{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_61182/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_61182","id":"gutenberg_61182","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/61182","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Historical Novels","Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Romances, Latin (Medieval and modern) -- Translations into English"],"text":"TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE:\n\nItalic text is denoted by _underscores_.\n\n\n\n\n  _Chap-Books\n  and\n  Folk-Lore Tracts._\n\n\n  _Edited by\n  G. L. Gomme, F.S.A.\n  and\n  H. B. Wheatley, F.S.A._\n\n\n  _First Series._\n\n  II.\n\n\n\n\n  THE HISTORY\n\n  OF\n\n  THE SEVEN WISE MASTERS\n  OF ROME.\n\n\n  PRINTED FROM\n  THE EDITION OF WYNKYN DE WORDE, 1520,\n\n  AND EDITED, WITH AN INTRODUCTION,\n\n  BY\n\n  GEORGE LAURENCE GOMME, F.S.A.\n\n\n  LONDON:\n  PRINTED FOR THE VILLON SOCIETY.\n\n  1885.\n\n\n\n\nIntroduction.\n\n\nThe history of the _Seven Wise Masters_ forms an important epoch in\nthe history of European popular stories, because it affords the most\nremarkable evidence of the literary descent and origin of stories,\nas distinct from a traditional descent. Professor Comparetti in\nhis _Researches respecting the Book of Sindibad_, published by the\nFolk-Lore Society, Mr. Clouston in his _Bakhtyar Nama_ and in his\n_Book of Sindibad_, two privately printed books, and Mr. Wright in his\n_Sevyn Sages_, printed by the Percy Society in 1846, have practically\nexhausted the literary history of this famous collection of stories.\nShortly summarised from these three sources the main facts are these.\nThere was an ancient original Indian book of stories which became so\npopular that it was copied frequently, and thus handed down from one\ngeneration to another. From this book two separate groups of texts\nhave descended. To the first belong all the texts in the Eastern\nlanguages; to the other belong the _Dolopathos_, the _Historia Septem\nSapientum_, the _Erasto_, and other numerous texts of the various\nEuropean literatures of the Middle Ages. With the Eastern group\nof texts we have now nothing to do beyond saying that Professor\nComparetti has restored, in the scholarly book above mentioned, the\nform of the original text for the guidance of the modern student. The\nWestern group of texts has a history of its own quite apart from its\nEastern origin. It has kept the original framework, but it has varied\nthe setting; and this variation will be found of great interest to the\nstudent of popular tradition. Before, however, we come to this part of\nthe subject, let us see the kind of work with which we are dealing. The\nframework of the romance is as follows: A young prince, falsely accused\nby the wife of the king, his father, of having attempted to offer her\nviolence, is defended by seven sages, who relate a series of stories\nto show the deceits of women, the queen at the same time urging the\ndeath of the accused prince by the example of stories told by herself.\nThis system of story-telling is practically the same as that adopted in\nthe _Arabian Nights_. Boccaccio adopted this plan in his _Decameron_;\nChaucer adopted it in his _Canterbury Tales_.\n\nAmong the Eastern texts is a famous one in Hebrew, dating as far\nback as the first half of the thirteenth century. Under the title of\n_Historia Septem Sapientum Rom\u00e6_, a Latin translation of this was made\nby Dam Jehans, a monk of the abbey of Haute Selve, in the diocese of\nNancy, in the thirteenth century. The earliest printed copy of this\nversion that I have been able to find is one printed at Cologne in\n1490, of which I shall say something a little further on.\n\nIt was through this Latin version that the work was communicated to\nnearly all the languages of Western Europe; and in 1520 a translation\ninto English was printed by the famous printer Wynkyn de Worde. A fine\ncopy of this is preserved in the British Museum, and from it is printed\nthe text of the present version. One or two pages are missing from this\ncopy, and the passages are restored from the earliest chap-book version\nwhich I have been able to discover\u2014namely, that printed in 1671 at\nLondon, and belonging to the British Museum. This chap-book version is\nnearly identical with the Wynkyn de Worde, with the simple alteration\nof the spelling to the modern forms. One curious variation, however,\nillustrating the force of the change of religious opinions at the time\nof the Reformation, is well worth noting. On page 173 of our text will\nbe found related how the murdered children of the Emperor Lodwyke were\nfound alive singing \"of ye moost blessed vyrgyne Mary, aue Maria gracia\nplena dn\u0304s tecum,\" but in the chap-book of 1671 it is said they were\nsinging praises to the Almighty.\n\nSince 1671 many chap-book versions have been issued, and I have\nsucceeded in obtaining a copy still published in Dublin. These later\nversions are all much deteriorated from the original. Besides the 1671\nedition, there are the following: London 1684, 1687, and 1697; Glasgow\n1713; London [1750]; Newcastle 1750; London 1780\u20147 [1785]; Boston 1794;\nLondon 1805; Warrington 1815. And I have no doubt that it has been\ncontinually reproduced until the present day.\n\nBesides the closeness of the translation of the prose version of\nWynkyn de Worde, one curious feature to be noted is the series of\nillustrations. It is well known that German woodcuts supplied English\nbooks with illustrations,[1] and this is a good instance of the\npractice. In the _Bibliographer_ (vol. ii. p. 70) Mr. W. M. Conway has\ntold the history of the woodcuts of the Lubeck edition of the _Seven\nWise Men_. It was first printed in April, 1488, with the name of Claes\nLeeu, probably a brother of Gerard Leeu. In 1490 appeared another\nedition printed at Cologne by J. Koelhof de Lubeck, to whom the blocks\nmust have been lent. He returned them to Leeu with the exception of\none, which was either retained by him or lost on the journey; and the\nimperfect set, a new block being made by some other hand to replace\nthe lost one, was employed in the edition printed by Leeu on the 6th\nNovember, 1490. One of the cuts (see p. 21) represents the Emperor\ncoming angrily into the chamber of his wife with a drawn sword in his\nhand and reproaching her with her infidelity. She is seated on a chair\non the right, with her hands clasped in an attitude rather of shyness\nthan fear or remorse. One reason for this seems to be discoverable from\nthe fact that along the top of the bed behind, the words _Ave regina\ncoelorum_ can be traced carved in reverse; and it is quite possible\nthat the whole cut, with the exception of the figure of the Emperor,\nwas copied from some print representing the Annunciation.\n\nBoth these editions, that by J. Koelhof de Lubeck and that printed by\nGerard Leeu on 6th November, 1490, are in the library of the British\nMuseum, the latter under the title of _Historia de Calumnia Novercali_.\nThis book has a preface not contained in the other edition, and it\nformed the subject of a communication to the _Gentleman's Magazine_ for\n1767, p. 541, in a letter signed T. From this letter it would appear\nthat later editions were issued. The preface quoted in the letter is\nthe same as the preface in the British Museum copy, but the words of\nthe latter are much more contracted than the writer in the _Gentleman's\nMagazine_ indicates was the case with his copy. This letter is, I\nthink, worth reproducing, as it conveys some useful information. It is\nas follows:\u2014\n\n\"I lately met with a mutilated copy of a book, which to me, at\nleast, appears a curiosity. It bears for its title, _Historia de\nCalumnia Novercali_: an history now commonly sold at stalls for the\nentertainment of English children, under the title of _The History of\nthe Seven Wise Masters_; with which last-mentioned book mine agrees as\nto the substance and order of the tales, but differs considerably from\nit in the form and manner of relating them.\n\n\"It is printed in sixteens, in the common Gothic character of the time\n(the beginning, as I judge, of the 16th century), an _English_ or\n_black_ face approaching to a _Roman_, on a _pica_ body, and with many\nabbreviations, and is ornamented with wooden cuts of the size of the\npages, which, considering their age, are by no means contemptible.\n\n\"The preface runs thus:\u2014\n\n\"'Composit\u00e2 pridem _Calumni\u00e6 Novercalis Historia_ qu\u00e6 _Septem\nSapientum_ dicitur, pulchro quidem argumento, pulchris etiam ac\nmemoratu dignis tractata exemplis, in utramq: partem & defensionis &\ncondemnationis sive vera sive ficta sit, nihil ad te attinere puto\nmi _Gerarde_: magis autem quid doceat adverte, intelligimus ex ea &\nqui sint malarum mulierum, & pravorum liberorum, & zelotyporum itemq:\ndelirorum senum aliarumq: personarum mores atq: fortun\u00e6 vari\u00e2 ratione,\nut quid caveri quidve eligi oporteat agnoscamus. Cum autam nominum\nquorundam ratio temporibus satis respondere visa non esset, & textus\nnimium fluxus minimeq: coh\u00e6rens videretur non indignum judicavi quo\ntibi morem gererem id postulanti, paululum mutatis verbis obmissisq:\nnominibus ne legentem offendant, re ipsa integra servata, hanc\nnarationem efferre; ne quid inventori laudis aut inventioni veritatis\ndetractum esse videatur: imposito potius nomine _Calumni\u00e6 Novercalis_\nqualis & Ph\u00e6dr\u00e6 fuit is Hyppolitum; et simili quoq: genere uxoris\nPutipharis in Joseph Hebr\u00e6um; & senum illorum in Susannam; ut eo nomine\nhistoria h\u00e6c majorem notitiam gratiamq: apud lectores sit habitura.'\n\n\"From hence it appears that this book is an alteration and improvement\nof a more ancient work, intitled _Historia Septem_ _Sapientum_, and,\nas the particulars here said to be altered are retained unaltered in\nthe English translation, it should seem that the English history is\ntranslated from a performance of a more early date than this.\"\n\nThe woodcuts of the Wynkyn de Worde are not identical with the Cologne\nedition, but copies, having been decidedly improved. All these are\nreproduced in facsimile in the present edition. Owing to the missing\npages, one or two of these illustrations are not given in the British\nMuseum copy. The Cologne edition contains a frontispiece plate, one\nafter the first two as printed on pages 4 and 8 of our text, and two\nprinted at the end of the book, making four in all, which are not\ncontained in the British Museum copy of the Wynkyn de Worde.\n\nWe will now consider the stories given in this version of the _Seven\nWise Masters_. Although the framework, as I have pointed out, is\nancient, the setting has been altered. The stories that suited Eastern\nfancy did not suit Western; and accordingly we have a considerable\nvariation. In order to have the stories clearly before us, the\nfollowing analysis will be found useful:\u2014\n\n(1.) _The first example of the Empress._\u2014In the garden of a Roman\nburgess was a tree famed for its cure of all diseases\u2014the burgess one\nday discovered a \"fair young imp\"\u2014this was planted and put under the\ncare of the gardener\u2014the young tree did not flourish\u2014the burgess\ncommanded the branches of the overshading old tree to be cut down\nto the ground\u2014the young tree then did not flourish\u2014the burgess\ncommanded the old tree to be cut down to the ground\u2014the young tree\ndied.\n\n(2.) _The example of the first Master._\u2014A knight had one son\u2014also\na greyhound and a falcon\u2014the knight went to a tourney\u2014a serpent\nin the hall attacked the child\u2014the falcon roused the attention of\nthe greyhound\u2014the greyhound fought the serpent and killed it\u2014the\ngreyhound, wounded, went and laid down by the cradle of the child,\nwhich became covered with his blood\u2014the nurses coming in thought the\nchild was killed by the greyhound\u2014they tell their mistress, who tells\nthe knight\u2014the knight kills the greyhound\u2014he afterwards discovers his\nerror and repents.\n\n(3.) _The second example of the Empress._\u2014An Emperor had a forest in\nwhich was a boar that destroyed all men going through the forest\u2014the\nEmperor proclaimed that whoever should slay the boar should marry\nhis daughter\u2014a shepherd by stratagem slew the boar, and married the\ndaughter.\n\n(4.) _The example of the second Master._\u2014In a city there was an\nancient knight who had married a young wife\u2014there was a law or custom\nin that city that whoever was found in the streets after the ringing of\na certain bell should be put in the pillory\u2014the wife had a paramour,\nand every night she went to her lover. One night the husband woke and\nmissed his wife, and on her return would not let her in\u2014she went to\nthe well and pretended to drown herself\u2014the husband came out of the\nhouse to help his wife out of the well\u2014she then ran into the house\nand locked the doors, and her husband being found in the streets by\nthe watch, was taken to prison and on the morrow put in the pillory.\n\n(5.) _The third complaint of the Empress._\u2014There was in Rome a\nknight that had two daughters and one son\u2014the knight, by hunting and\ntournaments, spent all his substance. There was an emperor at that time\nwho had a tower full of gold\u2014the knight and his son agreed to steal\nsome of the gold\u2014the keeper of the tower put a vessel full of pitch\nthat the robber might fall in\u2014the second time the knight and his son\nwent the knight fell into the pitch\u2014the son cut off the father's head\nand hid it, that the body should not be recognized\u2014the daughters of\nthe knight made a great outcry on seeing their father's body dragged\nthrough the streets\u2014the son then wounded himself, and the officers\nbelieved his story that it was on account of his wound that his sisters\nmade lamentations.\n\n(6.) _The example of the third Master._\u2014There was a rich burgess that\nhad a \"pie\" which he loved and taught to speak\u2014his wife had a lover\nwho visited her in the absence of the burgess\u2014the pie threatened to\ntell the burgess\u2014the wife imitated rain and hail and snow on the\nbird's cage and nearly killed her\u2014when the burgess returned the pie\ntold him that his wife's lover had stayed all night with her, and that\nthe hail, rain, and snow that night had nearly killed him\u2014the master\nhearing that the night had been quite fine, killed the bird, thinking\nit had told lies\u2014he afterwards found out the truth.\n\n(7.) _The fourth example of the Empress._\u2014There were once seven wise\nmasters who governed Rome under an Emperor, who by their artifices\nthey made blind whenever he left the palace\u2014the Emperor, on pain of\ndeath, desired the seven wise masters to cure him\u2014the masters discover\na child who shewed the meaning of dreams\u2014they brought him to the\nEmperor\u2014the child discovered in the Emperor's bedchamber a well which\nhad seven springs\u2014the child commanded the wise masters to be killed,\none at a time, and thrown into the well\u2014the well and springs vanished.\n\n(8.) _The example of the fourth Master._\u2014There was an old knight who\nmarried a young wife\u2014the wife wished to have a lover, but on the\npersuasion of her mother tried the knight three times: 1st, by cutting\ndown a favourite tree\u20142nd, by killing a favourite hound\u20143rd, by\ndestroying everything on the table at a banquet. The two first the\nknight forgave, the third time he brought a barber who opened veins in\nthe wife's arms\u2014the wife thereupon said she would be content with her\nhusband.\n\n(9.) _The fifth example of the Empress._\u2014There reigned in Rome an\nEmperor who was covetous and loved gold above all things.\u2014In the city\nwas a wise master who made a tower, and in it as many images as there\nwere provinces governed by Rome, and when there was any rebellion or\ndispute in these distant provinces the images rang a bell, and so\ninformed the people. The kings of these provinces consulted together\nhow best to defeat Rome. Four knights undertook to get the images\nand tower destroyed if they could have four tons of gold\u2014they took\nthis and went to Rome\u2014and represented themselves as soothsayers, and\npretended to discover by dreams quantities of gold which they had\npreviously hidden\u2014they obtained permission of the Emperor to dig\nunder the tower for more gold\u2014undermined the tower and rode away\u2014the\ncounsellors of the Emperor put him to death for betraying the image to\ntheir enemies.\n\n(10.) _The example of the fifth Master._\u2014There was a famous physician\nnamed Ypocras\u2014he had a nephew named Galienus, who in time excelled\nYpocras\u2014the king of Ungary sent for Ypocras to cure his son\u2014Ypocras\nsent Galienus instead\u2014Galienus on seeing the sick child said to\nthe queen that the king was not its father, and demanded to know\nwho was\u2014the queen told him the truth and Galienus cured the child.\nYpocras on hearing from Galienus that he had cured the child killed\nhim by craft\u2014Ypocras was taken grievously sick, and his scholars\nand disciples were unable to heal him\u2014He knew that for the death of\nGalienus he was made sick\u2014confessed from envy he had slain him, and\ndied.\n\n(11.) _The sixth example of the Empress._\u2014There was a king\nmarvellously deformed in his visage so that women hated and abhorred\nhim\u2014the king desired his steward to bring a fair and beauteous\nwoman, and promised a large sum of money to the woman\u2014the steward\nfrom covetousness insisted on his own wife going to the king and thus\nobtaining the money\u2014the king found out that the steward had undone\nhis own wife, banished him on pain of death and kept the wife. The king\nassembled a great army to conquer Rome, but by the stratagems of seven\nwise masters there was defeated with great slaughter and killed.\n\n(12.) _The example of the sixth Master._\u2014There was an emperor of Rome\nwho had three knights whom he loved above all others. There was also in\nthe city an ancient knight who had a fair young wife\u2014this wife would\nsit at her window looking into the street and sing. The three knights\nat different times passed her window and fell in love with her\u2014they\neach offered her a hundred florins\u2014she consented to receive them,\npromising to send for them on a suitable opportunity. She told her\nhusband, and suggested that when the knights came he should kill them\nand keep the hundred florins\u2014the husband consented and killed each of\nthe knights\u2014the wife got her brother to dispose of the first body, and\nby telling him the corpse had come back again, of the other two\u2014the\nhusband afterwards quarrelled with his wife and struck her\u2014she in\nrevenge told how he had murdered the three knights\u2014they were both\ndrawn at a horse's tail and hanged.\n\n(13.) _The seventh example of the Empress._\u2014A king loved his wife\nabove all things and locked her up alwayes in a strong castle and\nkept the keys himself. A knight in distant parts dreamed of a fair\nqueen whose love he would win\u2014the queen dreamt the same night of\nthe knight\u2014the knight travelled about till he came to the queen's\ntower, and knew her for the lady of his dream.\u2014He entered the king's\nservice\u2014fought bravely, was made the king's steward, and gained\npermission of the king to build a place adjoining the castle\u2014He built\na secret passage to the queen's rooms\u2014gained her love\u2014she gave him\na ring the king had given her\u2014the king saw the ring on the knight's\nhand and demanded of the queen the ring he had given her\u2014she showed it\nto the king having previously got it back from the knight\u2014the knight\nasked the king to be present at a banquet at which would be his lady\nlove\u2014presented the queen to the king as a lady of his own country\u2014the\nking after the banquet went to the queen's rooms, found her there, and\nthought he had been mistaken a second time\u2014the knight asked the king\nto be present at his wedding and to give the bride away\u2014the king gave\nthe queen to the knight and saw them sail away from the city\u2014went back\nto the castle and found out how he had been deceived.\n\n(14.) _The example of the seventh Master._\u2014A knight had a fair young\nwife whom he tenderly loved\u2014one day she cut her hand and the sight of\nher blood killed her husband\u2014she bewailed his death greatly\u2014would\nnot leave the grave\u2014her friends made a little house close by where\nshe might stay and get food. When a trespasser against the law was\nhanged the sheriff was obliged to watch all night by the gallows, and\nif the body was stolen the sheriff had to lose his land and his life.\nIt happened soon after that a man was hanged, and the sheriff watched\nby the gallows\u2014he saw the little house, asked permission to enter\nto warm himself\u2014the sheriff went back to the gallows and found the\nbody stolen\u2014told the lady, who advised him, if he would marry her, to\ntake up her dead husband and hang him on the gallows in place of the\nthief\u2014when the body was dug up, the sheriff said he could not hang\nher husband up as he was, the thief having lost two front teeth, his\nears, and was otherwise mutilated\u2014the lady mutilated her husband in a\ncorresponding manner\u2014she reminded the sheriff of his promise to marry\nher\u2014he refused, and killed her.\n\n(15.) _The example of Dioclesian, the King's son._\u2014A knight had one\nson, who was sent away to learn, and returned well favoured\u2014as they\nsat at table a nightingale sang\u2014the son interpreted the song to mean\nthat he should become great and be waited upon by his father and\nmother\u2014the knight was angered, and cast his son into the sea\u2014the son\nswam to land, from which he was rescued by a ship\u2014the shipmen sold\nhim to a duke\u2014the duke took him into favour\u2014the king of the country\n(Egypt) summoned his council to tell him why ravens followed him\nwherever he went, and promised to give his daughter to him who would\ninterpret the event\u2014the child, who went with the duke, interpreted\nthe event, and the ravens left the country\u2014the king thereupon took\nthe child, Alexander, to live with him\u2014before marrying his daughter,\nAlexander asked leave to visit the court of Titus\u2014leave was granted,\nand he went and was much loved\u2014there came also the son of the King of\nFrance, Lodwyke\u2014the two, Lodwyke and Alexander, were much alike\u2014the\nemperor had a daughter whom Lodwyke fell in love with\u2014Alexander used\nto attend her\u2014she fell in love with him\u2014he, however, allowed Lodwyke\nto attend her in his stead\u2014he assisted Lodwyke in his suit\u2014presented\ngifts to her three times on behalf of Lodwyke\u2014finally she consented\nto receive Lodwyke\u2014the knights found out the intrigue, and sought\nto slay Lodwyke, but Alexander defended his friend\u2014letters came to\ntell Alexander of the death of the King of Egypt\u2014Alexander went to\nEgypt\u2014Lodwyke at parting gave him a ring\u2014Guydo, son of the King of\nSpain, then came to the court\u2014he found out Lodwyke with the emperor's\ndaughter, and told the emperor\u2014a day of battle between Lodwyke and\nGuydo was appointed\u2014Lodwyke was afraid to meet him, and by advice of\nthe emperor's daughter got the day of battle adjourned, and went to\nAlexander\u2014Alexander was going to be married to his betrothed\u2014being\nso like Lodwyke he agreed to take his place, and Lodwyke was to take\nAlexander's place at the wedding, and to put a naked sword between\nhim and Alexander's wife on the night of their marriage\u2014Alexander\nwent, as Lodwyke, and defeated and slew Guydo\u2014Lodwyke, as Alexander,\nmarried his betrothed and kept the compact of putting a sword between\nthem\u2014when Alexander returned his wife, annoyed at him not loving\nher the first night, would not accept his embraces\u2014she grew to love\na knight, and by poison made Alexander a leper\u2014he was driven from\nEgypt\u2014he travelled to Lodwyke's court (who had succeeded Titus on the\nthrone)\u2014he made himself known to Lodwyke\u2014Lodwyke asked his master\nto cure his friend\u2014they could not do so\u2014the only cure was revealed\nto Alexander in a dream\u2014it was for Lodwyke to kill his two sons and\nwash his body with the blood of them\u2014Lodwyke does this, and his wife\nafterwards agrees to it\u2014Alexander is restored\u2014the sons come to life\nagain\u2014Lodwyke assists Alexander in the recovery of Egypt\u2014after a\ntime he resolved to see his father and mother\u2014he goes to them without\nrevealing himself\u2014they wait upon him\u2014he then reveals himself to them,\nforgave them, and took them, honoured, to Egypt.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nOf these fifteen stories only three are the same as those given in the\n_Book of Sindibad_, as published by Professor Comparetti\u2014namely, No.\n2, the example of the first Master, which is told by the fifth Master\nin the Sindibad version; No. 6, the example of the third Master, which\nis told by the first Master of the Sindibad version; and No. 11, the\nsixth example of the Empress, which is told by the fourth Master of the\nSindibad version. No. 3, the second example of the Empress, may perhaps\nbe a variant of the fifth example of the Empress in the Sindibad\nversion. The remaining stories then might, _prima facie_, be considered\nof Western origin; and perhaps genuine Folk-Tales thus early enshrined\nin literature. No. 4 is to be found in Peter Alfonsi's _Disciplina\nClericalis_ and in the Decameron. And Mr. Wright, in his Introduction\nto The _Seuyn Sages_ (Percy Society), p. liii. says he heard the same\nstory told traditionally in an English country town of a townsman\nwho had a scolding unruly wife. No. 5 is a variant of the legend of\nRhampsinitus, king of Egypt, as told by Herodotus; and a similar\nlegend is given in Pausanias, lib. ix. c. 37. No. 7 contains some of\nthe incidents of Merlin's story told by the Chroniclers. No. 10, the\nexample of the fifth Master, is something like Campbell's \"Fearachur\nLeigh,\" No. xlvii. of his _Highland Stories_ (vol. ii. p. 161). No.\n13 bears an analogy to the plot of the _Miles Gloriosus_ of Plautus.\nUpon the entire question of the occurrence elsewhere of these stories I\nwould refer to Mr. Clouston's _Book of Sindibad_ privately printed in\n1884.\n\nThere are one or two curious words and expressions which may be of use\nto the philologist, but the reader will find that the language used\nis mainly that of the present day with a different spelling. Some of\nthe difficulties of this style have been obviated by the insertion,\nwhere necessary, of letters left out in contracted words, and these\ninsertions are printed in italics to distinguish them from the original.