rswaded that none lyue more pleasauntly the they whiche
liue continually in vertue and true religio of god?
_SP._ Would god all men were as well perswaded in that
thyng. _He._ And if they bee Epicures that lyue pleasauntli:
none bee righter Epicures then they that liue vertuously,
and if we wyll that euery thyng haue it right name none
deserueth more ye cogname of an Epicure, then that Prince of
all godly wisedome too who most reueretly we ought alwaies
too praye: for in the greeke tonge an Epicure signifieth
an helper. Nowe whan the lawe of nature was first corrupted
with sinne, whe the law of Moses did rather prouoke euil
desires ||F.i.|| then remedy them. Wha the tyraunte Sathanas
reygned in this worlde freely and wythout punishement, then
thys prynce onely, dyd sodenlye helpe mankynde redy to
perishe: wherfore thei erre shamefully which scoff and
bable that _CHRIST_ was one that was sadd and of a
malancolye nature, & that he hath prouoked vs vnto an
vnpleasaunt kynde of lyfe, for onely he did shewe a kind
of liuing most godly and fullest of al true pleasure, if
we might haue the stone of _Tantalus_ taken awaye from vs.
_SPVD._ What darke saiyng is this? _EDO._ It is a mery tale
too laugh at, but this bourd induceth verye graue and sadde
thynges. _SPV._ I tary too heare ||this mery conceite, that
you name too bee so sage a matter. _HE_ Thei whiche gaue
their studye and diligence to colour and set furth the
preceptes of Philosophie wyth subtil fables, declare that
there was one _Tantalus_ broughte vnto the table of the
goddes, whych was euer furnished wyth all good fare, and
most nete and sumptuous that myght bee, whan thys straunger
shoulde take hys leave, Iupyter thought it was for his great
liberalitie and highe renoume, that his guest shuld not
depart wythout some rewarde, he wylled him therfore too
aske what he woulde, and he shoulde haue it: _Tantalus_
(forsooth) lyke a verye leude and foolyshe person, ||F.ii.||
for that he sette all the felicitie and pleasure of man in
the delectation of the bely, and glotonye, desired but
only too sytte at suche a table all the dayes of hys life,
Iupiter graunted him his desire, and shortly his vow was
there stablished and ratifyed. _Tantalus_ nowe sytteth at
the table furnyshed wyth all kindes of delicates, such
drinke as the goddes druncke of was set on the table, and
there wanted no rooses nor odours that could yeoue any swete
smel before the Goddes, _Ganymedes_ the bu