Avisioun Riht After The Condicion Which He Hire Hadde Told Tofore; And Preide Him Hertely Therfore That He Hire Holde Covenant So Forth Of Al The Remenant, That Sche May Thurgh His Ordinance Toward The God Do Such Plesance, 2030 That Sche Wakende Myhte Him Kepe In Such Wise As Sche Mette Aslepe. And He, That Couthe Of Guile Ynouh, Whan He This Herde, Of Joie He Louh, And Seith, "Ma Dame, It Schal Be Do. Bot This I Warne You Therto: This Nyht, Whan That He Comth To Pleie, That Ther Be No Lif In The Weie Bot I, That Schal At His Likinge Ordeine So For His Cominge, 2040 That Ye Ne Schull Noght Of Him Faile. For This, Ma Dame, I You Consaile, That Ye It Kepe So Prive, That No Wiht Elles Bot We Thre Have Knowlechinge Hou That It Is; For Elles Mihte It Fare Amis, If Ye Dede Oght That Scholde Him Grieve." And Thus He Makth Hire To Believe, And Feigneth Under Guile Feith: Bot Natheles Al That He Seith 2050 Sche Troweth; And Ayein The Nyht Sche Hath Withinne Hire Chambre Dyht, Wher As This Guilour Faste By Upon This God Schal Prively Awaite, As He Makth Hire To Wene: And Thus This Noble Gentil Queene, Whan Sche Most Trusteth, Was Deceived. The Nyht Com, And The Chambre Is Weyved, Nectanabus Hath Take His Place, And Whan He Sih The Time And Space, 2060 Thurgh The Deceipte Of His Magique He Putte Him Out Of Mannes Like, And Of A Dragoun Tok The Forme, As He Which Wolde Him Al Conforme To That Sche Sih In Swevene Er This; And Thus To Chambre Come He Is. The Queene Lay Abedde And Sih, And Hopeth Evere, As He Com Nyh, That He God Of Lubye Were, So Hath Sche Wel The Lasse Fere. 2070 Bot For He Wolde Hire More Assure, Yit Eft He Changeth His Figure, And Of A Wether The Liknesse He Tok, In Signe Of His Noblesse With Large Hornes For The Nones: Of Fin Gold And Of Riche Stones A Corone On His Hed He Bar, And Soudeinly, Er Sche Was War, As He Which Alle Guile Can, His Forme He Torneth Into Man, 2080 And Cam To Bedde, And Sche Lai Stille, Wher As Sche Soffreth Al His Wille, As Sche Which Wende Noght Misdo. Bot Natheles It Hapneth So, Althogh Sche Were In Part Deceived, Yit For Al That Sche Hath Conceived The Worthieste Of Alle Kiththe, Which Evere Was Tofore Or Siththe Of Conqueste And Chivalerie; So That Thurgh Guile And Sorcerie 2090 Ther Was That Noble Knyht Begunne, Which Al The World Hath After Wunne. Thus Fell The Thing Which Falle Scholde, Nectanabus Hath That He Wolde; With Guile He Hath His Love Sped, With Guile He Cam Into The Bed, With Guile He Goth Him Out Ayein: He Was A Schrewed Chamberlein, So To Beguile A Worthi Queene, And That On Him Was After Seene. 2100 Bot Natheles The Thing Is Do; This False God Was Sone Go, With His Deceipte And Hield Him Clos, Til Morwe Cam, That He Aros. And Tho, Whan Time And Leisir Was, The Queene Tolde Him Al The Cas, As Sche That Guile Non Supposeth; And Of Tuo Pointz Sche Him Opposeth. On Was, If That This God Nomore Wol Come Ayein, And Overmore, 2110 Hou Sche Schal Stonden In Acord With King Philippe Hire Oghne Lord, Whan He Comth Hom And Seth Hire Grone. "Ma Dame," He Seith, "Let Me Alone: As For The God I Undertake That Whan It Liketh You To Take His Compaignie At Eny Throwe, If I A Day Tofore It Knowe, He Schal Be With You On The Nyht; And He Is Wel Of Such A Myht 2120 To Kepe You From Alle Blame. Forthi Conforte You, Ma Dame, Ther Schal Non Other Cause Be." Thus Tok He Leve And Forth Goth He, And Tho Began He Forto Muse Hou He The Queene Mihte Excuse Toward The