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n    \u00b6 Here begynneth thystorye of y\u1d49 vii. Wyse Maysters\n    of rome conteynynge ryghe (_sic_) fayre [et] ryght\n    ioyous narrac\u014dns, [et] to y\u1d49 reder ryght delectable.\n\n\nSomtyme in y\u1d49 Cyte of Rome was an Emperour named Poncianus a man of\ngrete wysdome. He toke to his wyfe a kynges doughter that fayre [et]\ngoodly was, and to all people gracyous [et] to her husbonde ryght dere,\nand c\u014dceyued of hym and bare hym a sone named Dyoclesian. The chylde\ngrewe [et] of all people was beloued. And whan he was of the aege of\nseuen yeres, his moder thempresse fyll sore seke / felynge herselfe\nthat she myghte not lyue: sent after her lorde themperour a messenger\nthat he sholde come without taryenge yf euer he wolde see her on lyue.\nAnd whan he was comen she sayd vnto hym, O my lorde of this \u012bfyrmyte\nmay I not escape. Wherfore I humbly requyre you of a lytell petycyon\nbefore my deth. He answered, Desyre what ye wyll, for I shall nothynge\ndenye you. Then sayd she, After my deth ye shall take an other wyfe\nas it behoueth. I aske [et] pray you y\u1d57 she upon my son\u0304 haue no\ngouerna\u016bor power, but y\u1d57 he be kepte and nourysshed fer from her, [et]\ny\u1d57 he may gete to hym connynge and wysdome. The Emperour sayd, My\nmoste dere wyfe, your petycyon in all thynges shall be fulfylled [et]\nperfourmed. This sayd she torned her towardes the wall and yaue vp the\ngoost [et] dyed. Many day\u00e9s after y\u1d49 Emperour bew\u00e1yled [et] morned her\ndeth, [et] longe tyme after her buryenge he shewed his heuynes [et]\nsorowe, [et] wold \u012b no wyse mary or be ioyful.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nHow the Emperoure to the seuen wyse maysters commytted and delyuered\nhis sone to lerne.\n\n\nUpon a tyme as the emperour laye in his bed he bethought hym inwardly\nvpon his sone, sayenge in his herte, I haue only but one sone y\u1d49 whiche\nshall be myn heyre. It is good whyles he is yonge that he be sette to\nlerne connynge and wysdome by the whyche he maye after my dethe gouerne\n[et] rule the empyre. Erly whan he was rysen vp from his bedde, he\nlete to be called afore hym his lordes of his counseyll and of them\ntoke aduyse what best therin was to done. And they answerd, Lorde, in\nRome are vii wyse maysters they excelle and excede all other men in\ncunnynge [et] lettrature, lete them be sent for and delyuer to them\nyour sone to nourysshe [et] to lerne. That vnderstandynge the emperour\nsent his letters sealed with his seale to y\u1d49 vii. maysters that they\nincontinent sholde come to hym without delay. And they anone came\nbefore themperour. and he dema\u016b yf they knewe wherfore y\u1d57 he had sente\nfor them. They answered the cause ne your wyll we knowe not / but yf\nplease you to shewe vs your mynde [et] entent we ben redy to fulfyll\nit to the vttermoste of our powers. To whome y\u1d49 noble Emperour sayde,\nI haue but one sone the which I shal delyuer vnto you to nourysshe and\nto teche. so that by your doctryne [et] wysdome he maye the more wysly\nguyde and gouerne y\u1d49 empyre after my decesse.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\u00b6 The fyrste mayster named Pantyllas sayde, Lorde delyuer too me your\nsone [et] I shall teche hym as moche conn\u0233ge w\u1d57in vii. yere as I and\nall my felowes can. Then spake the seconde mayster that named was\nLentulus, Syr of longe tyme I haue serued you, [et] hytherto I haue had\nno maner reward. I demaunde nothyng elles of you but that ye delyuer me\nyour sone to lerne and gouerne. and I shall make hym as connynge within\nvi. yere as I [et] all my felowes be. The thyrde mayster sayd that\nhad to name Craton, My lorde many tymes haue I ben with you vpon the\nse in peryll of my lyfe / [et] of you haue I had no maner of rewarde,\nyf that I myghte for my rewarde obteyne that ye wolde wouchesauf to\ncommytte your sone vnder my rule [et] gouernaunce, I sholde enfourme\nhym as moche within v. yere. yf his wit therto wyll attayne as I\nand my felowes can. Tho stode vp the fourth mayster that to name\nhad Malquydrac ryght lene of body [et] sayd, My lorde calle to your\nremembraunce how that I and al my predecessours haue serued emperours\n[et] haue receyued no maner of rewarde. Wherfore I shal aske none other\nth\u0233ge but y\u1d57 ye wyll delyuer me your sone to enfourme [et] teche / [et]\nI shall make hym to take asmoche scyence [et] wysdome within foure\nyere as I and al my felowes haue lerned in all our lyues. Than spake\ny\u1d49 fyfth mayster y\u1d57 was called Joseph, lorde I am old [et] many tyms\nI am called to your co\u016bseyl / [et] y\u1d57 my co\u016bseyll ye knowe well hath\nauayled [et] p_er_fyted you [et] yet I folowe y\u1d49 same. But I desyre no\nmore saue to delyuer me your sone [et] I shal enstructe [et] enfourme\nh\u0233 in as moche conynge [et] scyence that he w\u1d57in iii yere shal profyte\n[et] wyte as moche as I [et] alle my felowes. tho came forth the syxte\nmayster that was named Cleophas whiche sayd lyke the other p_ro_mysynge\nto lerne [et] enfourme y\u1d49 chylde in alle theyr connynges w\u1d57n two yere.\nThe seuenth muyster (_sic_) rose vp [et] sayd, which also desyred the\nchylde [et] promysed for to lerne hym w\u1d57in one yere n\u0304 scyences and\nwysdome of them all. As all this was done. Than the Emperour sayde\nmy trusty frendes I am moche bounden to thanke you all, and euery of\nyou, for that eueryche of you haue so effectuelly desyred my sone to\nnouryssh [et] lerne. If I sholde now commytte hym to one and not to an\nother / therof sholde come y\u1d49 descencyon [et] varyaunce amonges you.\nTherfore to you al [et] euery of you I commyt my sone to nourysshe\nand to teche. The maysters heryng this w\u1d57. grete thank\u0233ges gyuynge\nto the Emperoure toke [et] receyued his sone, and ladde hym towardes\nthe courte of Rome. \u00b6 Upon the waye spake Craton to his felowes, If\nwe this chylde sholde lerne within the Cyte of Rome there is so grete\nresorte [et] concourse of people that it sholde hynder [et] lette hym\nin his lernynge [et] fantasyenge. I wote a fayre place withoute rome\nthre myle ryght pleasaunte [et] delectable: there lete vs do make a.\niiii square cha_m_ber of stone [et] put h\u0233 therin [et] vp\u014d y\u1d49 walles\nof y\u1d49 syde lete vs pa\u0233te [et] wryte y\u1d49 .vii. artes lyberales, so y\u1d57 y\u1d49\nchylde al times may se [et] beholde therin his doctrine as wel as in\nhis boke [et] th_i_s aduyse [et] counseyll pleased theym all. and was\ndone accordynge in euery poynte. The maysters dylygently euery daye\ndurynge .vii. yere taught [et] lettred the chylde. whiche maysters\ndetermyned amonge themselfe and sayde / It is good y\u1d57 we examen our\ndyscyple how he is spedde in connynge [et] scyence. They al accorded to\nthe same. Tho sayd mayster Pancyllas / howe shall we proue hym. Craton\nsayde, Lete euery of vs as he slepeth put vnder euery corner of his bed\nan olyue leue, and than we shall knowe yf he perceyued or felte ony\nthynge or not, this done he wakynge gretely marueyllynge lyftynge vp\nhis eyen towarde y\u1d49 rofe of the chamber feruently. The maysters seynge\ny\u1d57 sayd. Wherfore lyft ye vp your eyen so sharply. He answered it is\nno merueyll, for in my slepe I saw the vppermost parte of the chamber\ninclyned towarde the erthe, or vnder me it was lyfte vp. This hery_n_ge\ny\u1d49 maysters sayd amonge themselfe, Yf this childe may lyue he shal be a\nman of grete conn\u0233ge [et] fame.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nHow the Emperour by the co\u016bseyll of y\u1d49 grete pry_n_ces [et] lordes of\nhis Empyre wedded an other wyfe.\n\n\nThe prynces and grete lordes of the Empyre in the meane tyme came to\nthe Emperour [et] sayd, My lorde ye haue only but one sone, it is\npossyble y\u1d57 he myght happen to dye. And therfore it were profytable\nthat ye sholde wedde an other wyfe to engendre and make mo chyldren to\nthentente that the Empyre of Rome be not lefte without heyre. Also ye\nare so myghty that yf it sholde happen you to gete many chyldren ye\nmay promote [et] auaunce them all to grete dygnytees and lordshyppes.\nTherupon answerde themperour, It is your counseyll that I shall take\nan other wyfe, than seke me one y\u1d57 is gracyous / pure vyrgyne fayre\nand gentyll borne, [et] than shall I folowe your counseyll and aduyse.\nThey went [et] sought and serched many kyngdomes and londes [et] at the\nlaste they founde the kynges doughter of Castyle that ryght fayre was\n[et] beateuouse, [et] her they gaue the Emperour to wyf. She behad her\nso well that anone in her loue he was taken so sore that he forgate and\nput in oblyuyon all the heuynesse [et] sorowe of his herte that he had\ntaken for y\u1d49 deth of his fyrste wyfe. And they lyued longe togyder\nw\u1d57out chyldren. And as Thempresse sawe y\u1d57 she myght not c\u00f5ceyue for she\nherde y\u1d57 themperour had a sone w\u1d57 seuen wyse maysters to lerne [et]\nnourysshe to y\u1d49 behouffe [and] p[ro]fyte of Thempyre, she thought in\nherself [et] wysshed his deth. And from y\u1d57 houre forth she ymagyned how\nshe myght conspyre his deth. It hapned on a nyght as y\u1d49 Emperour lay in\nhis bed, he sayd to thempresse, My [most dear and best beloved wife, I\nshall now open to you the secrets of my heart, for under the sun there\nis no creature that I love so well as you and therefore trust in my\nlove.\n\n[Then said the fair Empress: if it be so as you say, I require of you,\na little boon or petition. Desire what you will, said the Emperor and\nall that to me is possible, I shall fulfil, and give it to you. Then\nsaid the Empress, my dear Lord, you know I have no child yet by you\nconceived for which I am sore pensive and heave; but Fame that never\nconceals it self long to true joy, hath delivered this happy truth\nto me; that ye have one Son only the which is sent to the seven Wise\nMasters to be taught and governed, and him I hold and require for my\nown son: wherefore I beseech ye send for him that I may see him and\nhave consolation of his presence, as though he were mine own. Hereupon\nanswered the Emperor it is sixteen years past since I saw him, your\nwill shall be fulfilled. Incontinent the Emperor sent unto the seven\nwise Masters a Letter sealed with his secret Sign, that upon pain of\ndeath they should bring his son in the feast of Penticost following.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n    [How the seven Wise Masters after the sight of the\n    Emperor's letter would first observe the course and\n    divine for shewing of the Firmament, and Planets,\n    whether it were good to obey his commandment or not.\n\n\n[And when the Masters by the letter had understood the Emperors will\nin the night they went and beheld the stars in the Firmament, whether\nit would be expedient to bring the child to the Emperor or not? and\nthey saw clearly in the stars, that if they should lead the child in\nthat time assigned, at the first word he should speak he should die\nan evil death: wherefore they were all very sorry; and as they beheld\nanother star, they saw, that if they delivered not the child at the day\naforesaid, they should lose their heads. Then said one of them of two\nevils the least is to be chosen: it is better that all we die, than\nthat the child should lose his life: therefore that we may save the\nchilds life let us go to the Emperor. And as they were thus sorrowful,\nthe child came down from his chamber, and seeing his Masters so heavy,\nhe demanded the cause of their heaviness: whereunto they answered: Sir,\nwe have received your Fathers Letters that upon pain of death, now this\nhigh feast of Penticost we shall lead you to your countrey, whereupon\nwe have beholden the firmament, wherein we clearly find, that if we\n(within the time prefixed) present you to your father, at the first\nword that ye shall pronounce out of your mouth ye shall be to the most\nvilest death condemned. Then said the child, I must also behold the\nFirmament with the stars: and so he did; and found clear in a little\nstar, that if he could abstain from speaking seven dayes, he should\nbe preserved and save his life. And after he had seen this, he call'd\nhis Masters and shewed them the star, and said Behold my dear Masters,\nI see perfectly in the star, that if I abstain myself seven daies, I\nshall save my life. Ye are now seven Masters, the wisest of all the\nworld, it is an easie thing for you, every of you for me one day to\nanswer and with your wise answer every of you his day, my life may\nsave and keep; and in the eighth day I shall speak my self, and save\nmy life and all you from peril. As the Masters did behold that certain\nstar, they thought with themselves that the child had said truth,\nsaying, Almighty God be thanked, that the wisdom and cunning of our\nDisciple exceedeth us all. Then said the first master Pantillus, Lord,\nI shall speak for you the first day, and save your life. And Lentulus,\nthe second master said I shall for you the second day answer; and so\nconsequently every of them promised to answer for himself his day; and\nthis said, they cloathed the child in purple, leaped on horseback with\na fair company and hasted with the child to the Emperor.\n\n\n\n\n[How the Emperor rode to meet his son coming from study with Joy,\nSolemnity and Triumph.]\n\n\nWhan themperour perceyued y\u1d57 his sone was comynge upon y\u1d49 waye, he rode\nwith grete joye to mete hym. The maysters vnderstandyng the comynge of\nthemperour sayd to the chylde, It is best that we departe, [et] in the\nmeane whyle we maye p_ro_uyde how we may saue your lyfe. The chylde\nsayd it pleaseth me well that ye so doo, but haue mynde of me in tyme\nof my necessyte. As they that herde, they toke theyr leue and departed\ntowardes y\u1d49 Cyte. The chylde came after accompanyed ryght honourably.\nAnd as he and his fader themperour were mette, for joye [et] gladnesse\nhe toke hym about the necke [et] kyssed hym and sayd, My dere sone how\nis it with you / is it (_sic_) longe sythen that I sawe you. He bowed\ndowne his hede and answerd no thynge. The fader had grete wonder why\nthat he spake not and thought in himselfe that his maysters had hym so\nenformed that he rydynge sholde not speke. And whan they were comen to\nthe palays and were descended from theyr horses, The fader toke his\nsone by the honde [et] lad hym in to the hall and set hym next hym\n[et] behelde him and sayde, Say me how it is with your maysters, [et]\nhow they haue enformed you, for now it is many yeres syth I saw you.\nHe enclyned downe his hede [et] gaue none answere. The fader sayd,\nwherfore speke ye not to me. And whan thempresse herde that themperours\nsone was comen she was ryght joyous and glad, [et] sayd I wyl goo to\nse hym. She apparaylled her with ryche vesture [et] atyre, [et] toke\nwith her two of her gentylwymen [et] went there as y\u1d49 emperour was\nsytt\u0233ge w\u1d57 his sone she sette her downe by y\u1d49 chylde. [et] she sayd to\nthemperour is this your sone y\u1d57 hath ben nourysshed w\u1d57 y\u1d49 seuen wyse\nmaysters. [et] he sayd / it is my sone / but he speketh not. She sayd,\nDelyuer to me your sone, [et] if euer he spake I shall do hym speke.\nTho sayd themperour ryse [et] go w\u1d57 her. The sone dyde reuere_n_ce to\ny\u1d49 fader, as thoughe he sayd I am redy too acc\u014dplysshe your wyll, [et]\nwent w\u1d57 her.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n    Howe thempresse ladde Dioclesyan themperours sone\n    with her in her chamber for to make good chere w\u1d57\n    hym the whiche he withstode.\n\n\nThempresse lad hym w\u1d57 her in to her chamber [et] commaunded all other\nto auoyde [et] set hym by her afore her bedde, [et] sayd, O my best\nbeloued dyoclesyan, I haue moche of your persone [et] beaute herde,\nbut now I am glad y\u1d57 I may se you w\u1d57 myn eyen that my herte coueyteth\n[et] loueth, for I haue caused your fader to sende for you / that I\nhaue solace [et] joy of your persone. Wherfore I w\u1d57out faute gyue you\nknowledge that I for your loue vnto this daye haue kepte my vyrgynyte.\nSpeke to me [et] lete vs goo bed togyder. But he gaue her no worde to\nanswer. She seynge that sayd to hym, O good dyoclesyan haue the half\nof my soule wherfore speke ye not to me / or at y\u1d49 leest shewe me some\ntoken of loue / what shall I do, speke to me. I am redy to fulfyll and\nperfourme your wyll. [et] whan she had thus sayd she embraced hy_m_\n[et] wold haue kyssed hys mouth [et] he torned his vysage from her,\n[et] in no wyse wolde c\u014dsent. Tho sayd she ayen to hy_m_, O sone\nwherfore do ye thus w\u1d57 me: beholde there is none y\u1d57 may se vs lete vs\ntogyder slepe / [et] than shall ye well p_er_ceyue y\u1d57 for your loue I\nhaue kept my vyrgynyte, and he torned his vysage frome her. She seynge\ny\u1d57 he was of her ashamed shewed vnto hym her naked body and brestes and\nsayde, beholde my sone what body I haue att your wylle, gyue me youre\nconsent or elles it shall be herde for me to passe with my ryght m\u0233de.\nHe neyther w\u1d57 sygne ne w\u1d57 countena\u016bce of vysage shewed her ony maner\nof loue, but as much as he coude w_ith_drewe hy_m_ from her, wh\u0101 she\nsawe y\u1d57 she sayd, O my moste swete sone yf it please you not to c\u014dsent\nto me ne yet speke, haply for some resonable cause, Lo here is paper\npen [et] ynke yf ye wyl not speke w\u1d57 your mouth than wryte your wyl y\u1d57\nI ony tyme herafter may trust in your loue or not. The chylde wrote as\nhereafter folowed, O lady god forbede y\u1d57 I sholde defoule my faders\norcheyerde, yf I shulde defoul it: I wote not what fruyte I shold haue\nof it. I knowe wel one th\u0233ge y\u1d57 I sholde syn\u0304 in y\u1d49 syghte of god\n[et] I sholde ren in y\u1d49 maledictyon of my fader, [et] therfore from\nhensforth prouoke or styre me no more therto / Whan she had y\u1d57 cedule\nseen [et] red she brake it w\u1d57 her teth: [et] tare or rent her clothes\nw\u1d57 her nayles to her nauyll. [et] her vysage al to scratched, it was al\nblody, [et] cast from her al y\u1d49 ornam\u0113tes of her hede [et] cryed w\u1d57 a\nloude voyce: come hither my lords [et] help me afore y\u1d57 ths rude [et]\neuyll body shame [et] rauyssh me.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nHowe Thempresse complayned to themperour of the shame to her done by\nhis sone.\n\n\nThe Emperour was in his halle and herde the crye [et] noyse of\nthempresse. he hastely ranne towardes his chambre [et] his knyghtes and\nother of his seruauntes folowed hym after for to see what there was to\n[be] done. Tho beganne thempresse to crye and to speke to themperour\nthus, O my lorde haue pyte and compassyon vpon me, beholde this yonge\nman is not your sone, but y\u1d49 foulest rybaude [et] harlot y\u1d57 euer was\nborne, [et] a defouler of wymmen, for as ye knowe wel I lad and brought\nhym with me in to my chamber, [et] sholde haue exhorted and caused\nhym to haue spok\u0113. I haue done asmoche therto as I can or may. [et]\nwhyles I with my wordes exhorted and meued hym for to haue spoken, he\nhath endeuoyred hymself with me to haue synned. [et] by cause I wolde\nnot to hym cons\u0113te, but withstode as moche as I myght for to flee the\nshame, he my vysage had made all blody, [et] my vesture and ornamentes\nof my heed broken [et] all to torne, as ye may openly se: And yf ye had\nnot so sone comen vnto my callynge / he had accomplysshed in me his\nmooste foule and worste wyll. whan themperoure this sawe and herd,\nfulfylled w\u1d57 grete malyce [et] woodnesse / commaunded his seruauntes\nthat they sholde lede hym to the galowes [et] hange hym. And after his\nlordes herde that sayde / Lorde ye haue no moo but this sone only. It\nis not good y\u1d57 ye thus lyghtely putt hym to deth / the lawe is put and\nordeyned for transgressours [et] mysdoers, and yf it be so that he must\nedeye, lete hym by y\u1d49 lawe dye leest that it be sayd y\u1d57 themperour\nin his grete furour and Ire without lawe and Justyce he hath put his\nonly sone to dethe. As themperour this herde commaunded him to be put\nin pryson vnto the tyme that iugement were gyuen ayenst hym. And whan\nthempresse vnderstode that the chylde was not put to dethe / she cryed\n[et] weped bytterly [et] wold haue no reste. whan the nyght was comen\nthe Emperour entred in to his chamber to go to bed. and founde his wyfe\nwepynge [et] sorowyng. To whome he sayde, O my mooste dere lady / for\nwhat cause are ye thus sorowfull. She answered, Knowe ye not how y\u1d57\nyour cursed sone hath me thus moche shame done [et] offended / and ye\nhaue commaunded hym too be hanged and yet he lyued / [et] your worde is\nnot performed ne my shame is not wroken. Tomorowe sayde themperour he\nshall dye by y\u1d49 lawe. Then sayd she, shalle he so longe lyue. Then\u0304e\nmyght it happen to you as it dyd vpon a burgeys of Rome of whome an\nexample is sayd. The Emperoure sayd, I praye you shewe me that example.\nThat shall I doo gladly sayd the Empresse.\n\n\n\n\n_The Fyrst Example of the Empresse._\n\n\n[In the city of Rome was a Burgess which had a fair Garden, wherein\nhe had a noble Tree, the which every year brought forth fruit of good\nvertue for whosoever eat thereof that were sick of any manner of\nsickness or leprosie he should soon be whole and receive his sight. It\nhappened on a day, as the Burgess went into his garden to visit the\nTree, he espied under the Tree a fair young Imp, and called to him the\nGardiner and said: my friend, of this young Imp I give thee charge\nfor I trust of that to plant a better Tree than this is. The Gardiner\nsaid: I shall it gladly do. Another time the Burgess came again into\nhis garden to visit the young Plant, and it appeared unto him that it\ngrew not so much as it should do, and he said to the Gardiner: how may\nthis be and he said, it is no wonder, for this great Tree hath so great\narms and branches, that the air may not come to the root of the young\ntree, then said the Burgess, cut and hew off the arms and the boughs,\nthat the air may come thereto. The Gardiner did as he commanded. The\nBurgess came again another time to see the young plant, and thought\nthat it grew never the better and said to the Gardiner, what is it that\nletteth this plant not to grow now: and he said, I suppose the height\nof the Old Tree letteth the Sun, that the rain may not come thereto,\nand therefore it cannot grow. Then said the Master unto him, hew down\nthat tree to the ground, for I hope of this Plant to have a better than\never] this was. The gardyner heryng his mayster obeyed hym, [et] hewe\ndowne the tree. And as this was done y\u1d57 yonge plant all holy perysshed\nand came to nought. wherof came grete harme, for whan y\u1d49 poore [et] the\nseke people perceyued y\u1d57 the tree was so destroyed they cursed all them\nthat were of counseyll [et] helpers therto / by the whiche they all\nafore tyme were heled [et] cured of theyr infyrmytees [et] maladyes.\nThen sayd the Empresse vnderstande ye what I haue sayd. Yes ryghte\nwell. Than sayd she, I shall declare to you what I haue sayde.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n_The Declaratyon of the Example._\n\n\nThis tree mylorde betokeneth your moste noble persone / that with your\ncounseyll and helpe many pore [et] seke folke are gretly holpen [et]\nconforted. And the yonge ympe that vnder the grete tre is vp growen\nis your cursed sone that now by his cunnynge beg\u0233nith to growe and\nstudyeth how he fyrste may the armes and bowes of your myght cutte of /\nand to wynne too hym the londe [et] praysynge of the people, and ouer\ny\u1d57 he ymagyneth to destroy your person that he may h\u0233selfe reygne. But\nwhat shall fall than therof come, all poore and feble people shall\ncurse all them the whiche myght haue destroyed your sone [et] haue\nnot done it / I counseyll you whyles ye are in your power [et] helth\ny\u1d57 ye destroye hym leste y\u1d57 the curse of the people fall vpon you.\nTho sayde the Emperour, ye haue gyuen me good counseyll. Tomorowe I\nshall condempne hym to the moost vylest deth that can be thought.\nWhan y\u1d49 daye was come / y\u1d49 Emperour went [et] sate in Jugem\u0113te, [et]\ncommaunded his seruauntes y\u1d57 they sholde lede his sone to be hanged w\u1d57\ntrompettes blowynge in to kenynge of deth. And as themperours sone was\nlad throughe the Cyte, the comen people began too wepe [et] crye alas\ny\u1d49 onely sone of themperour is lad towardes his deth / [et] therwithal\ncame Pancyllas rydyng vpon a hors y\u1d49 fyrste mayster. Whan the chylde\nsawe hym / he bowed his hede to hym, as though he had sayde, Haue\nmynde vpon me whan ye come afore my fader, se how I am lad towardes\nthe galowes. Than y\u1d49 mayster sayd to the seruauntes / make no haste,\nfor I hope by the grace of god this day to delyuer hym fr\u014d the deth.\nThen sayde all the people, O good mayster haste you to y\u1d49 palays and\nsaue your dyscyple. he smote his hors with y\u1d49 spores tyll he came to\nthe palays [et] kneled before the Emperour [et] dyde hym reuerence / To\nwhome themperour sayd, It shall neuer be to the good, which answerd I\nhaue deserued a better rewarde. The Emperour sayd there lyest y\u1d58, for I\ndelyuered to the [et] thy felowes my sone well spekynge / [et] in alle\nthyng well manered, [et] now he is dompe / [et] that wors is, he wolde\nhaue oppressed my wyf, therfore this day he shall dye, [et] ye all\nshall dye a shameful dethe. The mayster sayd, O lord as for your sone\ny\u1d57 ye saye that he speketh not, y\u1d57 knoweth god, [et] without a cause\nit is not as ye shall vnderstande. And that ye saye more y\u1d57 he your\nEmpresse wolde haue befowled. I shall saye you of a trouth, he hath ben\nin our company by y\u1d49 space of xvi yeres [et] we neuer coude perceyue\nsuche thinges by hym. And therfore my dere lorde I shall shew you one\nthynge that yf ye put your sone to deth for y\u1d49 wordes of your wyfe, it\nsholde happen too you wors than to a knyght the whiche that kylled his\nbest grey hounde thrugh the wordes of his wyfe whiche saued his sone\nfrom y\u1d49 deth. Tho sayd themperour to y\u1d49 mayster tell me y\u1d57 example. The\nMayster sayd, Lorde that shall I not do / for afore or I coude make an\nende therof your sone myght be dede [et] thenne in vayne [et] without\nfruyte I sholde reherce it, but yf it please you this notable example\nto here / call ayen her sone tyll to morowe [et] as ye thynke by reason\nthen do with hym youre pleasure. As themperour that herde anone he lete\nthe chylde too be called ayen [et] in the meane tyme he sette hym in\npryson whyles the mayster sholde fynisshe his tale. And then he beganne\nto saye in suche maner as folowith.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n_The Example of the Fyrste Mayster._\n\n\nThere was a valyaunt knyght whiche had oonly one soone as ye haue.