the sprit,
uiandes, tél est le sang, et quél est le sang, quel est lespérit,
and suche as the sprit is suche is the wyt, and suche as the wyt is suche is the
quel est lespérit, tél est le sens, et quél est le sens, telle est la
reason. Wherfore ye se clerely that the good mete cause
rayson. Par quoy uous uoiez manifestement que la bonne uiande faict
the good understandyng and good reason; holde you than to the
le bon entendement et bonne rayson; tenés uous doncques a la
beste and take nat to moche therof.
meilleure et nen prenés pas trop.
Ma.
In my God, I wene that my physicion whan I shall have one
En mon Dieu, je cuide que mon medecin quant jen auray ung
shall scante mende your reasons, wherfore I pray you to procede
pouldra a paine amender uos raysons, pourquoy je uous prie de procéder
that I may knowe my complexion,
que puisse congnoistre ma complexion.
Lau.
If it please you, madame, we shall abyde tyll another tyme,
Sil uous uient a plaisir, madame, nous differerons jusques a une aultre fois,
bycause that your supper is almost ended.
pource que uostre souppér est quasy acheué.

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Ma.
Well, to morowe be it.
Bien, a demain soit.

THENDE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.

Mary.
Trewly, mayster amener, I thinke it longe to here the ende of our begonne
Certes, monsieur laulmosnier, il me tarde douir la fin de nostre encomencée
communycation.
comunicacion.
Lau.
In good soth, madame, I am redy to acquyte me, howbeit that I make protestation
En uerité, madame, je suis prect de me acquictér, combien que je proteste
before your grace that I shall speke therof as a clerke of armes,
deuant uostre grace que jen parleray come ung clerc darmes,
for I knowe nothyng of it but by here say.
car je nen scay rien que par ouir dire.
Ma.
Well, well, care ye nat.
Bien, bien, ne uous chaille.
Lau.
It is trouth, madame, that there is foure elementes, that is to say: the
Il est bien uray, madame, que sont quatre elementz, cest a scauoir: la
erthe, the water, thayre, and the fyre, the whiche have eche one a qualytie proper
terre, leau, lair, et le feu, lesquelz ont chescun une qualité propre
and one folowyng. The erthe is drie of her proper qualytie, and colde
et une cocomitante. La terre est seiche de sa propre qualité, et froide
by nature folowynge, the whiche cometh of the water that to her is nyghe:
par nature cocomitante, laquelle uient de leaue qui luy est prouchayne:
the water is colde of his ppopertie, but for the neighbourhode that she hath of
leau est froide de sa propriété, mais par la contiguité quelle a de
the ayre, she is moyst: the ayre of his proper qualytie is moyst, but by the
lair, elle est moiste: lair de sa propre qualité est moist, mais par la
concordence that he hath to the fyre, he is hote: the fyre is hote of his
simbolisacion quil a au feu, il est chault: le feu est chault de sa
proper nature and drie by the erthe, to the whiche he is very nyghe; of the whiche
propre nature et sec par la terre, a laquelle il est concomitant; desquelles
foure qualyties naturall and folowyng dothe springe to us
quatre qualités naturelles et concomitantes nous resultent

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foure complexions, for of heate doth springe the colerike whiche is hote
quatre complexions, car de challeur pululle collericque qui est chault
and drie, of moystnesse is sayde the sanguyne hoote and moyst, of colde,
et sec, de humidité est dit sanguine chault et moiste, de froydure,
and flumatyke colde and moyst, of drinesse, the melancolyke colde and drie.
le flegmaticque froit et moiste, de seicheur, le melancolicque froit et sec.
Ma.
Trewly, if I have well remembred, ye have sayde here above that all thynges
Certes, se jay bien retenu, uous aués dict cy dessus que touttes choses
elemented have all the foure complexions.
elementéez ont toutte les quatre complexions.
Lau.
There is nothyng more trewe, madame.
Il nest riens plus uray, madame.
Ma.
Than have I foure complexions.
Doncques ay je quatre complexions.
Lau.
It is so, but as I have sayde to you here before, they take ever the
Il est ainsy, mais come je uous ay dit cy deuant, on prent tousjours la
denomination of the qualytie principall and havyng domynion.
denomination de la qualité principalle et dominante.
Ma.
Of what complexion do ye take me by your fayth.
De quelle complexion me dictes uous par uostre foy.
Lau.
In good fayth, madame, of the best.
En bonne foy, madame, de la meilleure.
Ma.
Ha, beware of flatery, for howbeit that I am yonge of yeres, yet have
Ha, gardes uous dadulation, car combien que soye jeune de ans, sy ay
I herde say neverthelesse that every body hath a frende that dare him shewe his
je ouy dire toutesfois que chescun a ung amy qui luy ose dire ses
fautes, save princes and princesses, for the most parte dothe synge of placebo,
faultes, synon princes et princesses, car la plus part jouent de placebo,
and few of dilexi.
et bien peu de dilexi.
Lau.
Trewly, madame, your reason is good and trewe: natwithstandyng all
Certes, madame, uostre rayson est bonne et uraye: nonobstant toutte
flatery and adulation sette a syde, I have sayd the truthe, for to the reporte of
adulacion et flaterie ariere mise, jay dit la uerité, car au report de