King Of That Is Falle; And Fond A Craft Amonges Alle, Thurgh Which He Hath A See Foul Daunted, With His Magique And So Enchaunted, 2130 That He Flyh Forth, Whan It Was Nyht, Unto The Kinges Tente Riht, Wher That He Lay Amidde His Host: And Whanne He Was Aslepe Most, With That The See Foul To Him Broghte And Othre Charmes, Whiche He Wroghte At Hom Withinne His Chambre Stille, The King He Torneth At His Wille, And Makth Him Forto Dreme And Se The Dragoun And The Privete 2140 Which Was Betuen Him And The Queene. And Over That He Made Him Wene In Swevene, Hou That The God Amos, Whan He Up Fro The Queene Aros, Tok Forth A Ring, Wherinne A Ston Was Set, And Grave Therupon A Sonne, In Which, Whan He Cam Nyh, A Leoun With A Swerd He Sih; And With That Priente, As He Tho Mette, Upon The Queenes Wombe He Sette 2150 A Seal, And Goth Him Forth His Weie. With That The Swevene Wente Aweie, And Tho Began The King Awake And Sigheth For His Wyves Sake, Wher As He Lay Withinne His Tente, And Hath Gret Wonder What It Mente. With That He Hasteth Him To Ryse Anon, And Sende After The Wise, Among The Whiche Ther Was On, A Clerc, His Name Is Amphion: 2160 Whan He The Kinges Swevene Herde, What It Betokneth He Ansuerde, And Seith, "So Siker As The Lif, A God Hath Leie Be Thi Wif, And Gete A Sone, Which Schal Winne The World And Al That Is Withinne. As Leon Is The King Of Bestes, So Schal The World Obeie His Hestes, Which With His Swerd Schal Al Be Wonne, Als Ferr As Schyneth Eny Sonne." 2170 The King Was Doubtif Of This Dom; Bot Natheles, Whan That He Com Ayein Into His Oghne Lond, His Wif With Childe Gret He Fond. He Mihte Noght Himselve Stiere, That He Ne Made Hire Hevy Chiere; Bot He Which Couthe Of Alle Sorwe, Nectanabus, Upon The Morwe Thurgh The Deceipte And Nigromance Tok Of A Dragoun The Semblance, 2180 And Wher The King Sat In His Halle, Com In Rampende Among Hem Alle With Such A Noise And Such A Rore, That Thei Agast Were Also Sore As Thogh Thei Scholde Deie Anon. And Natheles He Grieveth Non, Bot Goth Toward The Deyss On Hih; And Whan He Cam The Queene Nyh, He Stinte His Noise, And In His Wise To Hire He Profreth His Servise, 2190 And Leith His Hed Upon Hire Barm; And Sche With Goodly Chiere Hire Arm Aboute His Necke Ayeinward Leide, And Thus The Queene With Him Pleide In Sihte Of Alle Men Aboute. And Ate Laste He Gan To Loute And Obeissance Unto Hire Make, As He That Wolde His Leve Take; And Sodeinly His Lothly Forme Into An Egle He Gan Transforme, 2200 And Flyh And Sette Him On A Raile; Wherof The King Hath Gret Mervaile, For There He Pruneth Him And Piketh, As Doth An Hauk Whan Him Wel Liketh, And After That Himself He Schok, Wherof That Al The Halle Quok, As It A Terremote Were; Thei Seiden Alle, God Was There: In Such A Res And Forth He Flyh. The King, Which Al This Wonder Syh, 2210 Whan He Cam To His Chambre Alone, Unto The Queene He Made His Mone And Of Foryivenesse Hir Preide; For Thanne He Knew Wel, As He Seide, Sche Was With Childe With A Godd. Thus Was The King Withoute Rodd Chastised, And The Queene Excused Of That Sche Hadde Ben Accused. And For The Gretere Evidence, Yit After That In The Presence 2220 Of King Philipp And Othre Mo, Whan Thei Ride In The Fieldes Tho, A Phesant Cam Before Here Yhe, The Which Anon As Thei Hire Syhe, Fleende Let An Ey Doun Falle, And It Tobrak Tofore Hem Alle: And As Thei Token Therof Kepe, Thei Syhe Out Of The Schelle Crepe A Litel Serpent On The Ground, Which Rampeth