\nThe whiche he loued so moche that he ordeyned for his kepynge thre\nnourysshes, the fyrste sholde gyue hym souke [et] fede hym, y\u1d49 seconde\nsholde wasshe hym [et] kepe hym clene, y\u1d49 thirde sholde brynge hym to\nslepe [et] to reste. This knyghte had also a greyhounde [et] a fawcon\ny\u1d57 he also loued ryghte well. The greyhounde was so good y\u1d57 he neuer\nran too noo game but he toke it [et] helde it tyl his mayster came. And\nyf his mayster dysposed hym to go to batayle, yf he sholde not spede\nin y\u1d49 batayll / anone as he sholde mounte vpon his horse y\u1d49 greyhounde\nwold take the horse tayll in his mouth [et] drawe backwarde / [et]\nwolde also cry [et] howle meruaylously loude. By thise sygnes the\nknyght vnderstode yf that he sholde spede in his iourneye or not. The\nfaucon was so gentyll and so hardy that he was neuer caste of to his\npraye but he toke it. This same knyght had grete plesure in iustynge\n[et] turneynge, so y\u1d57 vpon a tyme vnder his castell he lete proclame\na tornement to the whiche came many good lordes and knyghtes. The\nknyght entred in to y\u1d49 tourney, [et] his lady went with her maydens to\nse it. And as they went out after went the nourysshes [et] lefte the\nchylde lyenge alone in the cradell in the halle where the greyhounde\nlaye nygh the wall, and y\u1d49 hauke or faucon standynge vpon a perke. In\nthis halle there was a serpente lurkynge or hydde in a hole. to all\nthem of the castell vnknowen. The whiche wh\u0101 felte that they were all\nabsent he put out his hede of his hole. [et] as he noman sawe but the\nchylde lyenge in y\u1d49 cradell, he went out of his cauerne towardes y\u1d49\ncradell for the chylde to haue slayne. The noble faucon seynge that,\nbehelde y\u1d49 grehounde that was slep\u0233ge/ she made suche a noyse [et]\nrustelynge with her winges or feders y\u1d57 the greyhounde awoke and rose\nvp. and whan he sawe the serpente nyghe the chylde anone ayenst hym he\nlepte / [et] they bothe faught so long togyder tyll y\u1d57 the serpente\nhadde greuously hurted and wounded the greyhounde that he bled sore.\nsoo y\u1d57 the erthe about the cradell was al be bled with the blode of the\ngreyhounde. The greyhounde whan that he felte hymselfe so greuously\nhurted and wounded, sterte fyersly vpon the serpente, and faught sore\ntogyder and so egerly, so that betwyne theym the cradell was ouer caste\nw\u1d57 the chylde the botome vpwarde. And by (_sic_) bycause y\u1d57 the cradell\nhad foure pomelles or fete they saued the chyldes vysage [et] his lyfe\nfrome ony hurt\u0233ge fallynge towardes the erthe. [et] what shall I say\nmore. Incontynent therafter with grete payne the greyhounde ouercame\n[et] slewe the serpente / [et] went [et] layd hym downe ayen in his\nplace [et] lycked his woundes / and anone after as y\u1d49 iustes [et]\ntorneye was done, the nourysshes were the fyrste that came in to y\u1d49\ncastell / [et] as they sawe the cradell reuersed with bloode vppon\nthe erthe enuyronned, and that the greyhounde was also blody, they\nthought and sayde amonges themselfe that the greyhounde hadde slayne\nthe chylde, and they were not soo wyse as too tourne vppe ayen the\ncradell with the chylde for too haue seene what was therof befallen.\nBut they sayd / lete vs fle or ren away leest that oure mayster put or\nlaye the blame vpon vs and slee vs. And as they were thus away rennynge\n/ they met w\u1d57 the knyghtes wyfe, and she sayd to them Wherfore make ye\nthis sorowe [et] whether wyl ye ren, [et] they sayde, O lady woo and\nsorowe be to vs and to you; why what is there happened, shewe me. The\ngrehounde they sayd that our lorde [et] mayster loueth soo moche hath\ndeuoured and slayne your sone / [et] lyeth by the wall all full of the\nbloode. As y\u1d49 lady this herde she fell to the erthe and began to wepe\nand crye pyteously: [et] sayd alas, O my dere sone be ye thus slayne\n[et] dede, what shall I nowe make that I haue my onely sone thus loste.\nHerwithall came in the knyght frome the torneye, [et] beholdyng his\nlady thus cryenge [et] makyng sorowe. he dema\u016bded her wherfore that\nshe made so grete sorowe and lamentacyon. She answered hym, O my lorde\nyoure greyhounde that ye loue soo moche hath slayne your onely sone,\n[et] lyeth by the wal sacyate with bloode of the chylde. The knyght\nhugely angred went in to the hall, [et] the greyhounde went to hym to\nmete and to fawne as he was wonte to doo. And the knyght drewe out his\nswerde [et] with one stroke smote of the houndes heede, and went to ye\ncradell and founde his sone al hole, and by the cradell the serpente\nslayne. And by dyuers sygnes perceyued that the hounde hadde foughten\nayenst the serpent for the saluacyon of y\u1d49 chylde. Then with grete\nsorowe [et] wepyng he tare his here and sayd woo be to me that for\nthe wordes of my wyfe I haue slayne my good greyhounde y\u1d49 whiche hath\nsaued my chyldes lyfe [et] hath slayne the serpente. Herfore I wyll\nput my selfe to penaunce [et] brake his swerde in thre peces, and went\ntowardes y\u1d49 holy londe, [et] abode there all the dayes of h_i_s lyfe.\nThen sayd y\u1d49 mayster to themperour, Lorde vnderstande ye what I haue\nsayd. And he answerd and sayde ryght well. The mayster sayd: Yf y\u1d57 ye\ndo youre sone to dethe for y\u1d49 wordes of your wyfe, it shall come to you\nwors than it dyde too the knyght for his greyhounde. The Emperour sayde\nye haue shewed me a fayre example, [et] w\u1d57out doute this daye shall not\nmy sone dye. Tho sayd the mayster yf ye do so ye do wysly, but I thanke\nyou that ye haue hym spared this daye for my sake:\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n_The Seconde Complaynte of the Empresse._\n\n\nWhan y\u1d57 thempresse herde y\u1d57 the chylde was not yet deede, she began\nto wepe bytterly [et] sate her downe vpon the erthe in ye asshes [et]\nwolde not holde vppe her heed. As themperour that herde he entred in\nto y\u1d49 ch\u0101ber [et] sayd to her, O good wyfe wherfore make ye all this\nsorowe [et] trouble your selfe so moche. She sayd demaunde ye me that\nknowe ye not well what grete despyte [et] shame y\u1d57 I haue suffred of\nyour vnhappy sone, [et] haue p_ro_mysed me y\u1d57 ye shold se iustyse ouer\nh\u0233 done [et] yet he lyueth, of trouth it shall hapne too you as it\nhappened vpon a shepeherde and a boore. The emperour sayd, I praye you\nshewe me that ex\u0101ple for my lernynge. and she sayd yesterday I shewed\none: and I sawe none effecte that therof came, too what entente sholde\nI now shewe. Neuertheles I shal this notable example telle [et] declare\nvnto you / in this maner hereafter folowynge.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n_The Seconde Example of the Empresse._\n\n\nThere was somtyme an Emperour the whiche had a grete foreste / wherin\nwas a bore y\u1d57 was so cruell [et] so fell that all men goynge through\nthe forest he kylled and deuoured. The emperour was therof ryght heuy,\nand lete to proclame thrugh all his empyre, that who soeuer he was\nthat coude sle the bore sholde haue his oonly doughter too wyfe, [et]\ntherto his Empyre after his deth. [et] as this in all places proclamed\nwas there was not one man founde y\u1d57 durste medle or intromytte. Than\nwas there a shepeherde whyche in hymself thought, myght I this bore\nsle [et] wyn\u0304 sholde not only auaunce my self, but also al my\ngeneratyon [et] kynred. he toke his shepeherdes staf in his honde, and\nwent in to the forest. And as the boore had of hym a syght, he drew\nhym towardes the herdman, and he for fere clymmed vpon a tree. Than\nthe bore began to byte and gnawe the tree / so that the herde thought\nshortely that he sholde haue ouer throwe it. This tre was laden w\u1d57\ngrete plente of fruyte. The herde gadred and plucked therof and cast\nthem to y\u1d49 boore. In so moche that whan he had fylled hym therwith he\nput and layde hym downe to slepe. The whiche perceyuynge the herde by\nlytell [et] lytell he descended [et] with the one hande he clawed the\nbore, [et] with y\u1d49 other he helde hymselfe on the tre / [et] seynge y\u1d57\nthe boore slepte soundly [et] faste, drewe out his knyfe and smote y\u1d49\nbore to y\u1d49 herte [et] kylled h\u0233. [et] wedded th\u0113perours dought\u02b3 to hys\nwyf: [et] aft\u02b3 y\u1d49 deth of her fad\u02b3he was made emperour. tho sayd she\nmy lorde wote ye not what I haue sayd. He sayd ryght well. Then sayd\nshe, this myghty bore betokeneth your mooste noble persone / ayenst\nwhome maye no man withstande neyther by wysdom ne with strength. This\nshepherde with hys staffe is the persone of your vngracyous sone, which\nw\u1d57 his staff of conn\u0233ge begynneth to play w\u1d57 you as y\u1d49 herdman clawed\nthe bore and made him to slepe [et] after kylled hym. In y\u1d49 same maner\ny\u1d49 maysters of your sone by theyr fals fables and narracyons clawe\n[et] glose vnto the tyme that your sone slee you, that he may regne.\nTho sayd themperour god forbede y\u1d57 they sholde doo too me as they dyde\nto y\u1d49 bore. [et] sayd vnto her this day my sone shall be hanged. And\nshe answered yf ye do so ye do wysely. Than themperour y\u1d49 seconde tyme\nsytt\u0233ge in iugement, c\u014dmaunded to lede hys [son] to y\u1d49 galowes [et]\nhange hym. And whyles he was go\u0233ge, the seconde mayster came before\nthemperour doynge hym reuerence as it is before shewed in y\u1d49 com\u0233ge\nof the fyrste mayster. To whom y\u1d49 seconde mayster sayd O my lorde\nthemperour yf ye sholde do sle your sone for the wordes of your wyfe,\nit myghte worst come to you than it dyde to a knyght which for the\nwordes of his wyfe was vniustly put in a pyller. Themperoure sayd, O\ngood mayster tell me how it hapned. And he sayde my lorde I shall not\nsaye it but yf y\u1d57 ye will doo call ayen your sone from y\u1d49 deth vnto the\ntyme y\u1d57 thexample be tolde, the whiche yf it tourne you not frome your\npurpose, your wyll be fulfylled. The emperour c\u014dma\u016bded y\u1d57 y\u1d49 chylde\nsholde be called ayen. And [after this manner following, the second\nmaster began to tell.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[_The Example of the Second Master._\n\n\n[In a City was an ancient Knight, which wedded a young wife and fair,\nas ye hath done, whom he loved above all earthly things; the knight\nwas a very circumspect and careful husband insomuch that every night\nhe locked the door with his own hands and laid the keys under his\nBeds-head. In that City was a law or custom, that at a certain hour\nin the night, a bell was used to be rung, that after the ringing of\nthe said bell, if any man or woman were by the watch-men found about\nthe streets, all that night they should be kept in prison, and on the\nmorrow set upon the Pillory, that all people might behold them.\n\n[The said Knight had little lust of fleshly deeds, for he was very\nold, and might not satiate or perform the desires and appetites of his\nyoung wife; wherefore every night she having a Paramour, her Husband\nsleeping, took the keys from under his Beds-head, and went to her love;\nand when she came again, laid the keys under her husband's head; and\nthus they played many a time.\n\n[It happened upon a night that the knight awaked from his sleep, and\nmissed his wife, and the keys and his Beds-head, whereupon he rose\nup and went unto the doors, and found them open, the which he bolted\nfast within, and went up again into his chamber, and looked out of\nthe window towards the street: and when it was near the third cocks\ncrow, his wife came from her best beloved, and found the door shut and\nbolted within: then was she] sorowfull. neuerthelesse she knocked to\nhaue come in. Tho spake the knyght out of the wyndowe. O y\u1d58 moste euyll\n[et] vnclene wyfe, now I knowe [et] am experte that many a tyme ye haue\nforsaken my bedde [et] gone and done auoutrye. now shall ye stande\ntyll the bel be rongen and y\u1d57 the wakers may take you and doo with you\naccording to the lawe. The wyfe answered, My lorde wherfore lay ye that\nto me. In trouth I shall saye you I was called by my moders mayden\n[et] fetched in the nyght, [et] whan I sawe that ye slepte so swetely\nI durste not awake you bycause that ye are olde, and therfore I toke\ny\u1d49 keyes [et] went to my moder the whyche is sore seke, that I fere\ntoo morowe she must bee anoynted or aneeled notwithstandyng for that I\nsholde not you offende or dysplease I haue hasted me aye_n_ to you [et]\nhaue lefte her lyenge in grete payne [et] infyrmyte. Therfore I pray\nyou for the loue of god lete me in afore the bel be rongen. The knyght\nanswered So shall ye not come in, ye muste there abyde vnto the tyme\nthat the bell be rongen, [et] tyll that y\u1d49 wakers come and take you.\nThe she sayde that sholde be to you [et] to me: to all our frendes\n[et] kynred a grete shame and rebuke. Therfore atte the reuerence of\nalmyghty god lete me come in. Than sayd he, Haue in thy m\u0233de euil and\nfalse wyfe how oftentymes ye haue forsaken my bedde and doone auoutrye.\nIt is moche better that ye suffer shame and beewayle for youre synnes\nhere in this worlde, thanne for too suffer payne in helle. She sayd\nayen to h\u0233 I praye you for the loue of h\u0233 y\u1d57 was crucyfyed [et] dyed\nvpon the crosse haue mercy vpon me. The knyght answered, ye laboure\nall in vayn\u0304 for ye shall not come in, but ye shall tary the comynge\nthe wakers. As she herde that, she sayde my lorde ye knowe well that\nby this dore standyth a well, yf ye lete me not come in I shall therin\ndrowne my selfe, rather thanne all my frendes sholde be shamed for\nme. Then\u0304e sayd he, wolde god y\u1d57 ye had be drowned long afore or ye\nin my bedde came. And as they thus spake togyder, y\u1d49 mone went down\n[et] was al derke. Tho sayde she, yf it wyll none otherwyse be I shal\ndrowne miselfe, but yet afore as a trewe crysten woman I wylle make my\ntestament. Fyrst I bequethe to god [et] to oure lady my soule, my body\ntoo be buryed in y\u1d49 chyrche of saynt Peter [et] of all other th\u0233ges\n[et] goodes y\u1d57 god hath sent me, I gyue vnto you to dyspose for my\nsoule after your wysdome [et] dyscrecyon, [et] whan she had thus sayd,\nshe went to the well, [et] a grete stone ther beynge w\u1d57 bothe her armes\nshe lyfte vp [et] sayd, Nowe I drowne myselfe, [et] caste y\u1d49 stone\ndowne in to the well [et] went ayen pryuely and stode by the dore. The\nknyghte herynge that noyse cryed w\u1d57 a lowde voyce saynge / alas alas\nmy wyfe is drowned, and hastely came downe and r\u0101ne to the well. And\nwhan she sawe that the dore was open, anone she entred and locked and\nmade faste y\u1d49 yate / [et] went vp to y\u1d49 chamber [et] laye [et] loked\nout of y\u1d49 wyndowe. The knyghte stode by y\u1d49 welle [et] cryed and wepte\nbytterly and sayd, woo be to me I haue now loste my moost beloued wyfe,\ncursed be the tyme that I made faste the dore ayenst her. The lady\nherde that [et] sayd, O ye cursed olde grysarde, why stade ye there\nthis tyme on y\u1d49 nyght, was not my body to you suffycyent, wherfore goo\nye thus euery nyghte, out to your harlottes [et] hores and leue my\nbed. As he herde the voyce of his wyfe he was ryght gladde and sayd\nBlessed be god that yet she is not drowned. But my good lady wherfore\nlaye ye suche thynges ayenst me. I thoughte to haue chastysed you, and\ntherfore I locked the dore. But in no wyse I entended your peryl / ye\nknowe well whatte sorowe I made for you whan I herde you to haue fallen\nin the well, [et] therfore I came lyghtly to haue holpen you. Therupon\nshe sayde, falsly ye lye. I neuer dyde suche thinges as ye laye to me.\nBut it appereth by a comyn prouerbe, he y\u1d57 is defectyfe or culpable\nhymself in a synne, he iugeth euery man to be in the same, or elles\ny\u1d57 fader soughte neuer his sone in y\u1d49 ouen: but yf he had ben therin\nh\u0233selfe. And therfore ye put that to me y\u1d57 ye yourselfe haue oftentymes\ndone [et] vsed but one thynge I promys you. ye shall abyde there tyll\ny\u1d49 wakers come, [et] that y\u1d49 bell be rongen that they may lede you\nbefore y\u1d49 iuges to abyde [et] suffer the law. Tho sayd the knyght,\nwherfore laye ye suche thynges too me / I am olde [et] all my lyfe\ndayes I haue ben conuersaunt in this cyte, [et] in this was I neuer\ndyffamed, [et] therfore lete me in that to me ne to your self ye do\nno shame. She sayd, ye speke in vayne, It is better that ye forthynke\nyour s\u0233nes in this worlde than in hell. Haue in mynde what the wyse\nman sayth. A poore man proude, A ryche man a lyer, An olde man a fole\ngod hatyth. So ye be a lyer and ryche. what nede was it too you for\ntoo lye vpon me. And ye are a fole, for ye had y\u1d49 floure of my youth\nat your pleasure, and yet ye muste renne to hoores [et] harlottes. And\ntherfore it is a grete grace of god that ye haue tyme and space too\nforthynke it, leste that ye sholde perysshe and be dampned for eurmore.\n[et] for y\u1d57 suffre your penaunce pacyently. Tho knyght sayd, O my best\nand well beloued lady all though it be so, yet is god mercyfull, and\nhe asketh noo thynge of a synner, but he amende his lyfe and forthynke\nand doo penaunce for his synnes. Nowe lete me come in and I wyll make\namendes, She sayde, Whiche deuyll hath made you so good a prechour,\nSo come ye not in. And as they thus spake the bell was rongen / y\u1d49\nknyght herynge that sayd, O my mooste dere lady the bell ryngeth now,\nsuffer me to come in that I be not ashamed for euer. whiche answered,\ny\u1d49 ryng\u0233ge of the bell pretendeth the helthe of youre soule take it\npacyently in your pena\u016bce. And as this was sayd come y\u1d49 wakers y\u1d57\naboute the cyte went [et] founde the knyght standynge in y\u1d49 strete [et]\nsayd to hy_m_, O good man it is not gode y\u1d57 ye in this houre of y\u1d49\nnyght stande here. And as she herde the voyce of y\u1d49 wakers / she sayd,\nGood felowes venge me on y\u1d57 olde cursed horehunter [et] rybaude, for ye\nknowe whose doughter and what I am. This cursed olde man is wont euery\nnyght to leue my bed, [et] gothe to his hoores [et] harlottes. I haue\nlonge forborne hym and wolde not shewe it ne complayne vpon hym too my\nfrendes, for I trusted that he wolde haue am\u0113ded his mysrule, [et] it\nhelpeth not. And therfore take hym [et] punysshe hym after the lawe, y\u1d57\nall suche olde dotardes may take example by hym. Then y\u1d49 wakers toke\nhym and all nyght chastysed hym in pryson. [et] on y\u1d49 morne they put\nhym on y\u1d49 pyllery. Tho sayd to the Emperoure, Lorde haue ye ynderstonde\nwhat I haue sayd [et] he sayd ryght well. Tho sayd y\u1d49 mayster, yf ye\nput to dethe your sone by y\u1d49 excytacyon of your wyfe, it shall to you\nworse come than it dyd to y\u1d49 knyght. The Emperour sayd she was the\nworste woman y\u1d57 euer I herde of that so falsely her husbande brought\nto shame [et] rebuke. I say to you mayster y\u1d57 for y\u1d49 reason of this\nexample, my sone shall this daye not dye. The mayster sayd to hym,\nyf ye do so than do ye wysely. And y\u1d57 herafter ye shall ioye, [et] I\ncommende you to god / [et] thanke you of your pacyent herynge / and of\nthe sparynge of your sone and so he departed.\n\n\n\n\n_The Thyrd Complaynte of the Empresse._\n\n\nWhan thempresse herde y\u1d57 the chylde was not dede she wepte bytterly\n[et] entred in to her preuy chamber / [et] tare her skyn w\u1d57 her nayles,\n[et] w\u1d57 loude voyce cryed and sayd alas y\u1d57 euer I was borne, [et] y\u1d57 I\nsoo grete a kynges doughter sholde thus be intreated [et] shamed and\ntherof can haue no remedy. Her g\u0113tilw\u0233men th_i_s her\u0233g w\u0113t [et] shewed\nit to th\u0113perour. [et] he went vnto her [et] co_m_forted her say_in_g\nO lady wepe not so ne cry not, for it becometh you no thynge / whiche\nsayd / the loue that I haue [et] owe to you maketh me more to sorowe\nthan the contempte of the dede. for why the inwarde loue of your herte\nhath hytherto prohybite [et] letted me y\u1d57 I haue not retorned ayen in\nto my countree to my fader but I fere yf I sholde so do to you it myght\ndo harme for he is myghty to honoure me w\u1d57 rychesses, and too venge my\nquarell [et] despyte in such wyse y\u1d57 ye [et] youres myght forthynke it.\nTherto sayd themperour lete that goo out of your mynde, shewe it not /\nfor as long as I lyue I shall neuer fayle you. And she sayd / lorde\nI praye god that ye maye longe lyue. But I fere me y\u1d57 it shall hapen\nvpon you as it dyde of a knyght and of his sone that wolde not burye\nhis faders hede in the chyrcheyerde, a_n_d yet his fader was for hym\nslayne / . Than sayd themperour Shewe me y\u1d57 example, how that was that\nhe wolde not burye his faders heede / she sayd I shall do it to your\nproufyte.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n_The Thyrde Example of the Empresse._\n\n\nThere was in the cyte of rome a knyghte y\u1d57 had two doughters [et] one\nsone. this knyghte hadde so grete delyte in hauntinge iustynge and\nturneynge that all thynge that he myght wynne [et] gete he layde it and\nspente it therupon. In that tyme was an emperour named Octauyan, whiche\nin rychesse of golde [et] syluer exceded al other kynges and prynces\nin so moche that he had a toure full of golde, and ordeyned a knyght\nto haue y\u1d49 kepynge [et] charge therof. This knyghte that so haunted\niustynge [et] other ydell games came to so grete pouerte that he was\ndysposed to sel his herytage, [et] called to hym his sone and sayd.\nMy sone it behoueth me of your counseyll, for necessyte and pouerte\ncompelleth me to sell myn herytage, or elles for to fynde an other way\nby the whiche I maye lyue, for yf I sholde sell myn heritage ye [et]\nyour systers sholde perysshe. The sone sayde, fader yf ye can fynde\nony other meane without sellynge of the herytage, I sholde be redy to\nhelpe you. To whome y\u1d49 fader sayd I am bethought vpon a good counseyll.\nThemperour hath a toure full of golde / by nyght tyme lete vs go\nthyder with instrumentes and dygge and hewe through the toure, and lete\nvs take of the golde as moche as shal suffyse us. Therto answered the\nsone [et] sayd, that co\u016bseyl can not be amended, for it is better of\nthemperoures golde to take to helpe vs than our herytage to sell. They\nrose vp bothe in a nyght and went to the toure and with instrumentes\nthey made there thrugh an hole, and toke as moche golde as they bothe\ncoude cary away at that tyme. The knyght payed his dettes [et] haunted\nayen iustes as he dyde before tyll all was sp\u0113te and consumed. In the\nmeane whyle the keper of y\u1d49 tresoure went in to the toure [et] whan he\nsaw the tresoure stolen, [et] a grete hole made through the wall, he\nbegan to waxe sore aferde [et] went to themperour and shewed how it\nwas befallen. To whome themperour sayd all angrely, what nedest y\u1d58 to\nshewe that haue I not delyuered to the my tresoure / [et] therfore of\nthe I wyll aske it. Tho anone as the keper herde that went to the toure\nayen, [et] set afore the hole a grete vessel ful of pytche medled with\nother gummes so subtely, that noo man myght come in at that hole but\nthat he must nedes fall into that vessell, [et] yf he therin fyll he\ncoude no more come out of it. Not longe after the knyghte had all the\ngolde consumed and spent [et] went ayen with his sone to the toure to\nstele more golde. And as the fader went in fyrste, anone he was fallen\nin y\u1d49 ves_sel_ with pytche to the necke. [et] whan he saw that he was\ntaken and coude not gete out he sayd to his sone, folow me not, for\nyf thou doost thou may not escape to be taken. Than y\u1d49 sone sayd, god\ndefende it y\u1d57 I sholde not helpe you: for yf ye are founden we are\nall but dede, [et] yf that ye may not be holpen by me, I shall seke\ncounseyll how that ye may be delyuered [et] holpen. The fader sayd /\nthere is none other counseyll, but with thy swerde smyte of myne heed /\nand as my body is founde without hede, noo man shall knowe me. [et] so\ny\u1d58 and my dought_er_s may escape [et] auoyde th_i_s wordly shame [et]\ndethe. The sone sayde, Fader ye haue gyuen y\u1d49 best counseyll, For yf\nit were so that ony man myght perceyue ony knolege of you, none of vs\nsholde escape y\u1d49 deth [et] therfore it is expedient that your hede be\nsmyten of. Anone he drewe out his swerde [et] smote of his faders hede\n[et] caste it into a pytte. [et] afterwarde hyd it therin and yede and\nshewed to his systers all the mater, whiche many dayes after pryuely\nbewayled the dethe of theyr fader. After this y\u1d49 keper of y\u1d49 tresour\ncame in to the toure [et] founde a body w\u1d57out ony hede. whereof he\nwondred sore, and shewed it to y\u1d49 emperour. To whome he sayde, byn\u0304de\nthat body at the tayle of an horse [et] so drawe it by al the stretes\nof the cyte, [et] dyligently take good hede yf ye here ony crye or\nwepynge. wheresoo euer ye here that he is lorde of the house, take all\nthem [et] w\u1d57 the body drawe them to the galowes [et] hange them. The\nwhiche themperours seruauntes fulfylled accordinge to his c\u014dma\u016bdem\u0113t.\nAnd as they came ayenst the house of the dede knyght, [et] as the\ndoughters sawe y\u1d49 body of theyre dede fader, they made a merueylous\ngrete shryche [et] wept pyteously [et] as ther broder that herd, anone\nhe wounded hymself greuously in the mouthe with a knyfe, so that grete\nplente of bloode came oute of the wounde. The offycers whan the herde\nthat noyse [et] crye entred in to the house, and demaunded the cause of\ntheyr noyse [et] clamour. Tho answered the sone that I am thus wounded,\nfor whan my systers sawe my bloode so habundauntly go oute as ye see,\nthey began to wepe and crye. And whan the offycers sawe the wounde\nthey byleued his wordes, [et] so dysceyued went theyr wayes, and hynge\n(_sic_) the body of the knyght vpon the galowes where it hynge long\ntyme [et] his sone wolde neyther take his body downe frome the galowes,\nne yet bury his hede. y\u1d49 Empresse sayd vnderstande ye what I haue sayd.\nThemperour sayd ye ryght well.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n _The Declaratyon of the Example._\n\n\nTho spake thempresse, thus my lorde I fere me it shalbe of you [et] of\nyour sone. This knyght for loue of his sone was made poore. [et] fyrste\nhe commytted thefte [et] brake the toure, secondary dyde hymself too be\nheded, that his chyldren sholde haue no shame. After y\u1d49 sone cast his\nhede in a dyke, [et] buryed it nether in chyrche nor in chyrcheyerde,\nhis body he suffred to hange styll vpon the galowes, yf that he coude\nnot haue taken it downe in the daye he myght wel haue done in y\u1d49 nyght.\nIn the same maner ye laboure nyght and day that ye maye promote your\nsone to honoure [et] ryches. But without doubte he dayly laboureth for\nyour confusyon [et] destructyon that he may regne after you in your\nempyre. Therfore I aduyse you y\u1d57 ye do h\u0233 to be hanged before or he\nyou destroye. Themperour sayd ye haue shewed me a good example. The\nknyghtes sone whan he had smyten of his faders hede wolde not bury it.\nWithout doute my [son] fader (_sic_) shall not do so by me, but he\ncommunded (_sic_) anone his offycers that they sholde lede hym to the\ngalowes. [et] they obeyed his c\u014dma\u016bdement hastely. [et] as they lad\nhym thrugh the stretes y\u1d49 people made grete noyse [et] lamentacyon.