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any connynge man ye have complexion sanguyne, whiche is the best
tout homme scauant uous aués complexion sanguine, qui est la meilleure
of the four, bycause that the others holden more of extermites, for in
des quatre, a cause que les aultres tiennent plus dextermités, car en
hete and moisture lyeth the lyfe of the man, and the more that he declyne to
challeur et moisteur gist la uie de lhome, et quant plus quil decline a
coldenes and drinesse, whiche ben diametrally opposite and contrary to
froideur et seicheur, qui sont diamétrallement opposite et contraire a
hete and moisture, the more he goeth to corrupcion, whiche is the deth: I
chaleur et moisture, tant plus il ua a corrupcion, qui est la mort: je
myght prove to you by reason unpossible to withstande that this your
uous poulroie prouuér par irrefragable et solides oppinions que ceste uostre
complexion is the beste, but for nat to be tedious nor malpleasant, I
complexion est la meilleur, mais pour non estre tedieus ne facheus, je
remitte it to an other tyme.
le remectz a une aultre fois.
Ma.
Forsoth it displease me that my dyner is ended, for I have taken great
Certes il me desplaist que mon disner est acheué, car jay priens grand
pleasure to your communication, and howbeit that my body is sufficiently
plaisir a uostre communicacion, et combien que mon corps est suffisamment
saciate and fedde, yet remayne my soule nevertheles hongry
refocillé et repus, sy demeure mon ame touttes fois familleuse
and full of appetit of suche metes as ye have here administred.
et esuriente de telles uiandes que luy aués administré.
Lau.
In good trewth I do rejoise me to se your grace so inclined
En bonne uerité, madame, je me resjouis de ueoir uostre grace tant propense
and disposed to be wyllyng to knowe and can, wherfore I shall be glad
et procliue a uoulloir scauoir et cognoistre, pourquoy je seray joieulz
to fulfyll your good wyll where it shall please you to commande me.
daccomplir uostre uoulloir la ou vous plaira me comander.
Ma.
I praie to God to rewarde you of your labour and good instruction, maistre
Je prie a Dieu uous remunerér de uostre paine et bonne doctrine, monsieur
amener.
laumosnier.

Page 1078

Lau.
God preserve you in all good prosperite.
Dieu uous maintiegne en toutte bonne prosperité, madame. Amen.

THE DEVISION OF TYME.

Of atmos ben made the momentes, of momentes ben made the mynutes,
Des atomos se font les momentz, des momentz se font les minutes,
of mynutes ben made the degrees, of degrees the quarters of houres, of quarters
des minutes se font les degrés, des degrés les quartz dheures, des quartz
of houres the half houres, of half houres the houres, of the houres the
dheures les demye heures, des demy heures les heures, des heures les
dayes and the nyghtes of the whiche ben made wekes, of wekes the monthes,
jours et les nuitz desquelles se font les sepmaines, des sepmaines les mois,
of the monthes the foure tymes of the yere whiche ben the springe, somer, harvest,
des mois les quatre temps de lan qui sont printemps, este, autumne
and wynter. Of the foure tymes ben made the yeres, of yeres ben made the whiche
et iuer. Des quatre temps se font les ans, des ans se font les
last four yeres and lustres fyve, of lustres ben made the fyfteene yeres, of
olimpiades et lustres, des lustres se font les indicions, des indicions
ben made the c. yeres, of ben made the tyme, whiche is sayd a m. yeres.
se font les siecles, des siecles se fait le temps, qui est dict evum.
Of is made the tyme wiche is sayd xv thousande yeres.
De evum se fait le temps qui est dict parigeneses.
The tyme is none other thyng but nombre of movyng, movyng
Le temps nest aultre chose que nombre de mouuement, mouuement
is cause of lyfe worldly, and lyfe everlastynge is our Lorde Jesu Christ; for
est cause de uie, et uie pardurable est Nostre Seigneur Jesu Crist; car
who so ever shall worshyppe hym and drede perpetually, in the lande of lyvers
quiconques lhonorera et craindra a perpetuite, en la terre des uiuantz
shall lyve.
uiura.

Page 1079

This letter A, in latyn, is as moche to saye as without, and tomos is divysyon, than Atomos is without divisyon.

Ye shall note, that atmos is a thyng so lytell that can nat be devyded, as a letter whiche is atmos, in grammer, out, is atmos in arismetry, a pricke is atmos in geometry, and the duste that flyeth in the sonne beame ben atmos, and a twynclyng of an ey whiche may be taken here for atmos.

The Greeks were wont to reken by Olympiades, whiche ben four yere; the Romayns by lustres, whiche ben fyve yeres: and by indicions that ben made of thre lustres, which ben fyftene yeres: a secle is an hundred yere, and somtyme taken for a mannes lyfe. Evum is take lykewyse for a mannes age, and for a thousande yeres, and Parigeneses for fyftene thousande yeres, and tyme is taken for the lastyng of all the worlde.

Thus endeth the seconde and laste boke of this introduction.

Printed at London by Thomas Godfray.

CUM PRIUILEGIO A REGE INDULTO.

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