Al Aboute Round, 2230 And In Ayein It Wolde Have Wonne, Bot For The Brennynge Of The Sonne It Mihte Noght, And So It Deide. And Therupon The Clerkes Seide, "As The Serpent, Whan It Was Oute, Went Enviroun The Schelle Aboute And Mihte Noght Torne In Ayein, So Schal It Fallen In Certein: This Child The World Schal Environe, And Above Alle The Corone 2240 Him Schal Befalle, And In Yong Age He Schal Desire In His Corage, Whan Al The World Is In His Hond, To Torn Ayein Into The Lond Wher He Was Bore, And In His Weie Homward He Schal With Puison Deie." The King, Which Al This Sih And Herde, Fro That Dai Forth, Hou So It Ferde, His Jalousie Hath Al Foryete. Bot He Which Hath The Child Begete, 2250 Nectanabus, In Privete The Time Of His Nativite Upon The Constellacioun Awaiteth, And Relacion Makth To The Queene Hou Sche Schal Do, And Every Houre Apointeth So, That No Mynut Therof Was Lore. So That In Due Time Is Bore This Child, And Forth With Therupon Ther Felle Wondres Many On 2260 Of Terremote Universiel: The Sonne Tok Colour Of Stiel And Loste His Lyht, The Wyndes Blewe, And Manye Strengthes Overthrewe; The See His Propre Kinde Changeth, And Al The World His Forme Strangeth; The Thonder With His Fyri Levene So Cruel Was Upon The Hevene, That Every Erthli Creature Tho Thoghte His Lif In Aventure. 2270 The Tempeste Ate Laste Cesseth, The Child Is Kept, His Age Encresseth, And Alisandre His Name Is Hote, To Whom Calistre And Aristote To Techen Him Philosophie Entenden, And Astronomie, With Othre Thinges Whiche He Couthe Also, To Teche Him In His Youthe Nectanabus Tok Upon Honde. Bot Every Man Mai Understonde, 2280 Of Sorcerie Hou That It Wende, It Wole Himselve Prove At Ende, And Namely Forto Beguile A Lady, Which Withoute Guile Supposeth Trouthe Al That Sche Hiereth: Bot Often He That Evele Stiereth His Schip Is Dreynt Therinne Amidde; And In This Cas Riht So Betidde. Nectanabus Upon A Nyht, Whan It Was Fair And Sterre Lyht, 2290 This Yonge Lord Ladde Up On Hih Above A Tour, Wher As He Sih Thee Sterres Such As He Acompteth, And Seith What Ech Of Hem Amonteth, As Thogh He Knewe Of Alle Thing; Bot Yit Hath He No Knowleching What Schal Unto Himself Befalle. Whan He Hath Told His Wordes Alle, This Yonge Lord Thanne Him Opposeth, And Axeth If That He Supposeth 2300 What Deth He Schal Himselve Deie. He Seith, "Or Fortune Is Aweie And Every Sterre Hath Lost His Wone, Or Elles Of Myn Oghne Sone I Schal Be Slain, I Mai Noght Fle." Thoghte Alisandre In Privete, "Hierof This Olde Dotard Lieth": And Er That Other Oght Aspieth, Al Sodeinliche His Olde Bones He Schof Over The Wal At Ones, 2310 And Seith Him, "Ly Doun There Apart: Wherof Nou Serveth Al Thin Art? Thou Knewe Alle Othre Mennes Chance And Of Thiself Hast Ignorance: That Thou Hast Seid Amonges Alle Of Thi Persone, Is Noght Befalle." Nectanabus, Which Hath His Deth, Yit While Him Lasteth Lif And Breth, To Alisandre He Spak And Seide That He With Wrong Blame On Him Leide 2320 Fro Point To Point And Al The Cas He Tolde, Hou He His Sone Was. Tho He, Which Sory Was Ynowh, Out Of The Dich His Fader Drouh, And Tolde His Moder Hou It Ferde In Conseil; And Whan Sche It Herde And Kneu The Toknes Whiche He Tolde, Sche Nyste What Sche Seie Scholde, Bot Stod Abayssht As For The While Of His Magique And Al The Guile. 