\nalas alas the onely sone of the emperour is lad ayen towardes y\u1d49\ngalowes / [et] as they thus ladde hym the thyrde mayster named Craton\ncame ryd\u0233g vpon an hors / [et] as y\u1d49 chylde sawe hym he bowed downe\nhis hede to hym as though he had sayd, haue mynde vpon me. The pepole\ncryed say_i_ng, O good mayster hast you [et] saue youre dyscyple. He\nsmote his horse w\u1d57 spores [et] haysted him to y\u1d49 palays. And whan he\ncame before themperoure he honourably salued hym, whiche sayd, thy\ncomyng hyther shall neuer auayll the / nor it that y\u1d58 comest for. The\nmayster sayd, I hoped in my comynge to haue be welcome [et] haue had\na better rewarde [et] not too haue be rebuked. The emperour sayd / as\nye haue deserued so shal it be to you. To whom he sayd, my lord what\nhaue I deserued. Themperour sayde, ye haue ryghte well deserued deth,\nfor why I delyuered to you my sone well spekynge [et] wel manered for\nto enfourme and teche, [et] ye haue delyuered hym ayen too me dompe\n[et] a rybaude. To whom the mayster sayd / in that ye say he is dompe\ny\u1d57 I commytte to god / for he maketh the dompe to speke [et] the defe\nto here. But in that ye saye y\u1d57 he wolde haue your wyfe enforced that\nwolde I gladly knowe yf ony creature haue y\u1d57 seen, for there is no\nmalyce aboue y\u1d49 malyce of a woman / and that shall I proue by a good\nexample that w\u0233men are full of les\u0233ges [et] decepc\u014dns, [et] yf ye put\nto deth your sone for the wordes of your wyfe / it shall happen to\nyou as it dyd to a noble man of his wyfe [et] of his pye, the whiche\nhe loued merueylously. To whome themperour sayd, you tell me how that\nwymmen are full of malyce [et] lesynges / whiche sayd I wyll not do it\n/ but yf ye fyrst calle ayen your sone frome the dethe, [et] then at\nyoure pleasure I shall shewe thexample. Than themperour anone made the\nchylde too be called ayen and put in pryson. Than the mayster began to\nsay this example in this fourme folowynge.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n_The Example of the Thyrde Mayster._\n\n\nThere was in a cyte a ryche burgeys that had a pye the which he loued\nso moche y\u1d57 euery day he taught her to speke latyn [et] hebrewe. And\nwhan y\u1d57 she had lerned perfetly to speke those two langages / all y\u1d57\nshe sawe [et] herde, she shewed [et] tolde to her mayster. This good\nman had a fayre yonge wyfe as ye haue / the whiche he loued moche. but\nshe contrary loued not hym / bycause he myght not furnysshe her of\nsuch pleasures [et] lustes as she desyred to haue. And therfore had\nshe an other fayre yonge man that she loued aboue her husb\u014dde. And\nalwayes as her husbonde was out of the towne about his marchaundyse\n[et] other besynesses to do, and she sent for her best beloued y\u1d57 they\nmyght togyder make good chere. The pye as she that sawe tolde it to her\nmayster, at his home comyng, in such wyse that y\u1d49 noyse ranne all ouer\nthe cyte of her aduoutry, wherof her husb\u014dde many tyme brauled [et]\nchydde her. She answered h\u0233, ye beleue your cursed pye, whiche as longe\nas she lyueth shall alwayes make betwix us varyaunce [et] dyscorde.\nAnd he sayd the pye can not lye, for that she seeth [et] hereth that\nshe telleth me, and therfore I beleue her more than you. It fortuned\nthat the good man went in to ferre co\u016btrees to do his marcha\u016bdyse, [et]\nas sone as was gone his wyfe sent for her frende [et] loue to solace\n[et] make good chere w\u1d57 h\u0233. but he durst not come by day lyght. but\nabode to y\u1d49 euenynge leste that he sholde be seen [et] marked of y\u1d49\npeple. And as y\u1d49 nyght was comen / he knocked at y\u1d49 gate: [et] she was\nredy [et] opened it [et] sayd, Go in frely for n\u0304o man shall see you.\n[et] he sayd I fere me y\u1d57 the cursed pye shall accuse vs, for by her\nis comen grete sclaundre vpon vs through out all the cyte. Entre in\nshe sayd boldely and fere not. And as he sholde passe through y\u1d49 halle\nwhere the pye was in her cage, she herd hym say thyse wordes. O my\nmoste beloued I fere me gretely of y\u1d49 pye that she shal bewraye vs. And\nas the wyfe herde that she sayde, Be styll foole. it is derke she may\nnot se you. Then\u0304e y\u1d49 py that herynge sayde, If I se the not I here\nthy voyce, [et] thou doost wrong to my mayster, for y\u1d58 slepest with\nmy maystresse, and whan\u0304e my mayster cometh I shall tell hym. The\nyonge man herynge that sayd, Tolde I not you y\u1d57 the pye sholde dyscouer\nvs. And y\u1d49 wyfe sayd fere not for this nyght we shall be auenged vpon\nthe pye. And entred in to y\u1d49 chamber [et] slepte togyder that nyght.\nAbout mydnyghte the wyfe arose, [et] called to her a mayden and sayde /\nfetche me a ladder [et] set vp too y\u1d49 rofe of y\u1d49 house y\u1d57 I may wreke\nme on the pye. The mayde dyde so and they bothe went vp [et] made an\nhole through the coueryng of y\u1d49 house ryght ouer the pye / and there\nthrugh caste sande clay stones [et] water vpon the pye, somoch that the\npoore pye was nere dede [et] on the morne the yonge man went erly out\nat a backe dore. And whan the good man was comen home as his custume\nwas he went [et] vysyted his pye and sayd to her, O pye my welbeloued\nbyrde / say me howe y\u1d58 haste fared the whiles that I haue been out. She\nsayd, mayster I shall tel you tydynges that I haue herde. your wyfe as\nsone as ye were gone by the nyght tyme she lete a man come i_n_ and as\nI that herde I tolde hym y\u1d57 I wolde shewe it to you at your comynge\nhome / that not withstondynge she lad hym in to your chamber, [et]\nslepte with h\u0233 al nyght. ye demaunded me also howe y\u1d57 I haue done in\nyour absence. And I saye you of a trouth that I was neuer so nygh my\ndeth as I was that same nyght w\u1d57 snowe hayle [et] rayne y\u1d57 fyll vpon\nmy body, so longe dur\u0233ge that I was almoste left for dede. The wyfe\nwh\u0101 she herde that sayd too her husbonde, Syr ye byleue your pye now\nmay ye here what she sayth / she c\u014dplaynyth y\u1d57 in y\u1d49 same nyght there\nfyll so moche snowe hayle [et] rayne vpon her y\u1d57 she was almost dede,\n[et] yet ther was none of th\u0113 al that same nyght, for ther was not\nin a yere a fayrer ne a clerer nyght than it was [et] therfore from\nhensforth byleue her not. Tho went y\u1d49 good man to his neyghbours [et]\ndema\u016bded of them yf y\u1d57 nyght were ony tempest or rayne. They answered\ny\u1d57 some of them had waked all y\u1d49 nyght, [et] in all y\u1d57 yere they had\nnot sene a fayrer nyght. Tho we_n_t he to his house [et] sayd to his\nwyfe, I haue fo\u016bden you in y\u1d49 trouth for y\u1d49 nyght was fayr [et] clere\nas I vndersto_n_de of your neyghbours. ye may now knowe of a trouth\nsayd she y\u1d57 py is a lyer. w\u1d57 her les\u0233ges she hath sowen [et] made\ndiscorde betwix vs, [et] ouer that I am diffamed thrugh y\u1d49 cite by her\nfals lesy_n_gs. than y\u1d49 burgeys we_n_t to y\u1d49 pye [et] sayd wherfore\nhaste y\u1d58 made lyes [et] fals tales betwix me [et] my wyfe. Is this y\u1d49\nth\u0101ke that I haue for y\u1d49 mete that I was wont to gyue y\u1d49 w\u1d57 myn owne\nh\u014ddes euery day [et] haste also therby my wyfe brought in to grete\ndyffamacyon thrugh al the towne. The pye answered, god knoweth y\u1d57 I\ncan not lye for that I sawe [et] herde y\u1d57 haue I shewed to you. Than\nsayd he, y\u1d58 lyest. Haste thou not sayd vnto me that in y\u1d49 same nyghte\nwas hayle [et] snowe [et] rayne that y\u1d58 haddest nereh\u014dnde loste thy\nlyfe whiche is false. And therfore from hensforth y\u1d58 shalt make no mo\nlesynges ne dyscorde betwix me and my wyfe / [et] toke y\u1d49 pye and brake\nher necke. As the wyfe sawe that she was ryght glad [et] sayd now haue\nye done well, now maye we all our lyue dayes lyue in reste [et] peas.\nAnd whan he had slayne y\u1d49 pye, he loked vp [et] sawe in the top of y\u1d49\nhouse a laddre [et] a vessel w\u1d57 water, sand [et] stones. and as he that\nbehelde, he perceyued the falshede of his wyfe, and cryed with a loude\nvoyce, Woo be too me that for my wyues wordes I haue my pye slayne\nand all my solace and ioye loste. y\u1d49 why (_sic_) the in all thynges\nsayd to me trouthe. And as he had thus doone anone for sorowe lefte\nhis marchaundyse and all his house and went to wardes the holy londe,\nand neuer retorned ayen towardes his wyfe. Than\u0304e the mayster sayd\nto themperour, Syr haue ye vnderstande what I haue sayd. he answered\nryght well. the mayster sayd, was not y\u1d57 a false [et] cursed wyfe y\u1d57\nso by her lesynges caused y\u1d49 pye for to be slayne. The emperour sayd,\nIn trouthe she was full of falsenesse. I forthynke gretly the pye, the\nwhiche for her true saynge lost her lyfe. Verely I say to you y\u1d57 ye\nhaue tolde me a fayr exa_m_ple therfore th[i]s day my sone shal not\ndy. Tho sayd the master, Syr yf ye do so ye do wysely, [et] I th\u0101ke\nyou that ye haue spared your sone, this day for my wyll, and to god I\ncommende you.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n_The Fourth Complaynte of the Empresse._\n\n\nWhan thempresse herde that y\u1d49 chylde was not yet dede, she made grete\nnoyse [et] cryenges in such wyse that she was herde thrugh the palays\n[et] sayd, Woo be to me that euer I was made Empresse, wolde god I had\ndyed whan I was broughte in too thyse partyes. whan the emperour herde\ny\u1d49 noyse [et] crye that she made, he entred in to the chamber, [et]\nconforted her as moche as he myght [et] demaunded the cause of her\nlamentacyon / whiche sayd, O myn owne lorde haue no wonder though that\nI be in this grete sorowe and agony for I am your wyfe, [et] in your\ncompany by your sone I am shamed as ye sawe me lately all be bled [et]\nscratched. [et] ye haue promysed me that he sholde therfor be hanged /\n[et] yet he lyueth. Wherfore sholde I not sorow. Themperour answered be\ncontent [et] pleased / and I shall do iustyse vpon my sone to morowe.\nBut in that I forbare hym yesterday was at the meuyng of one of the\nmaysters by an example. Than sayd she, Haue ye forboren to do iustyce\nfor one worde, were it soo for all the worlde ye sholde not let to do\niustyce / [et] ye saye for the example of one mayster ye haue lefte\nit. I fere me it shall happen with you [et] w\u1d57 youre maysters as vpon\na tyme it fortuned too an Emperoure with his seuen wyse maysters. The\nempeperoure (_sic_) sayde I praye you tell me that example. She sayd.\n\nTo what entent sholde I laboure in vayne / for yesterdaye I shewed you\na good example and it auayled not. for whatsomeuer I shewe for youre\nhonoure and proufyte that the maysters of your sone torne vp and downe\nto your destructyon, as in this present example I shall clerely shewe\nyou. To whome themperour sayd O my best beloued lady tell me that\nexample, that by the same I maye the better beware / for though that I\nrespyted my sones lyfe for one daye / I shal not therfore gyue hym his\nlyfe / for that is dyfferred / it is not therfore auferred. And she\nsaide, gladly I shall shewe it for your proufyte. and began to tell it\nas here after foloweth.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n_The Fourthe Example of the Empresse._\n\n\nSomtyme was in the cyte of rome seuen wyse maysters by whome all y\u1d49\nempyre was gouerned [et] ruled. And themperour that than was dyde no\nthynge or attempte w\u1d57out the counseyll of them, as they vnderstode\nthat themperour was to them soo inclyned, y\u1d57 without theym he sholde\nordeyne or doo noo thynge. in y\u1d49 meane tyme they made by theyr arte\nand conn\u0233g y\u1d57 themperour sholde clerely se as longe as he was in his\npalays but anone as he was out of his palays, he was made blynde /\n[et] that dyde they to the ente_n_t y\u1d57 they myght the more frely\nintromytte themself of all thynges that apperteyned to themperour, by\ny\u1d49 whiche they gate [et] wanne too theym grete profyte [et] lucre of\ngoodes. [et] after that they had made [et] wroughte that experyment,\nthey coude neuer chaunge it ne fordo it, afterwarde, but themperour\nabode styl bl\u0233d many yeres. Then the vii maysters made [et] ordeyned\nthroughout thempyre, that yf ony man had dremed a dreme he sholde\ncome vnto them w\u1d57 a florene of golde or of syluer, [et] they sholde\nexpowne [et] declare vnto them the Interpretacyon of theyr dremes\nwherby [et] by other vniuste meanes they obteyned moche more substaunce\n[et] money of y\u1d49 people than themperour dyde. Soo vpon a tyme whan he\nsate at the table w\u1d57 the empresse he began to syghe [et] sorowe in\nhymselfe. and whan she perceyued that she enquyred dylygently of hym\ny\u1d49 cause of his heuynesse [et] doloure. Themperour sayde / sholde not\nthat to me be heuy [et] sorowfull y\u1d57 I so longe haue been blynde [et]\nout of my palays / [et] of y\u1d57 can haue or fynde no remedy. To whome\nspake thempresse [et] sayd, my lorde here my counseyll [et] it shall\nneuer repent you yf ye do therafter. In your courte ye haue vii wyse\nmaysters by whome ye [et] all y\u1d49 empyre is gouerned yf ye nowe beholde\n[et] marke this in your m\u0233de / ye shall fynde that they are y\u1d49 cause\nof your blyndnesse [et] dysease. [et] yf it be so they are worthy too\ndye a shamefull deth. Therfore take hede to my co\u016bseyl and aduyse.\nSende ye for them [et] shewe vnto them youre dysease [et] infyrmyte,\n[et] threte them on payne of theyr lyues, y\u1d57 they sholde fynde a remedy\nto make you hole of your syknesse [et] blyndnes. This co\u016bseyl pleased\nthe emperour well. [et] anone sent for y\u1d49 maysters And wh\u0101 they were\ncome, themperour anone shewed vnto the_m_ his infyrmyte [et] blyndenes.\n[et] charge them vpon payne [of] deth / y\u1d57 they sholde seke a rememedy\n(_sic_) [et] make hym hole therof. Tho answered they, Ye desyre of\nvs a thi_n_ge that is dyffusyfe [et] harde for vs to do thus shortly\nbut gyue vs respyte [et] dayes [et] in y\u1d49 tenth day we shall gyue you\nanswere. Themperour was therwith well content [et] pleased. Then y\u1d49\nseuen wyse maysters went to counseyll, how they myght y\u1d57 best chaunge\n[et] alter / [et] that in noo maner coude they fynde y\u1d49 meane howe they\nmyght put awaye y\u1d49 blyndnes from the Emperour. Wherfore they were all\nryght sorowfull. [et] sayde amonge them self, w\u1d57oute we fynde a remedye\nwe are all but dede men. Soo went they from thens thrugh out al th\u0113pyre\n[et] sought yf they coude fynde ony remedy or co\u016bseyll therfore. It\nhapned them vpon a tyme goynge thrugh a cyte, [et] in y\u1d49 myddes therof\nthey founde chyldren playnge. [et] a[f]ter them came a man w\u1d57 a talente\nor florene of golde [et] sayd to them, Good maysters this nyght I haue\ndremed a dreme, thenterpretacyon therof I wolde fayne knowe. Wherfore\nI pray you shewe me what it sygnyfyeth [et] take this golde to you.\nThat herde one of y\u1d49 chyldren y\u1d57 played amonge y\u1d49 other [et] sayd too\nhy_m_, gyue me y\u1d49 golde [et] not them, [et] I shall expowne thy dreme.\nThe man sayde, I dremed this nyghte y\u1d57 in the myddes of myn orchyerde\nwas a grete sprynge of water, wherof came many smal spry_n_ges y\u1d57 al\nmyn orchyerde was full [et] overflowen w\u1d57 water. The chylde sayd, take\na spade [et] dygge in y\u1d49 same place there as ye thought that y\u1d49 water\noutsprange, [et] there shall ye fynde an horde of golde so grete that\nye [et] all your chylderne & lynage shall be for euer ryche. The man\ndyde as y\u1d49 chylde had shewed hym [et] found ye tresoure accordynge to\nhys wordes. Tho went y\u1d49 ma_n_ to y\u1d49 chylde [et] offred hym a pounde\nweyght of y\u1d49 golde y\u1d57 he had founde for y\u1d49 interpretacyon of his dreme\n[et] he wold none receyue but c\u014dmytted hym to y\u1d49 prayers of y\u1d49 man.\nThe vii. maysters whan they herde y\u1d49 chylde so wysely expowne y\u1d49\ndreme, they sayd to hym, gode chylde what is your name he answered [et]\nsayde I called Merlyne. Then sayd y\u1d49 maysters, we se clerely grete\nwysedome in you, we shal shewe vnto you a grete mater, [et] of y\u1d57 we\nwolde gladly y\u1d57 ye coude fynde a remedy. The chylde sayd, shewe me\nyour mater. And they sayd themperour of rome as longe as he is in his\npalays he hath his syght clere w\u1d57out ony impedym\u0113t and as sone as he\nis gone out of his palays he is soo bl\u0233de y\u1d57 he may not se. Yf ye can\nnow det_er_myne y\u1d49 cause herof [et] fy_n_de a remedy y\u1d57 he may be eased\n[et] haue h[i]s syght ayen ye shall haue grete rewardes [et] honoures\nof th\u0113perour. The chylde sayd, I know y\u1d49 cause as wel of his bl\u0233dhede\nas of y\u1d49 remedy. They sayd to hy_m_, Come w\u1d57 vs to themperour [et] ye\nshal be rewarded so largely y\u1d57 ye shall be pleased. To whome y\u1d49 chylde\nsayd, I am redy to go w\u1d57 you. And whan they came w\u1d57 y\u1d49 chylde before\nthemperour they sayd to hy_m_. Lorde loo here this childe y\u1d57 we haue\nbrought afore you y\u1d49 which shal fulfyll your desyre as touch\u0233ge the\ncause of your bl\u0233denes as y\u1d49 recouer\u0233ge of your syghte. Themperour\nsayd, Good maysters woll ye take it vpon you [et] abyde therby that\ny\u1d49 chylde shall do w\u1d57 me. They all sayd ye, for we be experte in his\nwysedome. Themperour torned hymself towardes y\u1d49 chylde and sayde, wyll\nye vndertake to tell me the cause of my blindnesse [et] the remedye.\nThe chylde answered [et] sayd, my lorde the emperour lede me in to\nyour bedchamber, [et] there I shal shewe you what is to be done And as\nhe was therin broughte he sayd to y\u1d49 serua\u016btes, take of y\u1d49 clothes of\nthe bedde, [et] all thapparayle, [et] ye shall se wonders. And as y\u1d57\nwas done they sawe a well smokyng y\u1d57 had vii spr\u0233ges or floodes, the\nwhiche whan th\u0113perour sawe meruayled gretly. y\u1d49 chyld sayd ye se this\nwel [et] w\u1d57out it be qu\u0113ched ye shal neuer haue your sygt. th\u0113perour\nsayd, how may y\u1d57 be. y\u1d49 chyld sayd, but by one way. Themperour sayde,\nShewe vs than the meane, [et] yf it be possyble to me it shall be done,\ny\u1d57 I maye recouer ayen my syght as well w\u1d57out as w\u1d57in. To whome the\nchylde sayd my lorde y\u1d49 vii. sprynges of this well are thyse vii. wyse\nmaysters, y\u1d49 whiche you [et] your Empyre hythertoo haue trayterously\ngouerned [et] haue you made bl\u0233de as ye be w\u1d57oute your palays y\u1d57 they\nyoure subgettes by extorcyon myght plucke [et] pyll, ye not seynge, but\nnowe they knowe not y\u1d49 remedy. Here ye nowe my counseyll. [et] this\nwell shal be quenched [et] extyncte. do stryke of y\u1d49 fyrste maysters\nhede [et] anone ye shall y\u1d49 fyrste sprynge quenched. [et] so by ordre\none after an other, tyll y\u1d57 they are all beheded, [et] anone all the\nsprynges w\u1d57 the well shall be vanysshed and gone awaye / [et] ye\nshall haue ayen your syght as ye had afore. And as this was done [et]\nfulfylled / the well with the vii. sprynges were vanysshed. And as\nthemperour had his syghte ayen he made the chylde a grete lorde [et]\ngaue hy_m_ grete habunda\u016bce of goodes. After that spake thempresse,\nmy lorde haue ye this example well perceyued that I haue tolde you.\n[et] he sayd ye in the best wyse. ye haue recyted a good and a ryall\nexample. Than sayd she, In the same wyse your vii. wyse maysters\nintende too doo with you, by theyre false narracyons, that your sone\nmay reygne vpon you / that god forbede.\n\n\n\n\n _The Declaratyon of the Example._\n\n\nThis welle is youre sone wherof oute flowen seuen sprynges, that\nsygnefye the seuen wyse maysters the whiche soone ye maye not destroye\nwithoute the vii. maysters be made feble [et] broughte too noughte\nthat done this well that is your sone w\u1d57 all his cauyllacyons [et]\nwyles shal not scape / but lete hym be hanged fyrste leste that he\nhaue helpe of his maysters / [et] forth after co[n]sequently y\u1d49 vii.\nmaysters. And so ye shall gouerne [et] guyde your empyre in reste [et]\npeas. Themperour anone c\u014dmaunded his seruauntes to lede his so_n_ to\nthe galowes / whiche they were lothe to do. So was there than a grete\nmultytude of people gadred with grete noyse [et] bewaylynge so that the\nnoyse came to y\u1d49 eres of y\u1d49 fourth mayster named Malquydrac. y\u1d49 whiche\nlepte vpon his hors / [et] hasted hym to y\u1d49 palays. So mette w\u1d57 hym\nhis dyscyple [et] dyde reuerence to hy_m_ / [et] recommaunded hym vnto\nhym / [et] whan he came before themperour [et] had done his obeysaunce\n[et] reuere_n_ce as apperteyned. Themperour answered [et] sayde. Lytell\nthanke haue ye olde cursed caytyfe for y\u1d49 tech\u0233ge of my sone for I\ndelyuered you my sone well spek\u0233ge [et] in all thynge ryght vertuous.\nAnd ye haue sent hym a fole dompe / [et] a rybaude / for he wolde haue\nbelayne w\u1d57 force my wyfe / [et] therfore all ye with him togyder shall\nbe hanged. Tho sayd y\u1d49 mayster, My lorde I haue not that deserued of\nyou. god knoweth why your sone speketh not. in shorte tyme ye shal\nperceyue other th\u0233ges. but y\u1d49 tyme is not yet comen. But in y\u1d57 ye say\nhe wolde haue oppressed your wyfe, y\u1d57 is not gospel ne proued, ne for\none sy_n_guler p[er]sone ye shold not iuge to deth your sone. yf now\nfor y\u1d49 wordes of your wyfe ye iuge your sone to dye, it wil be wors to\nyou than to an olde man of his wyfe. [et] that I shall proue. Too whome\nthemperour sayd, Thynke ye to doo with me ye olde dotarde, as somtyme\nseuen wyse men dyde to an emperour. Therto sayd y\u1d49 mayster The offence\nor trespace of one or yet of twenty, may not founde to the rebuke\n[et] blame of all other, for ouer al the worlde there bee bothe good\n[et] euyll. But one thynge of a trouth I shall shewe you. that euyll\nshall come to you yf ye this daye do your sone to deth for the wordes\nof your wyfe. the whiche I wolde shewe by a notable example. Than\nsayd the emperoure woll ye that recyte for our lernynge. The mayster\nsayde, Yf ye wyll calle ayen your sone, [et] kepe hym tyll I haue made\nrecytacyon of the example. [et] than what someuer ye shal thi_n_ke best\nto done with hym, doo it. I shall reherce this example or elles not.\nThe emperour c\u014dmaunded that he sholde be called ayen and desyred the\nmayster to say as here after ensueth or foloweth.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n _The Example of the Fourthe Mayster._\n\n\nThere was an olde knyght [et] a ryght wyse ma_n_ that longe lyued\nwithout wyfe [et] chylde. His frendes came to hym many tymes [et]\ncounseyled and exhorted him that he sholde take a wyfe. The knyght thus\ncounseyled [et] styred by his frendes soo oftymes that at the laste he\nagreed too theym. And they gaue hym to wyfe the doughter of the prouost\nof rome that ryche was [et] ryght fayre, whome whan he had seene anone\nhe was made blynde [et] taken in her loue, [et] began to loue her\nmeruaylously wel and whan they had ben a certayne space togyder [et]\nhad no fruyte ne chylde. Upon a tyme in a mornynge it happened that\nshe went to the chyrche where she met w\u1d57 her moder, [et] saluted her\nas it behoued. My dere doughter sayd the moder how pleaseth you your\nmaryage [et] your husbonde: she sayd ryght euyll, for ye haue gyuen to\nme an olde lame man / me in al th\u0233ges dyspleasynge. I wolde ye had that\nsame tyme buryed me, for I had leuer lye [et] ete with a swyne than\nwith hym, and therfore I may no longer thus endure, but I must loue\nanother. Tho sayd y\u1d49 moder, god forbede that My dere doughter howe\nlonge tyme I haue be with your fader [et] yet hytherto I neuer medled\nme with suche folysshenes. The doughter sayde, moder it is noo meruayle\nfor ye bothe in your youth met togyder, [et] the one toke solace of the\nother, [et] I may receyue of hym noo maner of solace corporall for he\nis colde / [et] vpon y\u1d49 bed he lyeth as styll as a stone, or as a thyng\nimmouable: The moder answered, yf ye wyll loue another say me what he\nis. The doughter sayd a preest I wyl loue. to whome y\u1d49 moder sayd it\nwere better to you [et] lesse syn to loue a knyght or a squyer than a\npreest. [et] the doughter sayde, If I shold loue a knyght or a gentel\nsquyer in shorte tyme he wolde be wery of me, [et] after y\u1d57 he wolde\ndo me shame [et] tell it ouer all, [et] so it is not of the preest,\nfor he wyll holde and kepe his owne honoure [et] counseyll as well\nas m\u0233n, And also spyrytuell men be more true to theyr loues than the\nseculer men. The mod_er_ sayd, Here my counseyll [et] it shall be good\nfor you. Olde folkes are wylly [et] fell, tempte your husbonde fyrst\n[et] yf ye scape hym w\u1d57out doynge ony harme or smyt\u0233ge, than loue the\npreest. The dought_er_ sayd I maye not so longe abyde. The moder sayd\nvpon my blessynge abyde tyll ye haue proued hym. The doughter sayde\nvpon your blessynge I wyll abyde so longe, tyll I haue attempted hy_m_\nbut fyrst say me how that I shal proue hym. The moder sayde, He hath in\nhis orchyerde a tree whiche he loueth moche. do y\u1d57 to be smyten downe\nwhyles he is oute at hontynge. [et] ayenst his comynge make hym there\na fyre, [et] yf he forgyue it you th\u0101 maye surely loue the preest. As\nshe had herde the co\u016bseyl of her moder she went to her house. To whom\nher husbonde sayd, Where haue ye ben so longe. She answered I haue ben\nin the chyrche where as I met w\u1d57 my moder [et] w\u1d57 her a lytell I haue\ntalked [et] comyned, [et] so began proprely for to dyssymyle. After\nmydday y\u1d49 knighte rode out for to hu_n_te. Then she thynk\u0233ge vpon y\u1d49\ncounseyll of her moder went to the gardyner [et] sayde to hy_m_. Cut\ndowne this yonge tree newly planted that I may make a fyre therof to\nwarme my lorde withal at his comynge from hunt\u0233ge, for it is a grete\nwynd [et] a ryght sharpe colde. The gardyner sayde, Madame y\u1d57 wyll\nI not do, for my lorde loueth better that tre than he dothe all y\u1d49\nother trees neuertheles I shal wel helpe you to gadre wood ynough\nfor to make withall a good fyre but in onywyse this I wyl not hewe\ndowne. She herde that, [et] boldly she toke y\u1d49 axe from y\u1d49 gardyner\n[et] hewed downe the tree her selfe [et] made y\u1d49 gardyner w\u1d57 other to\nbere it home. At euyn whan y\u1d49 lorde came from huntynge he was sore a\ncolde The lady lete make a grete fyre, [et] went [et] met w\u1d57 hym, [et]\nset hym on a stole afore the fyre to warme. And as he a lytell whyle\nhad sytten he perceyued y\u1d49 odoure of the fyre. [et] called to hym y\u1d49\ngardyner [et] sayd, I fele by this odour y\u1d57 my newe plante brenneth\nin the fyre. The gardiner sayde, Lorde it is trewe, my lady your wyfe\nhath felled it down. The knyght sayd to her god forbede that my plante\nsholde be cut downe by you. She answered anone [et] sayd, Lorde I haue\ndone it knowyng the weder colde [et] you also colde. [et] therfore I\nhaue ordeyned this fyre for your c\u014dforte. As the knyght y\u1d57 herde he\nloked angrely vpon her [et] sayd, O cursed woman, how werest y\u1d58 so\nhardy to hewe downe so gentyl a yonge tre y\u1d49 whiche y\u1d58 knowest wel y\u1d57\nI loued aboue al other trees As she that herde she began to wepe [et]\nexcuse her selfe [et] sayd My lorde I haue done it for your good [et]\nprouffyte, [et] ye take it so greuously. [et] began to cry wo wo be\nto me. Anone as y\u1d49 knyght sawe ye wep\u0233ge [et] teeres of his wyfe [et]\nherde her cause he was meued w\u1d57 mercy saynge to her, Cesse of your\nwep\u0233g, [et] beware how y\u1d57 ye ony more angre or trouble me in ony th\u0233ge\n/ that I loue. The next daye erly in the morn\u0233ge / she went ayen to\nthe chyrchewarde, [et] met w\u1d57 her moder com\u0233ge ayenst her. [et] they\nsalued eche other. Than y\u1d49 doughter sayd to her moder, O dere moder I\nwyll loue the preest, for I haue attempted my lorde as ye co\u016bseyled\nme / but all for nought, for he anone forgaue it whan he sawe me a\nlytell wepe. Tho sayd y\u1d49 moder, though olde men one tyme forgyue / they\ndouble the payn vpon an other tyme. [et] therfore I counseyll you y\u1d57\nye an other tyme attempte hym. Tho sayde the doughter I maye no lenger\nabyde, for I suffer so moche payn for the loue of y\u1d49 preest, that w\u1d57\nmy tonge I canne not tell, therfore ye shall perdone me I wyll noo\nmore folowe or do after your counseyll. than sayde the moder, for the\nloue that the chylde sholde haue vnto the moder attempte hym yet ones.