[THE INDUCTION.
“It is requisite,” quothMemory, “that now you seeke forEdmund Ironside’sfather, I meaneEgelrede, of some writers calledEtheldrede, who as his predecessor,Alurede, had but one vice, so hee had neuer a vertue. In whose time theDanesdyd more then ouerrunneEngland, for they ruled and raigned ouer the whole realme, and although a very valiant impe proceeded out of his raynes, who for his ablenesse to indure paynes and trauayle, was surnamedIronside; yet had notWilliam, duke ofNormandy, nephew vnto the saideEdmunde, made a conquest therof, theDanesno doubte had ruled it euen vnto this day. It is necessary, therfore, that we heare this man’s complaynt.” “I haue hym here,” quothInquisition, “but I haue no minde to heare him speake, for seeing he dyd dispise all vertue and learnyng, it is to be thought that hee wyll tell a crooked tale, such a one as wil (I feare except it be fyled after him) deforme all the rest. But I wyl take paynes to polish that which he roughly doth frame.” “Not at all,” quothMemorie, “the browne byl is a goodly weapon: and let it suffise if the matter wyll beate downe vice, let the meeter delight as it may.” “Seeing you saye so,” quothInquisition, “I am content that by the example of his death, he may admonish all the worlde to flee the fall which he felt.” Wherewith he stepped forth, and saide as foloweth.]