WILLIAM CAXTON (1415-1491) OF DISCRETION THER was a child of Rome that was named Papirus that on a tyme went with his fader which was a senatour into the chambre where as they helde their counceyll. And that tyme they spak of suche maters as was comanded and agreed shold be kept secrete upon payn of their heedes, and so departed. And whan he was comen home from the senatoire and fro the counceyll with his fader, his moder demanded of hym what was the counceyll, and wherof they spack and had taryed so longe there. And the childe answerd to her and sayd he durst not telle ner saye hit for so moche as hit was defended upon payn of deth. Than was the moder more desirous to knowe than she was to fore. And began to flatere hym one tyme, and afterward to menace hym that he shold saye and telle to her what hit was. And whan the childe sawe that he might haue no reste of his moder in no wise, he made her first promise that she shold kepe hit secrete, and to telle hit to none of the world. And that doon he fayned a lesing or a lye and sayd to her that the senatours had in counceyll a grete question and difference which was this: whether hit were better and more for the comyn wele of Rome that a man shold haue two wyuys or a wyf to haue two husbondes. And whan she had understonde this, he defended her that she shold telle hit to none other body. And after this she wente to her gossyb and told to her this counceyll secretly, and she told to an other, and thus euery wyf tolde hit to other in secrete. And thus hit happened anone after that alle the wyues of Rome cam to the senatorye where the senatours were assemblid, and cryed wyth an hye voys that they had leuer, and also hit were better for the comyn wele that a wyf shold haue two husbondes than a man two wyues. OF FRIENDSHIP We rede that Damon and Phisias were so ryght parfyt frendes togyder, that whan Dionisius whiche was kynge of Cecylle had juged one to deth for his trespaas in the cyte of Syracusane whom he wold haue executed he desired grace and leve to goo in to hys contre for to dispose and ordonne his testament. And his felawe pleggid hym and was sewrte for hym vpon his heed that he shold come agayn, wherof they that sawe and herd this helde hym for a fool and blamed hym. And he said all way that he repentid hym nothynge at all for he knewe well the trouth of his felawe. And whan the day cam and the oure that execusion shold be doon, his felawe cam and presented hymself to fore the juge and dischargid his felawe that was plegge for hym, wherof the kynge was gretly abashid, and for the grete trouthe that was founden in hym, he pardonyd hym and prayd hem bothe that they wold resseyue hym as their grete frende and felawe. Lo here the vertues of love that a man ought nought to doubte the deth for his frende, and to lede a lyf debonayr, and to be wyth out cruelte, to loue and not to hate which causeth to doo good ayenst euyll, and to torne payne into benefete and to quench cruelte. SIR THOMAS MALLORY Temp. Edward iv. THE MONTH OF MAY AND thus it past on from candylmas vntyl after ester that the moneth of may was come/whan euery lusty herte begynneth to blosomme / and to brynge forth fruyte / for lyke as herbes and trees bryngen forth fruyte and florysshen in may / in lyke wyse euery lusty herte that is in ony maner a louer spryngeth and florysseth in lusty dedes / For it gyueth vnto al louers courage that lusty moneth of may in some thyng to constrayne hym to some maner of thyng more in that moneth than in ony other moneth for dyuerse causes / For thenne all herbes and trees renewen a man and woman/ and lyke wyse louers callen ageyne to their mynde old gentilnes and old seruyse1 and many kynde dedes were forgeten by neclygence / For lyke as wynter rasure doth alway a rase and deface grene somer soo fareth it by vnstable loue in man and woman For in many persons there is no stabylyte / For we may see al day for a lytel blast of wynters rasure anone we shalle deface and lay a parte true loue/ for lytel or noughte that cost moch thynge / this is no wysedome nor stabylyte / but it is feblenes of 1 Service. nature and grete disworshyp who someuer vsed this Therfore lyke as may moneth floreth and floryssheth in many gardyns / Soo in lyke wyse lete euery man of worship florysshe his herte in this world fyrst unto god / and next vnto the ioye of them that he promysed his feythe vnto / for there was neuer worshypful man or worshipfull woman / but they loued one better than another / and worshyp in armes may neuer be soyled / but fyrst reserue the honour to god and secondly the quarel must come of thy lady and suche loue I calle vertuous loue / but now adayes men can not wherfor I lyken loue now adayes vnto somer and wynter for lyke as the one is hote / and the other cold so fareth loue now a dayes / therfore alle ye that be louers / calle vnto your remembrance the moneth of may / lyke as dyd quene Gueneuer / For whome I make here a lytel mencyon that LAUNCELOT DEAD And whan syr Ector herde suche noyse and |