\n[et] for your faders blessynge / and thenne yf ye goo quyte w\u1d57out ony\nharme or betinge, loue the preest in the name of god. tho answered y\u1d49\ndoughter, it is to me a grete payn so long tyme to abyde. neuertheles\nfor y\u1d49 blessyng of my fader I shal ons at\u0113pte hym. but say me how I\nshall begyn. the moder sayd I vnderstande y\u1d57 he hath a lytell ho\u016bde y\u1d57\nhe loueth wel [et] y\u1d57 kepith his bed. cast y\u1d49 ho\u016bd w\u1d57 so grete might\nafore his face that it dy [et] yf ye scape w\u1d57out a strype or that he\nforgyue it lyghtely, in the name of god than loue the preest. Than sayd\nthe doughter, I shall in all thynge doo after your co\u016bseyll, for there\nis noo doughter lyuynge to day y\u1d57 wolde more gladly haue y\u1d49 blessynge\nof the fader [et] the moder than I. And so she bad her moder fare well\n/ [et] went to her house ayen / [et] that day w\u1d57 grete importunyte [et]\ntrouble of herte she brought too the nyght. [et] whan the nyghte was\ncomen, she c\u014dmaunded the bed to be couered w\u1d57 pupure [et] w\u1d57 clothe\nof golde the whyles the knyght sate by the fyre. And whan the bed was\nthus made redy. the lytell hounde as he was accustomed lepte on the\nbedde [et] she toke hym by the hynder legges, [et] w\u1d57 a wood [et] a\nmalycyous herte she cast it ayenst the wall y\u1d57 it lay styll dede. Whan\nthe good olde knyght that sawe / he was merueylously angry. [et] sayd\nw\u1d57 a loude voyce too his wyfe, O worste [et] most cruell of all wycked\nwymmen how coudest y\u1d58 fynde in thyn herte that lytell gentyll hounde\nto sle, y\u1d57 I so moche loued. Lorde sayd she haue ye not sene how the\nhounde w\u1d57 his foule fete hath our bed that is soo precyously couered\nwith ryche clothes made foule comynge out of the myre: And the knyghte\nsayde w\u1d57 moche anger, knewe ye not y\u1d57 I loued moche better that lytell\nhounde than the bed. Whan she herde that, anone she began pytyously\nto wepe [et] sayd woo be to me that I was borne for all thynge that I\ndoo for the best it is all tourned in to the worste. The knyght wolde\nnot suffre the wepynge and weymentynge of his wyfe. but for that y\u1d57\nhe loued her soo moche he sayd to her leue or cesse your wep\u0233ge for\nI forgyue you it all togyder. And I counseyll you that ye beware how\nthat ye dysplease me from hens forth / [et] they went toogyder to bed.\nUpon y\u1d49 morowe she rose vp erly [et] went to the chyrche where as she\nfound her moder / to whome whan she hadde done reuerence as it behoued,\nShe sayd, moder now wyll I loue y\u1d49 preste, for I haue now attempted\nthe seconde tyme my husbonde [et] all thynges he suffred. The moder\nsayde, O my dere doughter there is noo cruelte or falshede aboue the\ncruelte of olde folkes. [et] therfore I co\u016bseyll you y\u1d57 ye yet ones\nproue hym. To whom the doughter answered, Moder ye laboure in vayne.\nfor yf ye wyst what [et] how moche payne y\u1d57 I suffer for y\u1d49 prestes\nloue ye sholde rather helpe me yf ye loued me. The moder sayd, Here me\ndoughter this one tyme, [et] I shal neuer let you more. Th\u0233ke howe y\u1d57\nye haue souked mylke of my brestes: [et] the grete payne that I suffred\nfor you at your byrth. By thyse paynes my dere doughter I desyre of\n[et] I charge you y\u1d57 ye denye me not this good petycyon. [et] I promyse\nto god I shall no more let nor h\u0233der you of your entente: but rather\nhelpe you therto. / Tho answered y\u1d49 doughter, it is to me a grete\npayne to absteyne me [et] forbere my selfe, so longe from the loue of\nthe preest. neuerthelesse for y\u1d49 grete charges that ye haue layde too\nme, and also for y\u1d57 ye haue made a vowe no more for to lette me, but\nto further me, tell me how I shall attempte hy_m_, [et] I shal ones\nyet put it in aduenture. The moder sayd, I know well that on sondaye\nnext comyng he entendeth to haue vs all to dyner [et] there shall be\nyour fader [et] I and all your frendes [et] al y\u1d49 best of the cyte.\nAnd whan ye are set in your place [et] all the metes are brought [et]\nserued vpon the table / faste one of the keyes preuely y\u1d57 hangeth at\nyour gyrdell in the table clothe [et] than fayne to haue forgoten your\nknyfe and say thyse wordes openly. Se what a shorte wytte that I am\nof, I haue forgoten my knyf in my chambre / [et] ryse vp hastely [et]\ngo. [et] y\u1d49 cloth w\u1d57 al the metes ye shall caste down [et] ouerthrowe\nvpon the grounde. And yf ye scape w\u1d57out payn I make a vowe to god I\nshall neuer let you after. The doughter sayde y\u1d57 shall I gladly doo\n[et] so toke her leue [et] departyd. The feste daye came y\u1d57 all as the\nmoder sayd were boden. The serua\u016btes made redy [et] couered y\u1d49 table.\nAll were set at y\u1d49 table. [et] the doughter sate ouer ayenste her\nlorde. And whan the table was well serued w\u1d57 metes [et] other thynges\nas therto belonged / y\u1d49 lady of the house sayd with an high voyce, se\nhow forgeteful I am of mynd I haue lefte my knyfe in my chamber y\u1d49\nwhiche I muste fetche / [et] rose hastely vp and drewe y\u1d49 clothe with\nall the mete that was vpon it with her. a_n_d all the golde vessels\n[et] saltes lay vpon y\u1d49 gro\u016bde. The knyght vexed sore angrye in his\nherte, but for shame he dyssymyled afore his gestes, [et] c\u014dma\u016bded\non other clene clothe [et] other metes to be brought [et] w\u1d57 Joy and\nmyrth he solyted [et] meued his gestes to ete and make good chere. so\nthat by hy_m_ they were all gladed. The feste or dyner done they gaue\nall thank\u0233ges to y\u1d49 knyght [et] toke theyr leue [et] departed euery man\ntowardes his owne house. Upon y\u1d49 nexte day in the morn\u0233ge y\u1d49 knyghte\narose erly [et] went to the chyrche [et] herde a masse the which ended\nwent to a barbour [et] sayd too hym, Mayster are ye experte in blode\nletynge in what vayne y\u1d57 I wyll desyre you. He sayde, syr I am experte\nin what vayne y\u1d57 ye can name in mannes body. The knyghte sayd, I am\nwell contente come on w\u1d57 me. [et] whan he was comen to his house he\nentred in to his chamber where his wyfe laye in bed [et] sayd to her\nRyse vp shortely. Than sayd she, what shall I do vp thus erly it is\nnot yet nyne the clocke. The knyght sayd, ye muste ryse vp, for ye\nmuste be letten blode on both your armes. she sayd, I was neuer laten\nblode / [et] shall I nowe blede. Tho sayd y\u1d49 knyght, that is trouth,\n[et] therfor ye are a fole. For th\u0233ke ye not y\u1d57 ye hewe fyrst downe my\ntree, [et] an other tyme ye kylled my lytell ho\u016bde [et] yesterday ye\nshamed me afore all our frendes [et] parentes. [et] the fourth is yf\nI sholde suffer you thus too go forthe ye sholde me for euer confo\u016bde\n[et] shame. the cause herof I consyder y\u1d57 ye haue euyll [et] wylde\nblode w\u1d57in your body, [et] therfore I wyll that y\u1d57 corrupte blode shall\nbe drawen out that ye from hensforth shal no more put me to shame [et]\nangre, and lete to be made a grete fyre. and she stode and cryed and\nhelde vp her hondes towardes the heuen and sayde, My lorde forgyue me\nthis t[r]espace[2] / and haue pyte vpon me at this tyme, and I shal\nneuer more offende you. The knyghte sayd pray for no mercy, for by\nthe mercy that god hath wroughte, without that thou holdest oute thyn\narme strayte I shall sone haue thyn herte blood. and he sayd also to\nthe barbour, smyte harde [et] make a depe hole in her arme, or elles\nI shall gyue you a grete strype. Than smote y\u1d49 barbour so sore that\nthe bloode came habunda\u016btly out. and the knyght wolde not suffer hym\nto staunche it vnto the tyme that she chaunged coloure in her vysage.\nAnd as this was done the knyght had to be stopped or sta\u016bche y\u1d57 vayne.\n[et] bad y\u1d49 barbour smyte the vayne vpon y\u1d49 other arme. Then\u0304e cryed\nshe w\u1d57 a loude voyce, My swete husbonde haue compassyon vpon me for now\nI deye. The knyght answered, my wyfe ye sholde haue afore thought on\nth[i]s or that ye haue done to me thyse thre euyll tournes or despytes.\nThen\u0304e she helde out her left arme. [et] y\u1d49 barbour smote therin an\nhole y\u1d57 the blood came out ryght hudgely. [et] suffred her to blede\nvnto the tyme that the coloure in her vysage chaunged [et] that she\nswouned / Than sayd the knyght, now bynde that arme [et] sta\u016bche it.\n[et] sayd to her now goo to bed, [et] studye and thynke hensforth how\nye may amende your self or elles I shall draw y\u1d49 bloode of your herte.\nAnd as this was done he gaue the barbour his rewarde and he wente ayen\nvnto his own house. and the wyfe vnder y\u1d49 handes of hir maydens nyghe\ndeed was ladde to hyr bedde [et] bad one of hir handmaydens go to hyr\nmoder in all haste [et] say that she come speke with me afore I deye.\nThe moder whan she harde y\u1d57 she was gladde of y\u1d49 correctyon of hir\ndoughter [et] hastely came to hyr / the doughter wh\u0233 she herd hyr moder\nsayd to hir, O my moste swete moder I am almoste dede, for I haue so\nmoche blode bled, y\u1d57 I byleue y\u1d57 I shal not scape y\u1d49 deth. Tho answered\ny\u1d49 moder / sayd I not too you that olde men are ryght cruell [et] fell,\nwyll ye nowe loue the preste. Whiche sayd, The deuyll may the preest\nconfounde [et] shame. I wyl neuer loue other but my husbonde. Than\nsayde the mayster to themperour, Lorde haue ye vnderstande me. And he\nanswered ryght well, for amonges all other y\u1d57 euer I haue herde this\nwas the best example. Thre euyll dedes she dyde vnto her husbonde [et]\nI doute not but yf she had done y\u1d49 fourth she sholde haue shamed hym\nfor euer. Than sayd y\u1d49 mayster therfore I counseyll you y\u1d57 ye beware of\nyour wyfe leste that it happen worse to you. for why yf ye doo to deth\nyour onely sone for her wordes, ye shall be deceyued in y\u1d49 ende, [et]\nfor euer ye shal forthynke it. The Emperour sayd truly mayster this day\nmy sone shal not dye. The mayster sayd My lorde I thanke you y\u1d57 ye for\nmin example and my sake this day haue spared your sone.\n\n\n\n\n_The Fyfth Complaynte of the Empresse._\n\n\nThe empresse her\u0233g y\u1d57 the chylde was not yet dede apparayled [et]\nclothed her in her vesture or cloth\u0233ge. [et] lete to be ordeyned her\nwaynes [et] cartes / as thoughe she wolde haue gone to her fad\u02b3 home\nin her co\u016btre for to haue c\u014dplayned of y\u1d49 grete shame y\u1d57 was done vnto\nher [et] coude haue no remedy herof. The serua\u016btes seynge y\u1d57 went [et]\nshewed it to themperour y\u1d57 thempresse was goyng in to her countree.\nWhan he y\u1d57 perceyued he went to her saynge, whither are ye goynge, I\nhoped y\u1d57 ye had loued me so moche y\u1d57 in all y\u1d49 worlde ye sholde haue\nsought no solace but w\u1d57 me. To y\u1d57 she sayd, That is true. [et] therfore\nI go from you, for I had leuer here of your deth, than to see you\ndye, w\u1d57oute doute ye delyte soo moche to here thyse maysters, y\u1d57 it\nshall happen vpon you as it dyde to Octauian themperour y\u1d49 whiche wes\nso coueytous that ye noble men of the empyre buryed hym quycke [et]\nfylled his mouth w\u1d57 molten golde. Themperour sayd, Dere wyf do not\nthat another tyme y\u1d49 blame to you or to me myght be layde. Than sayd\nthe empresse, truly y\u1d49 blame is yours for haue ye not promysed me many\ntymes that your sone sholde dye, [et] yet he lyueth, [et] therfore from\nhensforth I wyll no more byleue you. Then sayd themperour. It becometh\nnot a kynge euery cause lyghtly too dyscusse, w\u1d57out aduyse [et]\nspecyally vpon his sone, vpon whome it is not behoueful lyghtly to gyue\njugement and therfore I say [et] pray you that ye wyll tell me somwhat\nby the whiche I may myselfe gouerne, for it is vtter destrucc\u014dn of a\nkynge w\u1d57out aduyse [et] vndescretly to gyue jugement. She answered [et]\nsayde, I wyll gladly tell you a notable example, so that from hensforth\nye shall not be coueytous or desyrous to here y\u1d49 maysters. And began to\nsaye in this forme.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n_The Fyfth Example of the Empresse._\n\n\nOctauianus themperour reygned in Rome ryghte ryche [et] coueytous.\n[et] aboue all thynges he loued golde. The cytezyens y\u1d57 tyme of Rome\ndyde moche harme [et] many grete outrages to other nacyons. In soo\nmoche that dyuerse nacyons [et] regyons were meued [et] styred ayenst\ny\u1d49 Romayns. In that tyme there was mayster Uirgilius, y\u1d49 whiche\nexcelled in magique [et] in other scyences all other maysters. The\ncytezeyens prayed hym that he by his arte [et] conn\u0233ge wolde make\nsomwhat by the whiche they of theyr ennemyes myght haue warny_n_g\n[et] knowlege byfore. Wherby that they myght puruey for themselfe y\u1d49\nbetter. He lete doo make by his arte and conn\u0233ge a toure, [et] aboue\nvpon y\u1d49 toure dyde to be set as many ymages as in al the worlde were\nregyons and prouy_n_ces. and in the myddes of the toure he let to be\nmade and set an ymage, whiche helde in his hande an appell or a grete\nro\u016bde balle of golde. And euery ymage of the toure helde in his hand\na lytell bell, and stode torned lokynge towardes his owne prouynce\nto hym assygned. And as oftentymes as ony prouynce wolde styre or\nrebel ay\u0113ste the romaynes, so often torned hym the ymage of y\u1d57 londe\n[et] range the bell. That her\u0233ge the cytezeyns of Rome armed themselfe\n[et] to that prouynce yede with all theyr myght for that londe to\nkepe vnder. And soo was there no londe so grete y\u1d57 coude wreke them\nvpo_n_ the romaynes, and therfore were they bedradde and fered ouer all\nthe worlde. After that Mayster Uirgilius[3] made for the solace and\nconforte of the poor people a lyght that alwaye brende, and by that\nlyghte he made two bathes, the one of them hote, in the whiche the\npoore people myghte bathe and wasshe theym / [et] that other colde in\nthe whiche they myghte theymselfe refresshe, and betwyx that lyghte and\nthe bathes he made an ymage standynge, in whos forhede was wryten: He\ny\u1d57 smyteth me shall anone haue vengeaunce. This ymage stode there many\nyeres. At the laste there came a clerke and behelde that ymage [et]\nradde this wrytynge / and thoughte in hymselfe, what vengea\u016bce myght he\nfynde therfore. I byleue better that yf ony man sholde smyte the that\nthou fyllest there w\u1d57 to y\u1d49 erthe, he sholde fynde some tresoure vnder\nthy sete. [et] therfore is thy wrytynge that no man sholde haue it.\n[et] the clerke lyfte vp hys hande [et] gaue the ymage a grete stroke\ny\u1d57 it fell to y\u1d49 grou_n_de. [et] anone y\u1d49 lyght was out. [et] the\nbathes were vanysshed away, [et] he fo\u016bde no tresoure. The poore folke\ny\u1d57 perceyuynge were all sorowfull sayenge, cursyd mote he be for euer\nmore y\u1d57 for his synguler coueytyse hathe destroyed this ymage. [et] vs\nhathe robbed of so grete solace [et] c\u014dforthe. Here after assembled\nthre kynges the whiche of y\u1d49 Romayns had been oppressed [et] suffred\ngreate wronges. [et] went to co\u016bysell w\u1d57 them of theyr co\u016bysell, how\nthey myght best of y\u1d49 Romayns be auenged. [et] some of the_m_ sayd.\nwe labour in vayne, as longe as there standyth y\u1d49 tour w\u1d57 the ymages\nwe maye no thynge do ayenste theym. To y\u1d57 counseylle arose vp foure\nknyghtes and sayd to the kynges, we haue thoughte a goode remedy how we\nshal destroye the toure w\u1d57 the ymages and y\u1d57 to do and brynge aboute we\nwyll our lyues sette to pledge. Yf that ye wyll do y\u1d49 coste. Tho sayd\ny\u1d49 kynges what coste shall we do. They sayd, we must haue iiii tonnes\nfull of golde. Than sayd y\u1d49 kynges, take that golde [et] fulfyll youre\npromyse. The knyghtes toke y\u1d49 golde [et] went towardes Rome. [et] whan\nthey were thyder come in the nyght w\u1d57out one of y\u1d49 yates in the dyche\nw\u1d57 water they drowned one of y\u1d49 tonnes w\u1d57 the golde. [et] another tonne\nthey drowned by the sec\u014dde yate [et] the thyrde tonne by y\u1d49 thyrde\nyate. [et] the fourth ton\u0304 by the fourth yate they drowned. And whan\nthey had thus done erly in the mornynge they entred in to y\u1d49 cyte at\nan houre conuenyent whan y\u1d57 themperour went ouer the marte, they dyde\nto hym reuerence as it behoued. Themperour seynge them demaunded frome\nwhens they were, or what scyences or what seruyce y\u1d57 they coude do.\nWhiche answered, we are of ferre cou_n_trees [et] we be sothsayers so\nperfyte y\u1d57 there was neuer thynge so preuely or secretly hydde but y\u1d57\nwe shall f\u0233de it by our dremes. We haue herde that ye laboure [et] haue\npleasure in such thynges, and therfore came we to you for to wyte yf ye\nhad ony nede of our seruyce / Themperour sayd, I shall proue you [et]\nyf it be so y\u1d57 I fynde you true, ye shall haue of me grete rewardes\n[et] thanke. they sayde we aske no thynge but y\u1d49 haluen dele for our\nrewarde of the golde that by vs shall be fo\u016bden. The emperour sayd,\nI am therwith wel content. And thus had they with the emperour many\nwordes. At euen whan themperour was goyng to bedde they sayde too hym.\nMy lorde yf it please you this nyghte shall the oldest of vs set his\nconnynge a werke [et] dreme, [et] the thyrde day we shall shewe you his\ndreme [et] what it sygnefyeth. Themperour sayd goo in goddis name. And\nthey went forth w\u1d57 grete gladnesse. [et] all y\u1d57 nyght they passed ouer\nwith derysions [et] myrth vpon truste that they sholde come to a good\npurpose. whan y\u1d49 thyrde daye was comen they went erly too themperour.\n[et] the fyrste of them sayd my lorde pleaseth you to goo with vs\nwithout one of y\u1d49 yates of thy cyte [et] I shall shewe you where as a\ntonne full of golde is hyd. Themperour sayd, I shall go with you and\nse yf it be true that ye saye. whan they were comen to the place they\ndrewe out y\u1d49 tonne that they there afore had put / The emperour whan\nhe that sawe was gladde, and gaue to them theyr parte. Tho sayde the\nseconde dremer, my lorde this nyght I shal dreme. Themperour sayd, god\ngyue you a good dreme. y\u1d49 next nyght came he [et] toke out y\u1d49 other\ntonne, and gaue it to themperoure, [et] toke hym his dele. In lyke wyse\ndyd the thyrde. [et] y\u1d49 fourth, vpon y\u1d49 whiche themperour was out of\nall mesure ioyus [et] glad [et] sayd he had not sene afore soo true\n[et] experte sothsayers or dremers as they were / Than sayd they al\ntogyder at once as it had ben out of one mouth, my lorde we haue one\nafter another dre_med_ y\u1d49 whiche as ye haue sene be all true proued.\nBut now yf it please you that we may dreme all togyder this nyghte,\nwe truste that too vs shall bee shewed where we shall fynde a greate\nquantyte or substa\u016bce of golde [et] of rychesse. the Emperoure sayde\ngod gyue to you a gode dreme y\u1d57 to me and to you may be proffytable.\nUnto y\u1d49 next morowe they came ayen vnto y\u1d49 Emperoure [et] sayd to hym\nw\u1d57 joyouse [et] gladde vysages or co\u016btena\u016bces. My lorde we brynge gode\n[et] proffytable tydynges, for this nyght in our slepes such [et] so\ngrete a tresour is to vs shewed y\u1d49 whiche yf ye wyll suffre it for to\nbe soughte, ye shall be so moche enryched that in this worlde shall\nbe none to you lyke. Themperour sayd, where sholde y\u1d49 fynde ye hoorde\nor tresoure. they sayd, vnder the fundament of the tour y\u1d57 the ymages\nstanden on. The Emperoure answered, God defend that I sholde for\nloue of golde destroye that toure w\u1d57 ymages wherwith y\u1d57 we of oure\nennemyes be defended [et] warned. They sayde too hym ayen, My lorde,\nHaue ye founde vs in our saynges otherwyse than true [et] ryghtful.\nThemperour sayd nay. O Lorde sayd they, we with our owne hondes shall\ngete oute y\u1d49 gold w\u1d57out hurtynge of the tour or of y\u1d49 ymages. And it\nis expedyent y\u1d57 secretly in the nyght by vs it be done, for drede of\nresorte and concours of y\u1d49 people leste that ye sholde ren in the noyse\n[et] clamour of theym, and also that they sholde not take that good\nand golde away from you and vs. The Emperour sayde, Goo in the name of\ngod and doo your beste, as ye well can\u0304e, and I shall to morowe erly\ncome too you. Tho went they with joye and gladnesse, and in the nyght\nthey were laten in too the toure, and with grete haste and dylygence\nthey vndermynded it. [et] on the next daye erly they mounted vpon theyr\nhorses [et] rode ayen towardes theyr owne countre with ioye [et] glory.\nAnd or that they came w\u1d57out the syght of rome / the toure fell downe.\nAnd on the morne ensuynge whan it was fallen / [et] the Senatours it\nperceyued they sorowed gretely [et] there was a grete sorowe [et]\nbewaylynge thrughout all y\u1d49 cyte [et] went to themperour [et] sayd,\nlorde how maye it be y\u1d57 this tour is thus fallen, by the whiche we haue\nalwayes had warnynge afore of our enemyes. He answered [et] sayd, To me\ncame foure fals deceyuers [et] fayned themself to be foure sothsayers\n[et] y\u1d57 they coude fynde tresoure hyd in the gro\u016bde. And they sayd\nthat vnd\u02b3 the fundacyon of y\u1d49 toure was hydde an vnnumerable s\u014dme of\ngolde y\u1d49 whiche they sholde well vndermyne w\u1d57out hurt\u0233ge of the toure\nor ymages / [et] I gaue fayth to them [et] they haue deceyued me.\nthey answered hy_m_ / ye haue coueyted so moche golde, [et] for your\ninsacyate couetyse we shall be all destroyed. but fyrste your couetyse\nshall full (_sic_) vpon your selfe. [et] toke [et] ladde hym vnto\ny\u1d49 capytoll, [et] layde hym on his bac [et] poured his mouth full of\nmolten golde, sayng to hy_m_ ye haue desyred golde, [et] therfore ye\nshall dry_n_ke golde [et] after they buryed hym quycke. Not long after\nthat came thenmyes ayenst ye Romayns, [et] ouercame [et] destroyed them\nal. Than sayd thempresse vnto themperour haue ye my lorde this example\nwell vnderstand [et] he sayd ryght well. Than sayd she, The tour w\u1d57\nthe ymages is your body w\u1d57 your v. wyttes, as long as ye lyue there\nnone so hardy to trouble or make werre vpon you ne vpon your people.\nThat hath your sone ryght well vnderstonde w\u1d57 his vii. maysters [et]\nw\u1d57 theyre false narracyons or fables fynde how they may destroye you,\nfor ye are ouermoche couetyse to here [et] enclyned to them. [et] in\nso moche y\u1d57 they shal vndermyne you [et] caste you vnd_e_r fote, [et]\nbr\u0233ge you to nought. The ymages are your fyue wyttes y\u1d57 be all lost.\nfor they se y\u1d57 ye be all chyldyshe or folyshe they shall destroy and\nsle you. [et] your sone shall opteyne your empyre. Th\u0113perour sayd, ye\nhaue recyte to me a good ex\u0101ple. wherfore it shall not to me happen as\nit dyde w\u1d57 y\u1d49 tour but my sone fyrste this daye shall be hanged. To\nwhome thempresse sayd, yf ye doo so ye shall fare well [et] lyue long.\nUpon y\u1d49 nexte day he comma\u016bded hy_m_ to be lad to hang\u0233ge. [et] as he\nwas towardes y\u1d49 galowes lad, came rydynge ayenst hym vpon an hors his\nfyfth mayster towardes y\u1d49 palays. [et] came before themperour [et]\nsaluted hym w\u1d57 all reuerence / [et] he despysed his salutacyon. [et]\nput hym in fere of his lyfe. [et] y\u1d49 mayster sayd My lorde I haue not\ndeserued to dye. [et] ye my salutacyon despyse it is not your honoure.\nfor your sone hath not with vs be of such condycyo_n_s as ye repute\nhy_m_ for as ye in short tyme shal fynde. [et] that he speketh not is\nof his his (_sic_) grete wysdome. [et] knowe ye y\u1d57 he shal well speke\nas y\u1d49 tyme comyth, though y\u1d57 he now speke not, as ye in shorte tyme\nshall here. But ye saye y\u1d57 he your wyfe wolde haue shamed. y\u1d57 byleue\nnot. for so wise a man as he is neuer sholde atte_m_te so shamful a\ndede. And ye put hym to dethe for your wyues wordes, ye sholde not\nscape without shame and vengeaunce / In lyke wise as Ypocras scaped not\nw\u1d57out vengea\u016bce for y\u1d49 deth of Galtenus his cosyne. The emperour sayd\nthat wolde I fayne here and vnderstonde. The mayster sayd, what sholde\nauayle y\u1d49 narracyon to tel vnto you for your prouffyte yf in the meane\nseasone your sone sholde be hanged. [et] therfore yf ye wyll call ayen\nyour sone, and therafter do as ye thynke beste it shall be at your\npleasure. Themperour lete call ayen his sone and set him in pryson. And\ntho began y\u1d49 mayster too tell vnder this maner as foloweth:\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n_The Example of the Fyfthe Mayster._\n\n\nSomtyme there was a famous physycyan named Ypocras ryght connynge, y\u1d49\nwhich exceded all other in connynge [et] scye_n_ce he had w\u1d57 hym his\nneuewe or kynnesman y\u1d57 was called Galienus, y\u1d49 whiche he loued moche.\nThis Galien_us_ was of an excell\u0113t wytte [et] applyed all his wytte\n[et] mynde to lerne of h[i]s vncle the scyence of physyke. Whan Ypocras\napperceyued that in as moche as he coude hyde from hym hys conynge\nferynge that he sholde excelle hym in y\u1d57 crafte, for y\u1d49 grete wytte\nthat he was of. As Galienus this sawe, he studyed [et] excersysed, in\nsoo moche y\u1d57 in shorte tyme he had perfyte connynge physyke. for the\nwhiche Ypocras enuyed hym moche. It hapned vpo_n_ a tyme therafter,\ny\u1d57 the k\u0233ge of Ungary sent his messengers vnto Ypocras that he sholde\ncome vnto hym his sone fer to cure or make hole. Ypocras excused\nh\u0233self [et] wolde no goo. but sent his cosyne Galienus w\u1d57 his wrytynge\nin the company of y\u1d49 messengers for to excuse hym. And whan Galienus\nwas comen afore y\u1d49 kynge he was ryghte worshypfully receyued. but\nhe merueyled why that Ypocras wolde not come. he excused hym saynge\nthat he had many grete thynges too do that he myght not come, but he\nhath sent me in his stede. [et] w\u1d57 the helpe of god I shall make hole\nthat childe. That pleased well y\u1d49 kynge. Galienus went to the chylde.