2330 Sche Thoghte Hou That Sche Was Deceived, That Sche Hath Of A Man Conceived, And Wende A God It Hadde Be. Bot Natheles In Such Degre, So As Sche Mihte Hire Honour Save, Sche Schop The Body Was Begrave. And Thus Nectanabus Aboghte The Sorcerie Which He Wroghte: Thogh He Upon The Creatures Thurgh His Carectes And Figures 2340 The Maistrie And The Pouer Hadde, His Creatour To Noght Him Ladde, Ayein Whos Lawe His Craft He Useth, Whan He For Lust His God Refuseth, And Tok Him To The Dieules Craft. Lo, What Profit Him Is Belaft: That Thing Thurgh Which He Wende Have Stonde, Ferst Him Exilede Out Of Londe Which Was His Oghne, And From A King Made Him To Ben An Underling; 2350 And Siththen To Deceive A Queene, That Torneth Him To Mochel Teene; Thurgh Lust Of Love He Gat Him Hate, That Ende Couthe He Noght Abate. His Olde Sleyhtes Whiche He Caste, Yonge Alisaundre Hem Overcaste, His Fader, Which Him Misbegat, He Slouh, A Gret Mishap Was That; Bot For O Mis An Other Mys Was Yolde, And So Fulofte It Is; 2360 Nectanabus His Craft Miswente, So It Misfell Him Er He Wente. I Not What Helpeth That Clergie Which Makth A Man To Do Folie, And Nameliche Of Nigromance, Which Stant Upon The Mescreance. And Forto Se More Evidence, Zorastes, Which Thexperience Of Art Magique Ferst Forth Drouh, Anon As He Was Bore, He Louh, 2370 Which Tokne Was Of Wo Suinge: For Of His Oghne Controvinge He Fond Magique And Tauhte It Forth; Bot Al That Was Him Litel Worth, For Of Surrie A Worthi King Him Slou, And That Was His Endyng. Bot Yit Thurgh Him This Craft Is Used, And He Thurgh Al The World Accused, For It Schal Nevere Wel Achieve That Stant Noght Riht With The Believe: 2380 Bot Lich To Wolle Is Evele Sponne, Who Lest Himself Hath Litel Wonne, An Ende Proveth Every Thing. Sa L, Which Was Of Juys King, Up Peine Of Deth Forbad This Art, And Yit He Tok Therof His Part. The Phitonesse In Samarie Yaf Him Conseil Be Sorcerie, Which After Fell To Mochel Sorwe, For He Was Slain Upon The Morwe. 2390 To Conne Moche Thing It Helpeth, Bot Of To Mochel Noman Yelpeth: So Forto Loke On Every Side, Magique Mai Noght Wel Betyde. Forthi, My Sone, I Wolde Rede That Thou Of These Ensamples Drede, That For No Lust Of Erthli Love Thou Seche So To Come Above, Wherof As In The Worldes Wonder Thou Schalt For Evere Be Put Under. 2400 Mi Goode Fader, Grant Mercy, For Evere I Schal Be War Therby: Of Love What Me So Befalle, Such Sorcerie Aboven Alle Fro This Dai Forth I Schal Eschuie, That So Ne Wol I Noght Poursuie Mi Lust Of Love Forto Seche. Bot This I Wolde You Beseche, Beside That Me Stant Of Love, As I You Herde Speke Above 2410 Hou Alisandre Was Betawht To Aristotle, And So Wel Tawht Of Al That To A King Belongeth, Wherof Min Herte Sore Longeth To Wite What It Wolde Mene. For Be Reson I Wolde Wene That If I Herde Of Thinges Strange, Yit For A Time It Scholde Change Mi Peine, And Lisse Me Somdiel. Mi Goode Sone, Thou Seist Wel. 2420 For Wisdom, Hou That Evere It Stonde, To Him That Can It Understonde Doth Gret Profit In Sondri Wise; Bot Touchende Of So Hih Aprise, Which Is Noght Unto Venus Knowe, I Mai It Noght Miselve Knowe, Which Of Hir Court Am Al Forthdrawe And Can Nothing Bot Of Hir Lawe. Bot Natheles To Knowe More Als Wel As Thou Me Longeth Sore; 2430 And For It Helpeth To Comune, Al Ben Thei Noght To Me Comune, The Scoles Of Philosophie, Yit Thenke I Forto Specefie, In Boke As It Is Comprehended, Wherof Thou Mihtest Ben Amended. For Thogh I Be Noght Al Cunnynge Upon The Forme Of This Wrytynge, Som Part Therof Yit Have I Herd, In This Matiere Hou It Hath Ferd. 2440 Explicit Liber Sextus