\n[et] whan he had seene his vryne, and tasted his pounces. he sayd tho\n(_sic_) the quene. O excellent prynces I pray you here [et] suffer\nmy wordes, [et] tel me who is y\u1d49 fad\u02b3of this chylde. She sayd, who\nsholde be his fader but my lorde the kyng. Galienus sayd, I am sure\ny\u1d57 he is not the fader. She answered yf ye wyll say y\u1d57 for a trouth I\nshall doo your hede to be smytn of. he answered I say yet ones agayn\ny\u1d57 this ky_n_ge is not the fader and I am not therfore comen hyther\nto lese my hede. for I haue no suche rewarde deserued. [et] he was\ngoynge his waye. The quene y\u1d57 seynge spake. O good mayster yf ye wyl\nkepe it secrete, [et] not dyscouer me, I shal shewe [et] open vnto you\nmyn herte. The mayster sayd God defende that from me, that I to no\npersone sholde shewe it. and therfore O noble quene shewe it boldely\nto me for it shall neuer passe my mouthe after. and I shall your sone\nease and make hym hole. She sayde yf ye doo that, ye shall haue of me\na good rewarde. [et] therfore here what I shall saye. Of fortune came\nhyther vnto my lorde, the kyng of Burgondyen, and he was so longe w\u1d57\nme conuersaunt that this chylde by hym I bare. Tho sayd y\u1d49 mayster,\nfere ye not, I knewe well that it was so byfore. [et] anone he gaue\nthe chylde to ete beef or of an oxe to dry_n_ke. and the chylde was\neased of his infyrmyte. And whan as the k\u0233ge herde that the chylde was\nquite of his malady he gaue vnto y\u1d49 mayster a good rewarde. but of\nthe quene he secretly receyued and had a greter gyfte and a specyal\nthanke and went his waye. And whan that he was comen home, Ypocras his\nmayster demaunded of hym, haue ye y\u1d57 chyld heled. [et] he sayd ye. Than\nasked he hy_m_ what he gaue to hym. [et] he sayd, I gaue hy_m_ fleshe\nof ox beef to ete, [et] water to dry_n_ke. Tho sayd Ypocras. Than is\nthe moder of that chylde not true too her husbonde. y\u1d57 is trouth sayd\nGalienus. Ypocras anone was meued w\u1d57 enuye, [et] thought in hymselfe yf\nhere be not found a remedy, my scyence shall no more be set by. [et]\nhe shal be named and praysed aboue me. And from that day forthwarde he\nthought [et] deuysed how he myght slee hym. Uppon a day Ypocras called\nand sayd come go we to seke and gadre herbes in the gardyne. To whome\nhe sayd mayster I am redy. And whan they were comen in to y\u1d49 gardyne,\nYpocras sayd, I fele that this herbe is ryght vertuous, stoupe downe\n[et] gadre me of it. Galienus dyde so. and as they went aboute the\ngardyne, sayd Ypocras now knowe I well by y\u1d49 odoure of this herbe that\nit is better [et] precyoser than golde. and therfore stoupe downe to\nthe gro\u016bde [et] drawe hym oute w\u1d57 the rotes for he is ryght moche.\nGalien_us_ bowed hymself down to plucke vp the herbe. Ypocras drewe out\nhis knyfe [et] kylled hym. After that Ypocras fyll seke to the dethe\nthat y\u1d49 strengthes of his body fayled hym and dyde as moche as he coude\nto helpe hymself but it wold not be and as his scolers [et] dyscyples\nherde of it they went hastely to hy_m_. [et] all that they myght or\ncoude do for the prouffyte of his helthe they dyde / but it auayled\nhym nothynge. Whan Ypocras that perceyued, he sayd vntoo his scolers.\nGoo and fetche me a grete tonne and fyll it full vnto the brynkes with\nwater. And whan they had soo done, he sayd too them make nowe therin\nan hondred hooles, and whan that was doone, there wente none of the\nwater oute. Tho sayd Ypocras. Beholde my moste dere dyscyples, how\ny\u1d57 y\u1d49 vengeaunce of god is fallen vpon me as ye openly may see, for\nin this tonne are an hondred holes, [et] yet gooth there out not one\ndroppe, ryght so there cometh no vertue out of y\u1d49 herbes to helpe me.\nand therfore what ye doo to me it helpeth not, for I must dye. But\nmy dere chyldren yf my neuewe Galienus were now on lyue, he sholde\nhele me, whom I haue slayne / y\u1d57 me sore forthynketh. [et] therfore\ny\u1d49 vengea\u016bce of god cometh ouer me. And this sayd he torned hy_m_ to\ny\u1d49 wal [et] gaue vp the goost. Tho sayd y\u1d49 mayster to themperour,\nMy lorde vnderstande ye well what I haue sayd. He answered ye ryght\nwell, what hurte had it b\u0113 to hym [et] Galienus had lyued. The mayster\nanswerd it had ben ryght good, for Ypocras at that tyme had not dyed,\n[et] therfore by y\u1d49 ryghtwyse Jugement of god his medycynes auayled\nhy_m_ not. [et] therefore I shewe to you y\u1d57 it shall happen worse to\nyou, yf y\u1d57 ye put to deth your sone for y\u1d49 wordes of your wyfe, which\nin tyme of necessyte shall assyste [et] socoure you. [et] consyder ye\nnot, y\u1d57 ye haue after your fyrst wyfe, ye haue wedded this wyfe y\u1d57 ye\nnow haue. [et] so ye may y\u1d49 thyrde [et] y\u1d49 fourthe, [et] neuer shall\nye haue of ony of them suche a sone y\u1d57 shal kepe [et] saue you from\nperyll. Themperour sayde truly he shal not dye. Tho sayd y\u1d49 mayster\nthan do ye wysely, [et] I commende you to god, [et] thanke you, y\u1d57 ye\nhaue this daye for me spared your sone. Themperour sayd I marke this\nwel y\u1d57 wy_m_me_n_ are crafty, [et] subtyl, herfore I wyl not for you\nbut for my self saue hy_m_.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n_The Syxte Complaynte of the Empresse._\n\n\nWhan that thempresse had knowledge, she shewed her selfe as a wode\nor an Impacyent body y\u1d57 all that sawe her or herde her wondred [et]\nsayd to themperour your wyfe she pyneth her self as though she sholde\ndeye. Themperour that heryng went to her [et] sayd wherfore be ye so\nheuy, [et] so impacyent. O lorde how shold I holde it in, whan I am\nthe only doughter of a kyng [et] your wyfe, [et] in your company I\nhaue had a grete despyte [et] shame, and contynually ye haue promysed\nme to punysshe it, but ye perfourme it not. The emperour sayd, I wote\nnot what I shal do. ye laboure from day to day to haue my sone slayne,\nand the maysters labour to saue his lyfe. And amonges al thyse I know\nwell that he is my sone, but whether the trouth is that knowe I not.\nThan sayd she, that is it y\u1d57 I complayne that ye beleue the maysters\nmore than ye do me. Therfore it shall happen to you as dyde to a kyng\nwith his stewarde. Than sayd the Emperoure, tell that example, happely\nit sholde meue me the soner to put my sone to deth. She sayde, gladly,\nbut I praye you gyue attendaunce what I shall saye, and began to tel as\nhereafter ensueth.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n_The Syxte Example of the Empresse._\n\n\nThere was a kyng ryght proude [et] merueylously dyfformed in his vysage\nin suche wyse that w\u0233men hym hated [et] abhorred. This kynge thought\nRome to destroye [et] the romaynes to slee, [et] y\u1d49 bodyes of Peter\n[et] Poule to take [et] cary awaye, whiche while he was in this my_n_de\nhe called to hy_m_ his stewarde that was ryght secrete w\u1d57 hym of his\npryue counseyll and sayd to hym. Seke me a fayre woman y\u1d57 this nyghte\nmay slepe w\u1d57 me. The stewarde answered, My lorde ye knowe wel your\ninfyrmyte [et] dysese, [et] y\u1d57 no woma_n_ wyll doo it w\u1d57out a grete\nsomme of money. The ky_n_ge sayd, thynke ye y\u1d57 for money I wyll want\none, haue I not golde [et] syluer ynough though it were a thousande\nflorenys I sholde it gladle gyue. The stewarde herynge y\u1d57 was anone\nsmyten w\u1d57 couetyse, went too his owne wyfe whiche was ryght fayre,\nchast, [et] of a gode kynrede, [et] sayde to her, O my good wyfe, my\nlorde desyreth [et] coueyteth fore to slepe w\u1d57 a fayr [et] beauteuouse\nwoman, [et] wyll not forbere it, though y\u1d57 she wold aske of hym a\nthousande florenys, and hath commaunded me too puruey hym of one. And\ntherfore I counseyll you that ye to vs gete that money. The wyfe sayde,\nwere it not so that the kynge so proude and foule of vysage were, yet\nwolde I not to that euyl consente bycause of the synne ayenst god. The\nstewarde answered, [et] I consente that ye shal do it, [et] therto I\ncou_n_seyl and c\u014dmaunde you, and promyse you w\u1d57oute that ye co_n_sente\nto me herin, ye shall neuer haue good daye w\u1d57 me. She heryng that\ntrembled, in so moche that for drede she consented to hym. The stewarde\ny\u1d57 herynge went to the kynge [et] sayd Syr I haue founde a fayre woman\n[et] she is comen of a good house, whiche wil not lesse haue than a\nthousande florenes [et] in the euin she shall come, [et] erly in the\nmorny_n_g she must away that she be not seen of the people. The kynge\nanswered [et] sayd, I am well content. whan the nyght was comen the\nstewarde lad his wyfe to y\u1d49 kynges bed and made faste the dore [et]\nyede his waye. Erly in the morny_n_ge the stewarde arose [et] went vnto\ny\u1d49 kynge [et] sayd. My lord it shall be daye w\u1d57in a whyle, it is good\nthat ye performe your promise [et] let the woman go. The kyng sayd this\nwoman pleseth me so well y\u1d57 so sone she shall not departe from me. whan\nthe stewarde that herde he departed thens al sory. unneth he taryed\nony whyle but came to the kynge and sayd. My lorde the mornynge is\ncomen, therfore let the woman goo, leste y\u1d57 she be ashamed, as I have\npromysed her. The kyng sayd yet shall she not go from me. [et] therfore\ngoo out and shet the dore ayen. The stewarde ryght sorowfull departed\nand wente vp [et] downe with an heuy [et] an angry herte, tyll that\nthe fayre [et] the clere daye appered, and than entred ayen in to the\nchamber and sayd. My lorde it is clere daye, suffre that woman to\ndeparte that she be not therwith ashamed. The kynge answered/ I saye to\nyou for a trouth she shall not yet departe for her co_m_pany is to me\nryght pleasau_n_t [et] acceptable. The stewarde y\u1d57 hery_n_ge coude no\nlenger forbere ne holde his owne cou_n_seyll, but sayd vnto y\u1d49 kyng. O\nmy good and gracyous lorde I beseche you suffre her to departe for it\nis myn owne wyfe. The kynge herynge that sayd to hym. Open y\u1d49 wyndowe.\n[et] whan it was open, the fayre [et] and the bryght day appered. he\nbehelde the woman ryght fayre and goodly. perceyued y\u1d57 it was y\u1d49 wyfe\nof the stewarde [et] sayd to hym. O thou moste [et] worste rybaude or\nknaue, why haste thou for so lytell money ashamed [et] vndone thy good\n[et] fayre wyfe. [et] her vnto me vnwetyngly haste delyuered. Therfore\nhaste y\u1d49 [et] gete the out of my realme [et] neuer more herafter come\nin my syghte, for frome hensforth yf euer I may se the thou shalt dye\ny\u1d49 moost shamefull [et] horryblest dethe that euer canne be ymagyned.\nWhan y\u1d49 stewarde herde y\u1d57 he fled his waye [et] durste not abyde [et]\nwas neuer so hardy ony more to come in to that realme. And y\u1d49 ky_n_ge\nkepte y\u1d49 wyfe al hys lyuedayes in grete worshyp, and gaue to hyr plente\nof all thynges that to her behoued [et] appertayned. After that the\nkynge lete do gadre [et] assemble a grete [et] a myghty armye [et]\npuyssau_n_ce of men of werre. [et] went to Rome with grete myght, [et]\nbesyeged the cyte on all sydes, so long tyll that the Romayns wolde\nhaue delyuered hym for to haue departed and withdrawen hymself from\nthens the bodyes of the holy apostles Petyr [et] Poule. Than was there\nin y\u1d49 cyte seuen wyse maysters as ye nowe haue, by the cou_n_seyll of\nwhome all the cyte was gyded [et] gouerned. And the cytezeyns came too\ntheym and sayd. what shall we do, it behoueth vs as that we delyuere\nvnto oure dedely ennemyes the bodyes of the holy apostles or elles\nye cyte. Tho answered y\u1d49 fyrste mayster. I shall w\u1d57 my wysdome [et]\nconnynge this day y\u1d49 cyte [et] y\u1d49 body of the apostles saue. [et] so\none after another promysed to doo y\u1d49 same, eueryche of theym for one\ndaye. In lyke wyse as y\u1d49 maysters haue promysed your sone. w\u1d57 that y\u1d49\nkynge began to assaute the cyte on all partyes. Tho began y\u1d49 fyrste\nmayster to saye, [et] to alledge so wysely for to haue pease, y\u1d57 y\u1d49\nkynge that day lefte his assaute makynge [et] withdrewe hym a lytyll\nfro the cyte. [et] soo dyde all the maysters one after an other vnto\nthe laste. To whome came y\u1d49 burgeyses [et] sayd. O mayster ye shall\nvnderstande that y\u1d49 kynge hath made his othe [et] sworne that to morowe\nw\u1d57 al his puyssaunce [et] strength he wyll haue [et] wynne the cyte.\nOr elles we muste all be in jeoperdye too lese our lyues. Therfore in\naquytynge of your promyse defende [et] kepe vs from daunger lyke as\nall your felowes afore haue done. to that answered y\u1d49 mayster [et]\nsayd be of good comforte [et] fere not, for too morowe I shall by\nmy connynge shewe suche a werke and operacyons / that the kyng with\nall his puissaunce and myght shal fle [et] leue the syege. The nexte\ndaye the kynge made [et] gaue a grete assaute too the cyte. Tho went\nthe mayster and endued or clothed hymselfe with a meruayvesture or\nclothynge hauynge therin the fethers or y\u1d49 tayles of pecockes and of\nother foules of dyuers coloures. and toke two bryght swerdes in eche\nhande one. and went there with all and stode vpon the hygheste toure\nof all the cyte. and began to meue and torne or shewe hymselfe aboute\non all partes towarde the oste so that they myght all beholde [et] se\nhym. and he helde in his mouthe the two bryght swerdes y\u1d57 merueylously\nshyned. They w\u1d57out of y\u1d49 kynges hoost that seyeng sayd to hym. O lorde\nbeholde vpon hyghest of yonder toure a wonderfull thynge or fygure. Ye\nI se it wel y\u1d57 it is merueylous / but what it is I knowe not. They sayd\nto hym It is Jhesus the god of y\u1d49 crysten folke y\u1d57 is come out of heuen\nvs al to sle [et] destroye w\u1d57 his two swerdes yf wee here ony lenger\nabyde. The kynge herynge that trembled for fere and sayde what shall\nwe do, there is but one way and that is that we anone go and departe\nfro hens leste that theyr god auenge hvmselfe vpon vs. Tho began y\u1d49\nkynge w\u1d57 all his oste to fle, notwithstond\u0233ge there was no nede. but\ny\u1d57 they of y\u1d49 mayster were begyled [et] deceyued. And whan y\u1d49 romaynes\ny\u1d57 sawe they hastely moued after al armed in good ordynaunce. [et] the\nkynge w\u1d57 many of his people they kylled and destroyed, [et] also in\nthat manere by grete subtylte of y\u1d49 mayster was y\u1d49 myghty kynge w\u1d57 his\nfolke ouercomen. Then sayd thempresse to themperour, Lorde haue ye\nvnderstande what I haue sayde. He sayd ye, well in y\u1d49 beste wyse. She\nsayd, haue ye no herde what I haue sayd to you at the begynnynge of\nthis narracyon, of the stewarde that the kynge trusted so moche, which\nfor lucre of good shamed his owne wyfe, [et] he for that was dryuen\n[et] banysshed out of the londe. In lyke wyse your sone for the desyre\nand appetyte that he hath to the empyre, entendeth to co_n_founde and\ndestroye you. But while ye be in your myght [et] power do with hym as\ny\u1d49 kynge did w\u1d57 his stewarde yf ye wyll not put hym to deth, banysshe\nhim out of your empyre, y\u1d57 ye without fere may leue in surete of your\nlyue. And haue ye not also herde how y\u1d49 kyng lay before ye cyte of\nRome, [et] howe he was by the wyse maysters dec[e]yued [et] scorned y\u1d57\nhe with his folke were kylled [et] slayne. In the same wyse y\u1d49 seuen\nmaysters entende to do w\u1d57 you. [et] by theyr false wyles and subtyltees\nto deceyue you, [et] in the ende to sle you y\u1d57 your sone may regne.\nTherupon answered themperour [et] sayd that shall not so be, for my\nsone too morowe shal deye. Than commau_n_ded his serua\u016btes that they\nsholde lede his sone to hangynge. And as the folke herde that there was\na grete noyse [et] a gaderynge of theym and bewayled the dethe of y\u1d49\nonly sone of themperour. And as y\u1d49 syxte mayster herde that, he hasted\nhym too the Emperour [et] salued hym moche honourably, [et] he toke it\nvntha_n_kfully, [et] thretned hym or menaced him to dye w\u1d57 his sone\nfor that he was w\u1d57 them made dompe, and a rybaude, y\u1d49 whiche he had\nshewed vpon his wyfe. The mayster sayd. I haue deserued no deth w\u1d57\nyour sone, but grete [et] large gyftes, for he is not dompe as ye shall\nhere w\u1d57in thre dayes yf he may lyue soo longe. and yf ye put hym too\ndeth for wordes of your wyfe, than shall I merueyll of your wysdome.\n[et] without doute it shall happen to you as it somtyme happened to a\nknyght that so moche alowed the saynges of his wyfe that he was bounde\nto an horse tayle [et] drawen thrugh out all the cyte to the galowes.\nThemperour sayde for the loue of god shewe me that example that I may\nthe better beware of that peryl. That wyl I not doo sayd the mayster,\nw\u1d57out ye do cal ayen your sone. Than themperour commau_n_ded to call\nhis sone. And the mayster began afore al the folke to tel in this maner\nfolowynge.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n_The Example of the Syxte Mayster._\n\n\nThere was an Emperour of Rome the whiche had thre knyghtes whom he\nloued aboue al other. And in that same cyte was an au_n_cyent knyght y\u1d57\nhad wedded a fayre yonge wyfe as ye do thempres whiche aboue al other\nthy_n_ges he loued. This lady coude synge ryht wel, [et] melodyously\n[et] w\u1d57 suche swetnes y\u1d57 many drewe to her house [et] desyred her\ncompany / It befell vpo_n_ a season as she sate in her house, y\u1d49 vysage\ntorned in to the strete y\u1d57 she myght se them that we_n_t by. [et] began\nswetely tu synge, y\u1d57 all folke delyted for to here her. By chaunce\ncame that wayes a knyght of y\u1d49 Emperours courte [et] herde that voyce,\nlyft vp his ey\u0113 [et] behelde her Intentyfly [et] anone he was taken\nin her loue, and entred in to her house [et] fyll in communycacyon\nw\u1d57 her of loue. [et] amonges al other he demau_n_ded what he sholde\ngyue her too slepe by hym one nyght. She answered an hondred floreyns.\nThe knyght sayde, tell me whan I shall come, [et] I shall gyue you an\nhondred floreyns. She sayd whan I may haue a conuenyent tyme I shal\nsende for you. The nexte day she sange ayen in the same place, and it\nfortuned the seco_n_de knyght of themperour to come by that same way,\nthe whiche in lykewyse was smyten in her loue, [et] also pr_o_mysed\nher an hondred floreyns. To whom also she promysed to shewe hym a tyme\nprouyded. The thyrd day was the thyrd knyght in lyke wyse caught in\nher loue, the whiche also promysed an ho_n_dred floreyns, [et] she too\ngyue hym knowelege of the tyme. Thyse thre knyghtes haue so secretly\nspoken with that lady y\u1d57 none of them had knowlege of other. The lady\ny\u1d57 was of malyce [et] cautelous replenysshed, came to her husbonde [et]\nsayd, syr I haue secrete maters too shewe you, [et] folowe therein my\ncounseyll yf ye do it, our necessite or pouerte ye may largely releue.\nThe knyght sayd tel it me I shal holde it secrete [et] fulfyl it to my\npower. She sayde thre knyghtes of th\u0113perours court haue ben w\u1d57 me one\nafter an other in suche wyse y\u1d57 none knoweth of an other counseyll.\n[et] euery of them haue offred me an hondred floreyns, myght we y\u1d49\nthre c florayns gete [et] no knowlege therof be had sholde it not be\nto vs a grete helpe [et] our pouerte well releued. The knyght sayd,\nforsoth yes, [et] therfore what someuer ye cou_n_seyl me to do I shall\nfolowe it. Tho sayd she, I shall gyue you this counseyll. whan they\ncome with the floreyns ye shall stande behynde y\u1d49 yate w\u1d57 your swerde\ndrawen in your hande. [et] bycause y\u1d57 euery of them comethe alone, ye\nshall sle one after another, [et] so we shal haue the three c floreyns\nof them without knowlege of ony other. The knyght answered. O my best\nbeloued wif I fere me that this euyll can notte be hydde, and we sholde\ntherfore shamefully suffre dethe yf that it were knowen. She sayd I\nshall this werke begynne. [et] I shall make therof a good ende, and\nfere it not. wha_n_ the knyght sawe that she was so hardy it caused hym\nto be the more bolde. and she sent for the fyrst knyght and he came to\nhyr anone with oute ony taryenge to the yate [et] knocked, [et] she\naskyd yf he brought y\u1d49 c floreyns. and he sayd ye, I haue theym here\nall redy. Tho lete she hy_m_ in. [et] anone at y\u1d49 entrynge in, her\nhusbonde kylled hym [et] so he dyde y\u1d49 seconde [et] the thyrde [et] in\nto one secrete chamber they drewe the bodyes of them. Whan it was thus\ndone y\u1d49 knyght sayd to his lady. O dere wyfe yf thyse bodyes be founde\nw\u1d57 vs, we shall dye y\u1d49 moost shamefull deth y\u1d57 can be ymagyned for it\nis not possyble but y\u1d57 thyse knyghtes shall be myssed in themperours\ncourte. [et] grete serche [et] Inquysyon shall be for them made thrugh\nall this cyte, where they are become. She sayde, Syr I haue this werke\nbegonne, [et] shal make therof a good ende, fere not, as I afore sayd.\nThis lady had a brother the whiche had the gouernau_n_ce of the watche\nof y\u1d49 cyte that on y\u1d49 nyghtis vpon stretes watched w\u1d57 his felowes. She\nstode at her gate [et] called her brother [et] sayde. O my best brod\u02b3\nI haue a secrete mater the whiche in co_n_fessyon I shal shewe you.\n[et] therfore come a lytyll withi_n_, [et] whan y\u1d57 he was come in, the\nknyght receyued hym frendly [et] gaue hym wyne to drynke. [et] sayd,\nmy well beloued broder, this is y\u1d49 cause y\u1d57 I haue called you, for of\nyour cou_n_seyll I haue moche nede. The broder answered say it boldely\nto me, [et] what someuer y\u1d57 I may do, to my power, y\u1d57 shall be at your\ndesyre w\u1d57out letty_n_ge. Tho sayd she, yesterdaye came in a knyght in\ngood frendshyp / but afterwarde he fyll in suche wordes [et] varyaunce\nw\u1d57 my husbonde, y\u1d57 he slewe hym, [et] lyeth in my chamber. [et] myn\nowne dere broder we haue noo man that we may truste but you. [et] yf\ny\u1d49 body were fou_n_de by vs we sholde dye. [et] she made mencyon but\nof one. y\u1d49 brother sayd delyuer it me in a sacke [et] I shall bere\nhy_m_ to y\u1d49 see. she herynge y\u1d57 was full glad thereof, [et] delyuered\nto hy_m_ the body of y\u1d49 fyrste knyght. he toke it [et] went w\u1d57all a\ngood pase [et] cast it therin. [et] as this was done, he came ayen to\nhis syster [et] sayde, gyue me nowe of the beste wyne for ye are of\nhym quyte. [et] she thanked hy_m_ [et] went in to as though she had\ngone for wyne and began to crye w\u1d57 an hygh voyce, y\u1d49 knyghte that was\ncaste in to the see is come ayen. As her brother y\u1d57 herde he wondred\nsore, [et] sayde gyue me hym. I shall se yf he shall aryse ayen. [et]\ntoke the body of the seconde knyght [et] wende it had ben of the fyrst\nknyght [et] went to the see, [et] w\u1d57 a grete stone drowned hym therin.\ny\u1d57 done, went ayen vnto his systers house [et] sayde, nowe fyll me a\ncuppe with good wyne, for I haue drowned hym so depe y\u1d57 he shall neuer\ncome ayen. she sayd thanked be god [et] went ayen too her chamber [et]\nfayned her to fetche wyne. [et] cryed with a grete voyce. Alas wo be to\nme he is rysen ayen and come out of y\u1d49 see. [et] as her brother herde\nthat with grete meruaylle sayd. what deuyll is this knyght that I haue\nthus caste in to y\u1d49 water [et] notwithstandynge is comen ayen. Delyuer\nhy_m_ me y\u1d49 thyrde tyme, [et] I shall se yf he shall come ayen. Tho\ngaue she hym y\u1d49 thyrde knxght (_sic_), whiche he byleued had ben y\u1d49\nfyrste knyght, [et] yede w\u1d57oute ye cyte to a grete foreste [et] made\na grete fyre [et] caste the knyght therin. [et] whan he was almost\nbrente, y\u1d49 brod\u02b3 went thens a lytel dystau_n_ce to do his nede. Tho\ncame there a knyght y\u1d57 wolde ryde to y\u1d49 cyte where on y\u1d49 morny_n_ge\nthey sholde haue a tourneye [et] a Justy_n_g. [et] it was colde weder\n[et] derke, [et] was not fer fro y\u1d49 cyte. As y\u1d57 he had a syght of that\nfyre drewe therto [et] alyghted from his horse [et] warmed hy_m_.\nThe waker came [et] sayd to hy_m_ what arte y\u1d58. The knyght sayd I am\na gentyl knyghte. Tho spake y\u1d49 waker [et] sayd, y\u1d58 arte no knyght\nbut a deuyll for fyrste I caste ye in to the water, the ii tyme w\u1d57 a\ngrete stone I drowned the, [et] the iii tyme I haue put y\u1d49 in this\nfyre supposynge y\u1d57 y\u1d58 haddest be brente. [et] yet y\u1d58 standest here,\n[et] tho he toke y\u1d49 knyght w\u1d57 his hors [et] cast them both in to the\nfyre. [et] after y\u1d57 he went aye_n_ to his syster [et] tolde what had\nhapned hy_m_. Nowe bry_n_ge me of y\u1d49 beste wyne, for after y\u1d57 I had\nbrente hym I fou_n_de hym ayen by y\u1d49 fyre w\u1d57 his horse, [et] I haue\ncaste them both in the fyre. [et] his syster perceyued well y\u1d57 he had\nbrent a knyght of the tourney whiche anone broughte hy_m_ of y\u1d49 best\nwyne habu_n_dau_n_tly. [et] after he had wel dronken he went thens.\nNot longe tyme after that there fyll a grete debate [et] co_n_tenc\u014dn\nbetwyx the knyghte [et] his wyfe, in such wyse y\u1d57 he smote her. which\nhad indygnacyon therof [et] waxed angry [et] sayd that many myght\nhere it, O wretche wyll ye kylle me as ye haue done the thre knyghts\nof themperours. men y\u1d57 herynge layde handes on them, [et] brought\nthem before y\u1d49 emperour [et] y\u1d49 woman anone knowleged y\u1d57 hyr husbonde\nhad slayne the thre knyghtes of themperours [et] how he toke fro them\nthre hondred floreyns [et] as it was thus in trouth fou_n_de, bothe\nwere drawen atte an horse tayll and hanged vppon the galowes. Than\nsayd y\u1d49 mayster to themperour, haue ye vnderstande what I haue sayd.\nHe answered ryghte well. I saye for certayne that wyfe was y\u1d49 worste\nwoman that myght be of all wymme_n_, for she moued [et] styred hy_m_ to\nmurdre, [et] afterwarde dyscouered hym. The mayster sayd, It is w\u1d57oute\ndoubte y\u1d57 it shall to you happen worse yf ye put to deth your sone by\ny\u1d49 aduyse of your wyfe. Themperour sayd, my sone shall not dye this\nday. The mayster y\u1d57 herynge yaue thankynges to themperour, and toke\nleue [et] went his waye.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n_The Seuenth Complaynte of the Empresse._\n\n\nWhan the empresse herde y\u1d57 the sone of themperour was yet lyuynge, as\na mad woman she ranne to themperour wepynge [et] cryenge. O vnhappy\nwyfe what shall I doo. alas alas for I muste nedes sle myselfe y\u1d57 so\nam ashamed [et] no punysshement there vpon done. Themperour answered,\nGod defende you suche thy_n_ges to haue in mynde, but suffer a whyle,\n[et] ye shall haue a good ende in your cause. She answered, Syr y\u02b3 ende\nshall be euyll, for of y\u1d57 shal folowe to you grete co_n_fusyon [et]\nto me. Themperour sayd, be styl of such thy_n_ges. She sayd, Lorde it\nshall come to you [et] your sone as it happened to a kynge [et] to his\nstewarde. Themperour sayd I praye you tell me that example. She sayde\nI wyll gladly tell it, but I fere me that ye wyl here me no more, for\ny\u1d49 next day y\u1d49 seue_n_th mayster shal speke [et] saue your sone from\ny\u1d49 deth as his felowes haue done. The seconde day after this then your\nsone shal speke, of whoos wordes ye shal haue [et] take svche joy [et]\ndelectacyon y\u1d57 the loue betwyxte vs shall bee holy forgeten [et]\nwasshed away. Themperour sayd that is Impossyble to me, for I shal\nneuer your loue forgete. Tho sayd she, O my best beloued lorde, please\nit you I shal tel you one example, by y\u1d49 whiche ye shall beware before\nof many perylles in tyme comynge, [et] specyally of your cursed sone,\nwhiche entendeth to destroy me by his maysters. The emperour sayd, tell\non your example. and the Empresse began to tell in this wyse ensuynge.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n_The Seuenth Example of the Empresse._\n\n\nThere was somtyme a kyng, the whiche loued his wyfe aboue all thynge.\nin so moche that he closed her in a stronge castell, [et] bare y\u1d49 keyes\nof the castel hymselfe. The lady was therfore ryght heuy [et] desolate.\nNow in ferre partyes there was a valyaunte knyght y\u1d49 whiche in a nyght\nhad a dreme after this effecte. For he thought that he sawe one of the\nfayreste quenes y\u1d57 myght be. y\u1d49 which aboue all thynges desyred to\nhaue her loue. y\u1d57 yf he myghte se her walkynge he sholde clerely haue\nknowlege of, by whome to hym grete frendshyp [et] worship sholde come.\nTo y\u1d49 quene in y\u1d49 same nyght by vysyon of the sayd knyght, it was to\nher also shewed. [et] yet they hadde of eche other neyther knowlege of\nname neyther of fame. Whan y\u1d49 knyght had thus dremed [et] seen in his\nslepe, he thought [et] determyned in his mynde that his fote sholde not\nreste vnto y\u1d49 tyme tyll he had founde that lady, y\u1d57 to hym was shewed\nin his vysyon. and lepte vpon his horse / and toke with hym all that\nto hym was necessarye for his journey. and rode and laboured thrughe\ndyuerse regyons and londes soo longe tyll at the last he came vnto the\nsame londe, where that the quene was by her husbonde closed or kepte in\na stronge castel. And wha_n_ this sayd knyght was come in to y\u1d49 same\ncyte, and by a certayne season had there soiourned, it happened on a\nday as this knyght walked by the castell, and knewe not y\u1d57 y\u1d49 quene was\ntherin she sate in a wy_n_dowe to beholde [et] see y\u1d49 people goynge\nby. [et] amonge all other she sawe the sayd knyght, and knewe that\nhe was the same man that she had dremed of. And y\u1d57 knyght by chaunce\nlyfte vp his eyen [et] perceyued y\u1d49 lady syttyng in the wyndowe. [et]\nanone his minde shewed hym y\u1d57 it was she y\u1d57 he the dremes of had. [et]\nhe began to synge a songe of loue. And as she herde y\u1d57 she was anone\ntaken w\u1d57 his loue. The knyghte from thensforth dayly went [et] walked\naboute y\u1d49 castell beholdynge it ouer all y\u1d57 yf in ony maner wyse he\nmyght gete to her too shewe his mynde. The lady perceyuy_n_ge that she\nwrote a letter [et] cast it downe to hym. And whan he had sene ouer\ny\u1d49 letter, [et] understode y\u1d49 wyll of that lady, he began to haunte\nJoustes [et] tournamentes [et] dyde so many gret [et] merueylous actes\nor dedes, that y\u1d49 name of hym came to the kynge. And as the kynge herde\nthat he sent after hym [et] sayd to hym, Syr knyght I haue herde moche\nhonour of you. yf it wyll please you for to abyde [et] to dwell w\u1d57 vs,\nwe shall gyue you large gyftes [et] rewardes. The knyght answerd, O\nryght myg[h]ty prynce I am your seruaunte, wolde god y\u1d57 I coude do ony\nseruyse to please your magnyfycence, w\u1d57out takynge of rewarde saue one\nthyng afore all other I desyre. The kynge sayd, shewe it boldely what\nthynge y\u1d57 it is. The knyght sayd, My lorde sythen y\u1d57 it hath pleased\nyou for to take me as your seruau_n_t [et] one of youre counseyll, me\nsemeth that it were expedyent for bothe our solaces, that I hadde a\nplace nyghe too the wall of the castell: that I myght at all tymes be\nthe more redy at your callynge whan that ye haue nede. Then\u0304e the\nkynge sayd I consente it to you make it as ye thy_n_ke it beste. Tho\nwente the knyght [et] hyred werkeme_n_ [et] made a fayre logynge by y\u1d49\nwalles of y\u1d49 toure. [et] wha_n_ it was all redy, He made a couenau_n_t\nw\u1d57 a werkeman for to make out of his house a secret way in to y\u1d49 tour\n[et] whan it was made redy after his entente, he kylled y\u1d49 werkeman\nby cause he sholde not dyscouer. [et] went in to y\u1d49 quene [et] dyde\nto her reuerence accordy_n_g [et] they talked of many thynges, y\u1d57 at\nthende he desyred for to slepe by her, which she oftentymes denyed,\nbut neuery\u1d49les she co_n_sented to hy_m_. After y\u1d57 y\u1d49 quene thought\nwhat shall I do, yf I sholde gyue knowlege herof vnto my husbo_n_d,\ntherof sholde come two euyls y\u1d49 one is my shame, [et] y\u1d57 by auenture\nhe sho[l]de vtterly forsake me [et] dryue me out of his londe for\neuer, [et] y\u1d49 knyght he sholde sle, for fro y\u1d49 dethe he coude not\nescape, [et] therfore it is better y\u1d57 I be styll [et] tell not. The\nknyght after y\u1d57 as oftentymes as it pleased hym he went in to the\nquene, [et] dyde his wyll with her. And she gaue hym a rynge the whiche\ny\u1d49 kyng had gyuen vnto her at theyr weddynge. This knyght in euery\nbatayll and tournam\u0113adde the vyctory wherfore he was and stode in\ngrete fauour with the kynge insomoche that he made hy_m_ his stewarde\n[et] gouernoure of al his Regyon [et] lond. \u00b6 It happened vppon a daye\nthat the kynge dysposed hym selfe for too goo too chase or huntynge,\nand he commaunded his stewarde for too make hym redy vppon the morowe\nfor too goo with hym, whertoo he offred hym selfe all redy. \u00b6 And on\nthe morowe after they entred in to y\u1d49 forest, [et] all that daye they\nchased, [et] folowed y\u1d49 wylde bestes that they were so wery that y\u1d49\nkynge by a fontayne sate hy_m_ downe to reste. [et] y\u1d49 knyghte by y\u1d49\nkynge, [et] fyll on slepe by hym, hauynge y\u1d49 ry_n_ge vpon his fynger,\ny\u1d49 whiche the kynge marked [et] knewe. After y\u1d57 the knyght perceyued y\u1d57\nthe kynge had sene the rynge, fayned hymself seke [et] sayd, My lorde\nI fele my selfe sore seke [et] yf I fynde not hastely remedy therfore\nby the meanes [of] physyke I am but a dede ma_n_ [et] therfore I pray\nyou lycence me to go home. To whome he sayd, go my dere frend in goddes\nname. he anone gate on his horse [et] hasted hy_m_ to his house, [et]\nwente to the quene [et] gave her ayen y\u1d49 rynge, [et] tolde her how y\u1d49\nkynge had marked it [et] sene it on his fynger, [et] prayed her yf he\nmade ony questyons of y\u1d49 rynge y\u1d57 [s]he sholde shewe it to hy_m_. This\ndone, he went downe ayen to his lodgy_n_ge. And anone after y\u1d57 the\nkynge came to the quene [et] she receyued hym ryght louy_n_gly, [et]\nafter y\u1d57 a lytyl tyme was passed, the kyng sayd, My lady shew me where\ny\u1d49 ryng is that I gaue to you, I desyre to se it. O my lorde to what\nentente at this tyme desyre ye to se it. Than sayd he, yf ye shewe it\nnot to me Inco_n_tyne_n_t it shall repente you. She rose anone vp [et]\nwent to [her] cheste [et] brought the ry_n_ge to y\u1d49 kynge. And as he\nsawe y\u1d49 rynge he was half ashamed, [et] sayd vnto her, O howe lyke is\nthe knyghtes rynge vnto this rynge, whyche I sawe vpon his fynger, and\nI bileued that it had ben my rynge, and therfore it was that I asked\nit of you so hastely after the rynge. And of this euyll suspecyon I\nyelde my selfe gylty ayenst you my dere lady, in this behalfe, for y\u1d49\nstrength of the toure deceyued me, for I thy_n_ke y\u1d57 noo man myght come\ntherin, but I myself alone. She sayde, My dere lorde, wond\u02b3 not for one\nrynge is lyke an other, for werke men make seldome ony werke, but y\u1d49\nother make the same, but god forgyue it you that ye haue had me suspect\nwhan ye knowe the strength of y\u1d49 toure, [et] the keyes ye haue alway\nby you, [et] byleue no man therw\u1d57. After y\u1d57 the knyght lete ordeyn\u0304\na grete dyner [et] sayd to the ky_n_ge, my lorde it is so that my lady\nin loue is come out of my countre [et] I haue done to be made a feste\nor a dyner. [et] gladly I wolde pray you that at this tyme ye wyll doo\nme honour, [et] take suche mete as is in my house. he kynge sayd I shal\ngladly do you y\u1d57 worshypp [et] more. The knight was therof glad, [et]\nby his secrete way went to the quene [et] sayd to her, My lady this\nday ye shal come to my house by my preuy way, [et] clothe you in ryche\nclothynge after the way of my cou_n_tre, [et] ye shal syt at the table\nw\u1d57 the kynge as my souerayne lady, [et] make hy_m_ good there. She\nsayd as ye wyll I shall it all th\u0233ges fulfyll, [et] whan the houre of\nmete was come, [et] the ky_n_ge from the castell was comyng towardes\nthe knyghtes house, In the meane tyme the quene entred by the secrete\nway in to the knyghtes lodgynge [et] apparayled her after the maner of\nthe knyghtes countre. and whan the kynge was entred in to the house,\nshe salued hym reuerently and receyued hym. and whan the kynge hadde\nbeholden her he demaunded of the knyghte, what woman is this that is\nso fayr. Then y\u1d49 knyght sayd my lorde it is my souerayne lady that\nnow is come out of my cou_n_tre after me. I haue taryed longe in her\nseruyce. Then the knyght set the kynge att y\u1d49 table as it behoued. [et]\nmade the quene to syt by hym / [et] the kynge thoughte that it was his\nquene, and sayd w\u1d57in hymself, O how lyke is this woman vnto my wyfe.\nSo y\u1d49 strength of the toure deceyued hym, that he gaue more fayth and\ncredence to y\u1d49 knyghtes wordes than he dyde vnto his owne eyen. The\nquene began\u0304e for to speke [et] talke vnto the kynge and to styre\nhym for to ete and drynke [et] to make good chere. And wha_n_ as the\nkynge herde her voyce and speche than he sayd to hymselfe, O blessed\nlady, lyke is this woman vnto my quene, in her behauyng / in speche /\nin vysage / [et] in all other thy_n_ges [et] condycyons. and alwayes y\u1d49\nstrengthe of the toure fayled hym. In the ende of y\u1d49 mete, y\u1d49 knyghte\nprayed his loue to synge a songe afore y\u1d49 kyng the whiche began for to\nsynge a songe of loue. whan as he herde that [et] knewe her voyce, he\nthought is not this my wyfe. How may it be she. haue not I the keyes\nof y\u1d49 toure my selfe in kepynge. and soo all the mete tyme he sate\nand strofe within hymselfe. Tho att the laste he sayde vnto the knyght\nthat he sholde take vp the table for he hadde somwhat for too done for\nwhy that he sate in suche a grete thought, and aduysem\u0113t. The knyght\nanswered and sayde, My lorde ye make noo good chere, ye are full of\nthoughtes. And yf it please you we shall make to you more sporte [et]\nsolace. And the woman sayd please it you syr kynge here by vs tarye.\nwe shall make you all the sporte [et] solace that we can, lyke as y\u1d49\nquene is in her solace [et] conforte. He sayd take away the table, for\nI may no lenger abyde. Then the knyght at the commaundement of y\u1d49 kynge\ntoke vp the table, [et] thanked theym all. And y\u1d49 kynge wente hastely\nvnto the castell in serchynge whether y\u1d57 the quene were w\u1d57in or not.\nAnd in the meane whyle the quene went vp by her preuy way, [et] put of\nher vppermost vestures [et] the kynge founde her in the same clothynge\nthat he lefte her afore. Whan as the kynge was entred [et] so founde\nher, he embraced [et] kyssed her [et] sayd vnto her. This day I haue\neten w\u1d57 my knyghte and w\u1d57 his loue that is come out of his cou_n_tree,\nand sythen I was borne vnto this day myn eyen hath not sene two so\nlyke creatures in al thyng as she is to you and this mete tyme I haue\nbe soo moche styred with dyuerse thy_n_ges y\u1d57 I coude no lenger abyde\nthere, but y\u1d57 I muste come [et] serche whether ye were here or theyre.\nTho sayd y\u1d49 quene, Syr how myght ye thynke y\u1d57, for ye knowe well y\u1d57\nthis toure is fast, [et] stronge ynoughe [et] that no body can come\nin nor out w\u1d57out you, for ye alone haue alwayes the keye. How were\nit then possyble for me to be there. Ye fynde somtyme one man lyke on\nother and therfore ye sholde take none argum\u0113tes of mysdemyng or of\nsuspycion, as ye late dyde of the rynge. The kynge sayd, that is true\nand therfore I knowlege my selfe gylty that I haue mysdemed you. After\nthat came to hym y\u1d49 knyght [et] sayd, My lorde I haue of long tyme\nserued your good grace, and now it is tyme that I retourne ayen in to\nmy countre [et] therfore for all the seruyce y\u1d57 I haue done vnto you\nI desyre of you but one thynge to do for me. y\u1d57 my lorde ye whiche I\nentende to wedde in the face of the chyrche, which hath folowed me out\nof ferre countrees, [et] her I shall brynge thyder ayen as my laweful\nwyfe. Therfore I beseche and praye your noble grace that ye wyll do me\nthis honour, that by your owne honde ye wyll gyue her afore the preest\nvnto me, the whiche shallbe vnto me greete honour and worshyp whan I\ncome into my countree. The kynge answered, y\u1d57 petycyon and more yf ye\ndesyre it that shall I gladly doo and fulfyll it. The knyght prefyxed\nthe daye of maryage. To the whiche daye this good kynge came to the\nchyrche worshypfully. The preest was redy [et] stode indued w\u1d57 his\nvestymentes for to solemnyse the matrymonye. The knyght had the quene\nall redy apparayled in his owne house after his maner [et] had ordeyned\ntwo knyghtes for to lede her to the chyrche, they byleuynge that it had\nben his paramour. And whan they were before in the face of y\u1d49 chyrche\ny\u1d49 preest sayd, who shall gyue this woman vnto this knyght. Then the\nky_n_ge sayd, I shall gyue her to myn owne knyght. and toke her by the\nhande [et] sayd vnto her, O good woman ye are moche lyke vnto my quene,\nand therfore I loue you the better, and also for that ye be my knyghtes\nwyfe and shall be of my house. and putte the quenes hande in to y\u1d49\nknyghtes hand. and y\u1d49 preest after y\u1d49 maner of the chyrche hath bounde\n[et] wedded them togyder. and whan all this was fynysshed [et] done the\nknyghte sayd vnto y\u1d49 kyng, Syr my shyp y\u1d57 I entende to go in towardes\nmy countre is all redy to make sayle wherfore I humbly beseche hyghly\nyour moost noble grace that it wyl please you for to accompany my\nwy[fe] therunto [et] that ye wyll aduertyse [et] enfourme her[4] that\nshe loue me [et] haue me in fauoure aboue all other creatures lyuynge,\nand the rather for your gode excytacyon [et] doctryne. Thenne the kynge\nwith a grete multytude of people went with theym [et] accompanyed theym\nvnto the shyppe of whoos departynge many of them were dolaunte to the\nshyppe. the kynge began to say vnto the quene, my moost dere frende,\nherken now well vnto my counseyll and folowe it, for it shall be for\nyour honour [et] proufyte. My knyght hath now here wedded [et] done to\nyou al y\u1d49 worshypp y\u1d57 in hym is. wherfore loke y\u1d57 ye loue [et] honour\nhym aboue all erthly creatures [et] y\u1d57 hath god commaunded [et] that ye\nbe too hym true [et] obedyent. [et] as this was sayd he delyuered her\nvnto y\u1d49 knyght saynge my blessyng go w\u1d57 you both, [et] our lorde kepe\n[et] conduyte you in sauete to your cou_n_tre. Then the knyght and the\nquene bowed and enclyned down\u0304 her hedes vnto y\u1d49 kynge. [et] thanked\nhym of all thyngs and they commytted hym to god and entred in to the\nshyppe and the maryners haled up the sayles and sayled forth afore the\nwynde soo that w\u1d57in a short tyme the kyng had lost y\u1d49 syght of the\nshyp. And from the_n_s he went hastely to y\u1d49 castell [et] myssed the\nquene. [et] wha_n_ he founde her not / he was meued in all the partes\nof his body. [et] sought all about y\u1d49 toure and serched, tyll at laste\nhe founde y\u1d49 hole or y\u1d49 secrete way y\u1d57 the knyght had made. [et] as he\nsaw that, than cryed he and weped and sayd, Alas alas this knyght in\nwhom I hadde so grete confydence [et] truste hath taken away my wyfe,\nwas I not a fole y\u1d57 I gaue more fayth in to his words then I dyde to\nmyne owne eyen. Than sayd thempresse, My lorde haue ye vnderstand what\nI haue sayde. Themperour sayd ryght wel in y\u1d49 best wyse. Then sayd\nthempresse, remember how y\u1d57 he trusted the knyghte [et] yet he deceyued\nhy_m_. In the same manere wyse ye haue confydence in the seuen wyse\nmaysters / and they laboure for to destroye me that am your wyfe. [et]\nye gyue more fayth vnto theyr wordes than ye do vnto your owne eyen.\nfor ye haue well sene how y\u1d57 youre sone rente and scratched me. Wherof\nyet I bere and haue the tokens [et] the markes as ye may see. And also\nye knowe well how that your cursed sone hath me ashamed [et] ye marke\nnot howe they defende hym in his foly and falshede. Therfore it is to\nbe dradde y\u1d57 it shall happen to you as it dyde to the kynge that too\nyou I haue spoken of. Themperour sayd, I byleue myn eyen better than\ntheyr wordes. [et] therfore I say you y\u1d57 to morowe I shall do justyce\nof hym. On y\u1d49 morowe the Emperour commaunded that his sone sholde be\nhanged. Tho began ayen a grete noyse in and [bewailing amongst the\ncommon people for the death of the Emperor's only son. At last when the\nseventh master heard it, he ran immediately unto the officers, which\nwere leading him to the gallows, and said: My friends, I pray you not\nto make overmuch haste but stay your hands a while, for I think this\nday (with the help of the Almighty God) to save him from all perils;\nand from thence the master hasteth himself to the Emperor's Palace, and\ndid him reverence according to his accustomed duty. But the Emperor\nwith great indignation made him this answer: Never more have you any\njoy in this world, for that you have sent my son home untaught and\ndumb, whom I delivered unto you well speaking, for which cause you\nshall all be put to death with him. The master answered: O most noble\nEmperor, the time is not long betwixt this and tomorrow noon; then\n(by the grace of God) you shall hear him speak discreetly, and shall\ndeclare the truth of all things, and this I promise you he will perform\nto the full, upon pain of my life, if you will spare him so long a\ntime; if you find it not so, then take my life and the lives of us all.\nThen said the Emperor: If I might but hear my son speak, it would give\nme sufficient content, and I would not desire longer to live. Then\nanswered the master: All this and more you shall hear and see, and\nconfess it to be true, if you will but abide this little time: and then\nthe strife that hath been betwixt us and the Empress will clearly be\ndecided. And if you suffer him to be put to death through the words of\nyour most ungodly wife, I tell you of a truth it shall happen worse to\nyou than it did to a knight that died for a little blood that he saw\nhis wife to bleed, to whom afterwards she was most unnatural. Then said\nthe Emperor: That example I would fain hear. Then said the master: Let\nyour son be called again, and I shall tell you so notable an example\nthat during your life you may beware of the unsteadfastness of woman.\nThen the Emperor said: I shall go call my son again upon condition that\ntomorrow I shall hear him speak as you have promised. The master said:\nDo that, my lord, for it shall so be. And began to tell as followeth.]\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n_The Example of the Seuenth Mayster._\n\n\nThere was a knyght y\u1d57 had a fayre yonge wyfe whome he entyrely loued in\nso moche that he coude not be out of her syght. It hapned on a tyme y\u1d57\nthey played togyder at the chesse, [et] y\u1d49 knyght by chau_n_ce helde\na knyfe in his hande [et] she playng fortuned to smyte her hand vpon\ny\u1d49 knyf, y\u1d57 a lytel blode began to appere. Whan y\u1d49 knyght sawe that\nhis wyfe bled he sorowed moche and was sore aferde of his wyfe y\u1d57 he\nfel to the grounde in a swoune. his wyfe cast colde water vpon his\nvysage, y\u1d57 he a lytell came ayen too hymselfe [et] sayd lyghtely call\nthe curate w\u1d57 the holy sacramente for I muste deye for the blood y\u1d57 I\nhaue seen come out of your fy_n_ger hath smyten the deth to my herte.\nThe preest came and houseled hym. [et] anone after he dyed w\u1d57out ony\ntaryeng, for whoos deth there was made grete sorowe [et] bewayly_n_ges\nand specyally of y\u1d49 wyfe. And after that the obsequyes [et] buryenge\nwas done accordynge she went and lay vpon the buryel or graue and there\nshe made the gretest sorowe of the worlde, and sayd that she wolde\nneuer departe from thens, but as a turtyll douue she wolde for the\nloue of her husbonde there abyde [et] dye. Tho went her fren[ds] vnto\nher and sayd what auayleth this for his soule to lyue [et] dye here,\nit is better y\u1d57 ye go to your house [et] gyue almes for y\u1d49 loue of god\n[et] y\u1d57 shal more auayle his soule, than in this place to abyde. To\nwhom she answerd be styll ye are euyll co_u_nselours. Co_n_syder not\nye how I am fro hy_m_ seperate [et] departed by his deth for a lytell\nblode y\u1d57 he sawe com out of my ho_n_d or fy_n_ger,[et] therfore I shall\nneuer fro hens departe. Her frendes hery_n_ge y\u1d57 lete make a lytell\nhouse or lodgynge nygh vnto y\u1d49 graue, [et] put therin all thynges y\u1d57\nto her was necessarye [et] went theyr wayes thy_n_kynge that within a\nwhyle she sholde be wery to be alone, [et] so desolate from all company\n[et] y\u1d57 therby she sholde desyre ayen y\u1d49 company of people. In y\u1d57 cyte\nwas thenne a lawes (_sic_) y\u1d57 whan a trespassour or offendour ayenst\nthe lawe were hanged, y\u1d57 y\u1d49 shyryf all y\u1d57 nyght sholde watche [et] kepe\nthe body all armed, [et] yf it hapned y\u1d57 the body of hym hanged were\nstolen away, y\u1d49 seryf sholde lese all his londe, [et] his lyfe at y\u1d49\nkynges pleasure. It hapned sone after y\u1d57 the knyghte was dede a man\nto be hanged for trepasse that he had done, so that y\u1d49 sheryf after\ny\u1d49 lawe of the londe all the nyght watched by y\u1d49 galowes y\u1d57 was not\nfer fro y\u1d49 cyte, [et] y\u1d49 chyrcheyerde was not ferre from the walles of\ny\u1d49 same. Tho became y\u1d49 sheryf so colde y\u1d57 he wyst not but to dye for\ncolde, w\u1d57out the rather y\u1d57 he myghte warme hym. it was so feruent a\ncolde [et] so stronge a froste, and he behelde fro thens about hym [et]\nsawe y\u1d49 fyre in y\u1d49 chyrcheyerde, [et] hasted hym [et] came therto,\n[et] whan he was come he called [et] knocked at the lytyll house. The\nwoman spake who is that y\u1d57 at this houre is knockynge at y\u1d49 house of\nthis sorowfull woman. I am y\u1d49 shyref that so moche colde suffreth y\u1d57\nw\u1d57out anone ye late me in I shall frese to deth. She sayd, I fere me yf\nthat I lete you come in ye sholde shewe me such wordes y\u1d57 sholde cause\nme for to be more heuyer. [et] he sayd I promyse vnto you y\u1d57 I shall\nsaye no wordes to your dyspleasure. Then lete she hym in. and whan he\nawhyle had sytten by y\u1d49 fyre [et] was well warmed he sayd to her, O\nfayre woman w\u1d57 your lycence wolde I fayne speke but one worde vnto you.\nShe answered to hym, syr say what it pleaseth you. He sayd, O lady ye\nbe a fayr gentyl woman ryche [et] yonge. were it not better [et] more\nconuenyent for you to dwell at home in your house [et] to gyue almesse\nthan to destroye [et] consume your lyfe here w\u1d57 wepynes [et] cryenges.\nShe sayde syr knyght had I knowen this afore ye had not come herin for\nI say to you, as I haue sayd too other oftentymes, ye knowe well y\u1d57\nmy husbonde loued me so well that for a lytyll bloode y\u1d57 he sawe me\nblede on one of my fyngers he is dede, wherfore I shall here deye for\nthe loue of hym. As the knyght herde this he toke leue and wente to\nthe galowes [et] whan he was there come, he sawe y\u1d57 the theef that he\nleft there hangynge was stolen [et] caryed awaye, [et] began therfore\nto wexe heuy [et] full of sorowe, [et] sayd, wo is me what shall I do\nfor I haue loste my lyfe and all my good. And he goynge thus full of\nsorowe [et] heuynesse, [et] wyste not whyche waye to torne hym or to\ngo, at the laste bethought hym to go to y\u1d57 deuoute [et] desolate lady,\n[et] shewe vnto hyr y\u1d49 heuynesse of his herte, to wyte yf y\u1d57 she coude\ngyue hym ony gode counseyll. And whan he was theder come he called,\n[et] she axed the cause of his knockynge. Tho sayd he, madame I am\nthe shyref that was here ryght now w\u1d57 you, [et] I wolde feyne shewe\nyou y\u1d49 secretes of myn herte. Therfore I praye you for y\u1d49 loue of god\nopen the dore. and he wente in [et] sayd to her O moost vertuous lady\nI come to haue your counseyll and aduys, for ye knowe well y\u1d49 lawe of\ny\u1d49 londes are that whan so euer ony man is hanged [et] stolen awaye\nof the galowes, than the shyref his lyfe and godes be in y\u1d49 kynges\nhandes. Nowe it is happened in y\u1d49 tyme that I was here with you [et]\nwarmed me, y\u1d49 theef is stolen away frome y\u1d49 galowes, therfore I praye\nyou for the loue of god gyue me your aduys what is me beste to do. She\nanswered I haue compassyon vpon you, for by the lawe ye haue loste lyfe\n[et] goodes to y\u1d49 kynge. Do nowe after my cou_n_seyll, [et] ye shall\nneyther lese lyfe ne godes. He answered therfore I came to you hopynge\nto haue gode comforth. She sayd wyll ye than promyse to take me to your\nwyfe. the knyght answered, wolde god that ye wolde do y\u1d57, but I fere me\nleste y\u1d57 ye wolde dysdeyne so moche to humble you too me y\u1d57 am so pore\na knyght. She sayd I gyue you my wyl therto, [et] he yaue her ayen his\nwyll [et] consented too be her knyght durynge his lyfe. Tho sayd she,\nye knowe well y\u1d57 suche a daye my lorde was buryed whiche for y\u1d49 loue\nof me deyed, take hym oute of his sepulture, [et] go hange hym in stede\nof y\u1d49 theef. The knyght answered lady your cou_n_seyll is good. Tho\nwent they togyder [et] opened the graue [et] drewe hym out. The knyght\nsayd howe shall we nowe doo, by cause or the theef was taken, two of\nhis vpper tethe were smyten oute, [et] I fere me yf y\u1d57 were perceyued I\nshold be dede. She sayd to hym, take a stone and stryke oute two of his\ntethe. The knyght answered, madame y\u1d57 may not do for while he lyued he\nwas my wel beloued felowe [et] it sholde be to me a grete rebuke, yf I\nc\u014dmytted soo dysloyall a dede vnto his body beynge dede. She answered\nfor your loue I shall do it, [et] toke a stone [et] smote out two of\nhis tethe, [et] sayd to the shyref, take hy_m_ [et] hange him vpon y\u1d49\ngalowes lyke to y\u1d49 theef. The knyght sayde I fere me to do it, for y\u1d49\ntheef in takynge of hy_m_ was wou_n_ded in y\u1d49 hede, [et] he wanted both\nhis eres, [et] therfore yf it were serched [et] founde otherwyse, it\nsholde be to my vtter vndoynge. Than sayd she, take out your swerde\n[et] make hym a grete wounde in his hede, [et] cut of his eres. O\nmadame god forbede y\u1d57 I do y\u1d57 to the dede body y\u1d57 I loued so well in\nhys lyfe. Than sayd she, gyue me your swerde [et] I shal for y\u1d49 loue\nof you do it. [et] toke y\u1d49 swerde [et] smote a manly stroke vpon y\u1d49\ndede m\u0101nes forhede, [et] cut of bothe his eres. And whan she hadde thus\ndone, sayd, now take [et] hange hym w\u1d57out company. [et] than y\u1d49 knyght\nanswered, yet I fere me to ha_n_ge hy_m_, for y\u1d49 theef wanted both his\nstones, [et] yf that were serched [et] fou_n_de w\u1d57out, all your labour\nwere in vayn. Then sayd she, I sawe neuer so feerfull a man seyng y\u1d49\nmater so clere [et] sure. Take a knyfe [et] cut of his stones. And he\nanswered, y\u1d57 may I not do in no wyse and therfore I pray you spare me,\n[et] y\u1d49 knowe well what a man is w\u1d57out his stones. She sayd for y\u1d49\nloue of you I shall do it. And toke ye knyf in her hande [et] cutte\nof husbondes stones, and [sayd] to hym, nowe take this churle thus\ndysfygured and hange hym vp withoute drede. And went forth togyder and\nhenge vp the body vpo_n_ y\u1d49 galowes [et] so was the shyref delyuered\nout of the ky_n_ges daunger. Tho sayd y\u1d49 lady, now be ye quyte of all\nyour daungeours [et] fere [et] all thy sorowes by my cou_n_seyll. And\ntherfore I wyll y\u1d57 ye wedde me in y\u1d49 face of y\u1d49 chyrche. The knyghte\nsayde I haue made a vowe y\u1d57 I shal neuer wed other as longe as ye lyue,\nwhich I wyl holde. but afterwarde he sayd, O y\u1d49 moost shameful [et]\nworst woma_n_ of al w\u0233men who wolde take ye to his wyfe. An honourable\n[et] a louynge knyght was thy husbo_n_de, whiche for a lytel blode y\u1d57\nhe sawe of thy fy_n_ger shed dyed. now haste y\u1d58 smyten out two of his\ntethe, y\u1d58 haste cutte of his eeres, [et] his stones, [et] y\u1d58 haste made\nhy_m_ a grete wounde in his hede, what deuyll wolde wed y\u1d49, [et] by\ncause y\u1d57 y\u1d58 shal neuer shame more good man, I shal rede y\u1d49, [et] drewe\nhis swerde [et] w\u1d57 one stroke he smote of her hede. The mayster sayd,\nMy lorde haue ye vnderstande what I haue sayd. The emperour sayd, ryght\nwell. Amonges all wymmen was this y\u1d49 worste [et] the knyght rewarded\nher accordynge so as she sholde no more men shame. And the_m_perour\nsayd more ouer, O my good mayster myght I ones here my sone speke I\nsholde gyue no charge of my lyfe. Tho sayd the mayster, To morowe ye\nshall here hym speke afore you [et] afore al y\u1d49 lordes of thempyre,\n[et] he shall shewe y\u1d49 very trouth of all y\u1d49 varyaunce betwyxte vs [et]\nthempresse as I hope. [et] toke his leue of themperour [et] departed.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nHow y\u1d57 Dyoclesyan themperours sone co_m_playned on thempres, [et] how\ny\u1d57 he excused him of her co_m_playnt.\n\nAnd after y\u1d57 all the maysters assembled togyd\u02b3 [et] toke theyr counseyll\nhow [et] in what maner they shold brynge out y\u1d49\tchylde of pryson [et]\nlede to the palays. [et] tho they went to y\u1d49 chylde there as he laye\nin pryson afore the mydday his wyll [et] his cou_n_seyl to here. To\nwhome y\u1d49 chylde sayd, what y\u1d57 shall please you, shall please me, but in\nno wyse besye you not howe y\u1d57 I shall answere, or what I shall saye,\nfor w\u1d57 joye I shal answere to all thy_n_ges y\u1d57 shal be demau_n_ded\nof me. Wha_n_ y\u1d49 seuen maysters herde y\u1d57 they were ryght glad, [et]\nclothed hym in purpure [et] in clothe of golde. [et] two maysters went\nafore hym, [et] one on his ryght honde, an other on his lyfte honde,\n[et] y\u1d49 other thre folowed hym after. [et] afore them al went xxiiii\nmen w\u1d57 dyuerse instruments of musyke [et] brought hym w\u1d57 grete melody\nand honour to y\u1d49 palays. And whan themperour herde al this melody, he\ndemau_n_ded what it was. Then it was tolde hym, Syr emperour it is\nyour sone, y\u1d49 which cometh tofore you [et] afore all your lordes to\nspeke and excuse hy_m_selfe of all thynges y\u1d57 are layde to his charge /\nThemperour sayd, y\u1d57 is good tydy_n_ges, myght I here my sone speke. And\nwhan ye chylde was come to ye palays he ran vnto his fader [et] sayd\nvnto hy_m_, hayle fader [et] my moost honourable. And whan themperour\nherde y\u1d49 voyce of his sone he was so glad y\u1d57 for joye he fyl downe to\ny\u1d49 erthe. but y\u1d49 chylde toke hym lyghtly vp ayen. and whan he was come\nayen to hy_m_self, tho beg\u0101 [the son to declare the whole matter to\nhis father, and there came so great a multitude to the palace to hear\nthe child speak, and the noise of them was so great that the child\ncould not be heard. The emperour considering that, caused money to be\nthrown into the streets, that the people therwith should be busied out\nof the palace, the better to hear the child speak; but they regarded\nnot the money. When the emperor perceived that he commanded silence on\npain of death. And when they were all still, the child began to speak\nas followeth: O most dear father, before I speak anything, I entreat\nyou that the empress with all her chamber-maids may be present. So the\nemperor commanded the empress with all her maids to come without delay.\nThe empress hearing that (in great fear) came with her maids; and the\nchild bade them to stand before the people in a row that he might see\nthem. Then said the child, Sir, behold the chamber-maid that standeth\nthere in green (whom ye know the empress loveth above all others),\ncommand her to be uncloathed before us all, and see what she is. The\nemperor said, Dear son, that would shame us all, to have a woman stand\nnaked before us. He said, If it be a woman it is my shame; if not, let\nthe shame abide in her. When she was uncloathed she appeared to be a\nman, whereat they wondered.]\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[_The Complaint of the Emperor's Son on the Empress._]\n\n\nThenne sayd the sone vnto the fader, beholde this rybaude that many a\nnyghte hathe with your wyfe lyen in your chamber in auoutrye, [et] haue\ndefouled your bedde. [et] therfore the empresse loued hym so well, the\nwhiche ye knewe not. whan the emperour sawe y\u1d57 he was impacyent [et]\nwrothe, y\u1d57 he c\u014dmau_n_ded y\u1d57 she with y\u1d49 rybaude sholde be brent. y\u1d49\nsone sayd, lorde fader make no haste of y\u1d57 iugement before that I haue\nreproued her of the cryme y\u1d57 she layde vpon me falsely, [et] that she\nvntruly [et] falsly hathe complayned [et] lyed vpon me. Tho sayd the\nfader, My dere sone I c\u014dmytte all the iugemente in to your hands. The\nsone answered yf she be founde false [et] a lyer y\u1d49 lawe shall iuge\nher. But my dere fader whan ye sent after me at y\u1d49 instaunce of hyr,\nthen I with my maysters behelde the sterres in y\u1d49 fyrmamente. [et]\nthere we sawe y\u1d57 yf I sholde speke ony worde within seuen dayes I\nsholde haue deyed a shamefull dethe, and therefore that was the cause\nthat I spake not. And where as the empresse sayd [et] put vnto me, that\nI wolde haue oppressed [et] rauysshed hyr, in y\u1d57 she lyeth falsly but\nshe dyd hyr best to haue caused me to do it. And wha_n_ she in no wyse\ncoude bryng me therto, she toke me paper penne [et] ynke, [et] badde\nme wryte the cause why y\u1d57 I refused her. And whan y\u1d57 I had wryten y\u1d57\nI wolde not do or commytte so greate [et] abhomynable synne, and also\nwolde not my faders orcharde defoule, tho began she to tere hyr clothes\n[et] scratche her vysage y\u1d57 it ran on blode, [et] cryed w\u1d57 a loude\nvoyce, [et] c\u014dmytted vnto me the cryme or blame. And whan y\u1d49 Emperoure\nherde this he behelde her w\u1d57 a fell cou_n_tenau_n_ce, and sayd to her\nin this maner, O thou wretched woman was it not suffycyent to fulfyll\nthy foule [et] lecherous appetyte I [et] thy rybaude, but wolde also\nhaue hadde my sone. Than fell the Empresse to themperours fote [et]\nshe cryed hym mercy. Then y\u1d49 Emperoure sayd, O thou cursyd [et] most\nvnhappy woman thou askest forgyuenesse [et] thou art worthy none to\nhaue, for y\u1d58 haste deserued to dye in thre maner wyse. The fyrst is y\u1d57\ny\u1d58 haste done auoutrye. The seconde is that thou haste prouoked and\nstyred my sone to syne [et] haste to hym commytted, [et] layde y\u1d49 cryme\nfalsely [et] vntruly. And y\u1d49 thyrde y\u1d57 thou haste euery daye entyced\n[et] prouoked me w\u1d57 thy false tales for to put hym to dethe. [et]\ntherfore y\u1d49 lawe shall haue y\u1d49 course vpon ye, [et] iuge the to the\ndethe. Then sayd the sone, Fader ye knowe well, that for y\u1d49 lesynge\nthat she lyed vpon me, I was dayly lad to hangynge. But god with the\nhelpe of my maysters hathe delyuered me. O my moost honourable fader,\nit was sayd vnto you by y\u1d49 Empresse that I wolde also by y\u1d49 helpe of\nmy maysters depose you out of youre Empyre, [et] that I laboured to\ndystroye you, [et] for to sette me in your place. Sholde not ye then\nhaue sorowed, Ye haue the Empyre to gouerne, [et] wherfore shold I\nnot holde you for my fader. God defende that, for of you I haue my\nlyuyng. And I shall holde and repute you for my souerayne lorde and\nfader durynge the terme of my lyfe. And I will not in ony manere\ndepryue you of youre honoure, but I shall laboure and besye my selfe\nabout the gouernau_n_ce of y\u1d49 same, and all your c\u014dmau_n_dementes I\nshall fulfyll in every thy_n_ge. But it is in lyke wyse as the fader\ncaste his sone in to the see for too drowne hym, bycause he sayd y\u1d57\nhe in tyme comynge sholde be his lorde, [et] yet y\u1d49 sone by the helpe\nof god was saued, and was made a gretter lorde than he was, [et] yet\nwas it no hynderau_n_ce to the fader but prouffyte. Also ye sholde\nsee [et] remembre y\u1d57 my lyfe [et] gouernau_n_ce shall neuer hynder\nyou but it shal be to your greate solace [et] joye. Than sayd y\u1d49\nEmperoure, blessed be almyghty god [et] the houre y\u1d57 I euer begate\nyou, [et] deserued to haue such a sone y\u1d57 I fynde soo wyse [et] good\nin all thynges. Telle me nowe an example by y\u1d49 whiche I maye parfytly\nthy wysdome vnderstande, & that myn herte maye the better joye in the.\nThenne sayd the sone fyrst c\u014dmau_n_de sylence to your people y\u1d57 I be\nnot letted in my wordes tyll y\u1d57 I haue done. And whan y\u1d57 it is ended,\ngyue sentence w\u1d57 y\u1d49 ryght wysnesse of the lawe vpon me and vpon the\nEmpresse. Tho c\u014dmaunded the Emperour sylence. [et] the chyld began to\ntell in maner as hereafter foloweth.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n_The Example of Dyoclesyan the Emperours sone._\n\n\nThere was a knyght whiche hadde but one sone that he loued ryght moche\nin begynnynge as ye nowe all onely haue me, whome he delyuered to a\nmayster of ferre cou_n_trees to nourysshe [et] to lerne. y\u1d49 chylde was\nof a grete wytte [et] prouffyted moche and grewe as well in lernynge\nas in body. And whan he had dwelled with his mayster seuen yere, his\nfader desyred to see hym, [et] sent letters to hym y\u1d57 he sholde come\nayen in to his cou_n_tree [et] vysyte his frendes in lyke wyse as ye\nhaue sente for me. The chylde was obedyent to his fader [et] came at\nhis c\u014dmau_n_dement of whos comynge he joyed moche, for y\u1d57 he was as\nwell growen in his membres as in doctryne. To euery man he appered\npleasau_n_t and gentylle. It happened vpon a daye y\u1d57 the fader and\nthe moder syttynge at y\u1d49 table, [et] the chylde seruynge theym, a\nnyghtyngale came fleynge afore y\u1d49 wyndowe where as they satte, [et]\nbegan for to synge so swetely y\u1d57 they merueyled. And y\u1d49 knyght sayd,\nO how swetely this byrde syngeth, well were hym y\u1d57 coude vnderstande\nhis songe, [et] coude shew the interpretacyon therof. Thenne the sone\nsayd, my worshypfull fader the song of the nyghtyngale I coude well\ndeclare, but I fere your dysplesure. The fader sayd, saye hardely my\nsone y\u1d49 interpretacyon of y\u1d49 byrde, [et] than ye shall proue whether I\nshall be angry or not, but I shall marke well y\u1d49 reason of myn angre.\n[et] whan y\u1d49 sone herde y\u1d57 he sayd, y\u1d49 nyghtyngale hath sayd in his\nsonge, that I shall become a grete lorde, y\u1d57 I shall be honoured [et]\nworshypped of all men, [et] namely of my fader, the whiche shall brynge\nthe water for to wasshe in myn handes, and my moder shall holde the\ntowell. The fader sayd thou shall neuer see y\u1d57 day suche seruyce of vs\nto haue, nor none suche dygnyte shall folowe the, and in greate malyce\n[et] wodenesse he toke his sone vppon his sholders [et] ranne to the\nsee [et] cast hym in it, and sayd, Lye there the interpretatour of y\u1d49\nbyrdes songe. The chylde coude swymme, and swymmed to a londe where he\nwas foure dayes without mete or drynke. The fyft daye there came a shyp\nsaylynge, and as the chyld sawe that, he called loude to the shypmen\n[et] sayd for the loue of god delyuer me frome the peryll of dethe.\nThe shypmen sawe that it was a fayre yonge man they had compassyon on\nhy_m_ and went with theyr bote and sette hym aborde and in to ferre\ncountrees with them they ledde hym and solde hym there to a duke. The\nchylde grewe goodly and fayre, [et] the duke loued hym moche, [et]\nhadde him gretely in his fauoure. Uppon a tyme the kynge of y\u1d57 realme\nlete calle and assemble all the greate lordes [et] noble men of his\nlonde to a generall cou_n_sell. This duke prepared [et] ordeyned hym\nto go to y\u1d49 cou_n_sell, [et] marked the wysdome [et] the wytte of the\nchylde [et] toke the chylde with hym. And whan they were all gadred\n[et] assembled before the kynge in his cou_n_seyll My welbeloued\nlordes [et] frendes\u014d sayd y\u1d49 kynge, wylle ye wete y\u1d49 cause wherfore\ny\u1d57 I haue called you to this counseylle. Then sayd they all we be all\nsouerayne lorde at your commau_n_demente. Then y\u1d49 kynge sayd, It is a\nsecrete mater y\u1d57 I shall shewe you, yf y\u1d57 ony ma_n_ can open it [et]\ndeclare what y\u1d57 it sygnyfyeth, I swere [et] promytte vnto hym by my\ncrowne y\u1d57 I shall gyue too hym myn only doughter in maryage, [et] he\nshal be my felowe in my realme duryng my lyfe, [et] after my dethe he\nshall haue [et] possede all the hole kyngedome, [et] y\u1d49 mystery of\nthe counseyll is this. Thre rauons alwayes folowe me where so euer\nthat I goo. they leue me not, but cry w\u1d57 suche horryble voyces, y\u1d57 it\nis grete payne for me to here them, [et] to beholde theyr lokynges.\n[et] therfore yf ther be ony man y\u1d49 whiche that knoweth the cause of\ntheyr folowynge, [et] can shewe what they mene by theyr cryenge [et]\nvoyde theym fro me, w\u1d57out doubte I shall fulfyll this promyse y\u1d57 I\nhaue made. [et] as the kynge had thus sayd, there was none fou_n_de in\nall the cou_n_seyll y\u1d57 wyst the cause or coude moue or put awaye the\nrauons. Then sayd y\u1d49 chylde too the duke. My lorde thynke ye that the\nkynge wyl holde his promyse or worde yf I accomplysshe his wyll and\ndesyre. Than y\u1d49 duke sayde I thynke he wyll holde y\u1d57 he hath promysed,\nbut wyl ye y\u1d57 I gyue the kynge knowledge of you what ye can do. Then\ny\u1d49 chylde sayd, I wyl my lyfe set in pledge [et] I shall perfourme\n[et] make it good y\u1d57 I haue sayd. Whan y\u1d49 duke herde that he went to\nthe kynge [et] sayd, My lorde the kyng, here is a yong ma_n_ that is\nryght connynge [et] wyse, the whiche promyseth for to satysfye [et]\nfulfyl in al thy_n_ges your desyre as touchy_n_ge the rauons yf ye\nwyll fulfyll that ye haue promysed. The kynge swore by the crowne of\nhis kyngdome, what I haue promysed in al thynges shalbe fulfylled. Tho\nbrought he y\u1d49 chylde before the kynge, and whan the kynge sawe hym he\nspake to hym. O fayre chylde can ye gyue answere to my questyon. The\nchylde sayd, my lorde ye in the best wyse, your questyon is wherfore\ny\u1d57 the rauons folowe you [et] horrybly crye vpon you. To whiche I\nanswere. Upon a tyme it hapned that two rauons a male [et] a female\nhad brought forthe bytwene them the thyrde rauon. vpon the sayd se was\nso grete famyne [et] scarsytee of all maner of thy_n_ges y\u1d57 men bestes\n[et] foules dyed [et] perysshed for defaute. The thyrde rauon y\u1d57 tyme\nbeynge yonge in the nest the moder lefte it sekynge where she myght\nbest gete her lyuynge, [et] came no more to y\u1d49 neste. The male rauon\nseynge that with grete penurye and laboure fed the yong rauon tyll\nthat he was able to flye and wha_n_ the dere tyde was passed and gone\nthen the female rauon came ayen too the yonge rauon and wolde holde\nfelysshyppe and company with hym. And as the male rauon sawe that, he\nwolde haue dryuen her away, saynge thus, that she in his grete myscheyf\nand necessyte lefte hym and his company, and therfore nowe she sholde\nwante his company and felysshyppe. She alledged and sayd that she\nhad in his byrthe grete laboure and sorowe, and suffred penurye, and\ntherfore of his company she sholde rather joye than the fader. For this\nmy souerayne lorde they folowe you askynge the ryght jugement whiche\nof them both shal haue the yonge rauon in theyr company, and this is\nthe cause of theyr horryble clamour and noyse that they make dayly\nvpon you. But my lorde hadde ye hereupon a ryght wysse sentence gyuen\nye sholde neuer more see theym or be troubled w\u1d57 theyr cryenge. Tho\nsayd the kynge, for the cause that the moder hath left [et] forsaken\nthe yonge rauen in his mooste necessyte, it standeth with reason [et]\niustyce y\u1d57 she shall wante [et] be without his felyshyp. And where\ny\u1d57 she sayth [et] alledgethe y\u1d57 in the berynge [et] byrth of hym she\nhadde greate payne and traueyle, that helpeth her not, for y\u1d57 payne was\ntorned in to joye as sone as she sawe the yonge rauen in the worlde.\nBut for y\u1d57 the male is y\u1d49 cause of produccyon [et] generacyon in euery\nbeste, [et] also y\u1d57 he the yong rauon in his necessyte sustayned [et]\nfedde in to the recoueryng [et] nourysshynge of his body, therfore\nI gyue for a iugement [et] for a sentence dyffinityue y\u1d57 the yonge\nrauen shall abyde [et] holde company w\u1d57 the fader and not with the\nmoder. And whan the rauons herde this sentence, with a greate noyse\n[et] crye they flewe vp in the ayre [et] were no more seen ne fou_n_de\nin all that Regyon. Whanne that this was doone y\u1d49 kynge demaunded of\nthe yonge man what his name was. He answered I am called Alexander.\nTho sayd the kynge, I wyll haue one thynge of you, y\u1d57 ye frome hens\nforth shal name [et] take me [et] none other for your fader but me,\nfor ye shall marye my doughter, and ye shall be possessour of all my\nrealme. The yonge Alexander abode and dwelled stylle with the kynge,\nand euery man hadde too hym fauour and loue, for he began to haunt and\noccupy hymselfe in iustes [et] in tourneys, wherin at all tymes he\nhad the pryse aboue all other y\u1d57 were in all Egypte, soo y\u1d57 his pere\nor lyke was not founde, [et] there was not so harde nor so obscure a\nquestyon put vnto hym but y\u1d57 he coude assoyle it. At that tyme was\nthere an Emperoure named Tytus, that excelled in gentylnesse, curtesy\n[et] curposyte [curiosity] of all other Emperours kynges and prynces\nin y\u1d49 worlde. In so moche y\u1d57 suche a fame [et] noyse flewe [et] ranne\nouer all the worlde of it, y\u1d57 what so euer he was y\u1d57 wolde prouffyte\nin connynge maners or behauynge, that he sholde go to the Emperours\ncourte. And whan Alexander herd that he sayd to the kynge my most\nhonourable fader [et] lorde ye wote well that al the worlde is full\nof the fame of themperoure so y\u1d57 it is delectable to abide [et] dwel\nin hys courte wherfore yf it please yow my lorde [et] fader I wolde\ngladly go to hys court that I myght be wyser [et] prompter in maners\n[et] behauy_n_ge than I am. Thereupon answered y\u1d49 kynge, It pleaseth\nme ryght well, but I wolde that ye take with you plente of golde [et]\nsyluer [et] other necessaryes, so moche y\u1d57 ye myn honoure ther w\u1d57 may\nsaue, [et] y\u1d57 ye may haue also y\u1d57 is to you requysyte [et] behouefull.\nAnd also me semeth it were expedyent y\u1d57 ye afore your departyng sholde\nmary my doughter. Tho answerd Alexander wyll it please you my lorde\ntoo spare me at this tyme [et] at my comynge home ayen I shall wedde\nhir w\u1d57 all honoure as to her apperteyneth. The kynge answered, sythen\nit is your wyll to go to themperours court I lycence you and therto I\nconsente. Alexander toke leue of the kynge, [et] toke with hym tresoure\nynoughe [et] went to themperours courte. And whan he was come with a\nfayre companye, he wente afore the Emperoure [et] felle on his knees,\nand salued hym [et] dyd hym reuerence. Themperoure rose frome his sete\nimperyall and kyssed hym, [et] asked of hym of whens [et] what he\nwas, [et] wherfore he was comen. He answered and sayd I am sone [et]\nheyre to the kynge of Egypte, [et] am come to do seruyce to your moost\nhyghe maieste yf it please you to accepte me. Themperour sayd y\u1d57 he\nwas ryght welcome, [et] c\u014dmytted hym to his stewarde and made hym his\nkeruer. The stewarde ordeyned hym a fayre chamber [et] purueyed hym\nall thynges y\u1d57 were necessary to the same. And Alexander behaued hym\nso well [et] wysely y\u1d57 in shorte tyme of all people he was beloued.\nNot longe after that came y\u1d49 kynges sone of Fraunce to do seruyse to\nthemperoure [et] to lerne nurture, whome themperour receyued honourably\nand demau_n_ded his name [et] of what kynred he was come. He answered\nI am sone to the kynge of Frau_n_ce, [et] I haue to name Lodwyke your\nseruau_n_te. Tho sayd the Emperoure I haue made Alexander my karuer,\n[et] ye shall be my cuppe berer. y\u1d57 alwayes ye shall do seruyse\nafore me at my table. [et] c\u014dmau_n_ded his stewarde to assygne hym a\nlodgynge, whome he assygned w\u1d57 Alexander in his chamber. These were soo\nlyke in stature, in vysage, [et] in condycyons y\u1d57 vnneth y\u1d49 one myght\nbe dyscerned fro y\u1d49 other. but y\u1d57 Alexander was more in c\u014dnyng [et]\nlyghtlyer in his dedes than Lodwyke was, for Lodwyke was a femynyne\nman [et] shamfast. [et] these two yong men loued well togyder. This\nEmperoure had a doughter oonly, named Florentyne, y\u1d49 which was ryght\nfayr [et] gracyous, [et] shold be his heyre whome he loued entyerly,\nwhich had a courte by her selfe [et] seruau_n_tes to her assygned. To\nwhome y\u1d49 Emperour euery daye was accustomed to sende frome his table of\nhis deyntes, in tokenyng of loue by y\u1d49 hande of Alexander, wherupon y\u1d49\ndoughter began to haue hym meruaylouslye in her fauoure bycause of his\nwysdome [et] his gracyous demenure. It hapned vpon a day Alexander at\nthe mete tyme had suche a besynesse y\u1d57 he serued not at y\u1d49 table nor\nnone other gaue attendau_n_ce for hym in his rowme. Lodwyke perceyued\ny\u1d57 [et] serued in his stede. And whan he had serued the Emperoure in\nhis last seruyce vpon his knee, y\u1d49 Emperoure c\u014dmau_n_ded hy_m_ to bere\na dysshe vnto his doughter as he was wonte to do, thynkyng hym to be\nAlexander. Tho toke Lodwyke y\u1d49 dysshe [et] yede to y\u1d49 palays of the\nEmperours doughter [et] salued her w\u1d57 grete reuerence [et] set y\u1d49 mete\nafore her. but vnto y\u1d57 tyme he had not seen her she perceyued anone\ny\u1d57 it was not Alexander, [et] sayd to hym in this manere. What is\nyour name, [et] whose sone are ye. [et] he answered to hyr [et] sayd,\nMadame I am y\u1d49 kynges sone of Frau_n_ce, [et] my name is Lodwyke. She\nsayd I thanke you of your laboure. [et] he toke his leue [et] departed.\nIn y\u1d49 mene tyme came Alexander to y\u1d49 table, [et] they fulfylled ther\nseruyce. The dyner done anone Lodwyke went to his bedde sore seke. And\nAlexander apperceyuynge that went to his chamber [et] sayd to hym, O my\nbest beloued frende [et] felowe Lodwyke how is it with you, [et] what\nis y\u1d49 cause of your infyrmite. He answered hym and sayd, y\u1d49 cause of\nit I knowe not but I fele me soo seke y\u1d57 I fere me I can not escape y\u1d49\ndethe. Alexander sayd y\u1d49 cause of your infyrmyte and dysease I knowe\nwell. For to daye whan as ye bare the mete vnto the Emperours doughter,\nye behelde hyr vysage [et] beaute so feruently, y\u1d57 your herte is taken\n[et] rauysshed w\u1d57 her loue. Therupon he answered, O Alexander all the\nphysysyans in the worlde coude not more truly iuge my sekenesse, but\nI fere it shall be my dethe. Then sayd Alexander, Be of good comforth\nand I shall helpe you vnto my power, [et] yede vnto the market [et]\nbought w\u1d57 his owne moneye a fayre clothe sette with precyous stones,\nvnknowynge to Lodwyke [et] presented it on his behalue vnto the mayden.\n[et] as she sawe y\u1d57 she asked hym where he myght that costely [et]\nprecyouse cloth fynde to bye. [et] he sayd, Madame it is the sone of\ny\u1d49 moost crysten kynge y\u1d57 sendeth it vnto you for youre loue, for he\nbut for one syght y\u1d57 he hathe had of you is so seke y\u1d57 he lyeth vpon\nhis bed vnto the dethe. [et] therfore yf ye suffre hym to perysshe ye\nshall neuer recouer ayen your honoure. Tho sayd she, O Alexander wolde\nye this cou_n_seyll me y\u1d57 I shold soo lese my vyrgynyte. God defende\nthat. [et] be ye sure Alexander y\u1d57 of suche messages ye shall neuer\nmore haue ne wyn thanke. Therfore go ye out of my syght [et] speke no\nmore therof to me. whanne Alexander herde that he dyd his obeysaunce\nand departed. y\u1d49 nexte daye Alexander went ayen to the cyte [et] bought\na chaplet that was two tymes more in value than y\u1d49 cloth, and therwith\nhe yede to y\u1d49 maydens chamber [et] yaue it to hyr on the behalue of\nLodwyke. And whan she sawe that costely gyfte she sayd vnto hym in this\nmanere. I marueyle of you y\u1d57 soo oftentymes as ye haue seen and spoken\nwith me, that ye haue not done your owne erande or spoken for your\nselfe but for an other. Then he answered, O madame I haue not ben so\ndisposed, by cause that my byrthe is not to be compared with yours. And\nalso it happened me neuer suche a case that my herte was so wounded,\n[et] he y\u1d57 hathe a gode felawe is bou_n_de for to doo hym good [et]\ntrue felysshyp. And therfore moost eccellent pryncesse of youre moost\nhabundau_n_te pyte haue compassyon vpon hym [et] make hym hole that\nye haue se wou_n_ded vnto y\u1d49 deth that it be not for euer layde vnto\nyour crueltee [et] impyteouse herte. She answered hym, go your wayes\nfor at this tyme I wyll gyue you none answere therof. And as he herde\ny\u1d57 he toke his leue [et] departed. And the thyrde daye he wente vnto\nthe market [et] boughte a gyrdell y\u1d57 thre tymes was more in value [et]\ncostelyer than the chaplet was, [et] presented it vnto her on the\nbehalue of Lodwyke. And whan she sawe [et] behelde y\u1d57 so precyouse, she\nsayd vnto Alexander, Saye to Lodwyke y\u1d57 he come to my chamber aboute\ny\u1d49 thyrde hour in y\u1d49 nyght, and he shall fynde y\u1d49 dore open. [et]\nAlexander herynge that, he was glad, [et] went to his felow and sayd,\nMy beste beloued felowe be ye of gode comforth, for I haue conquered y\u1d49\nmayden vnto you, and in this nyght I shall brynge you vnto hyr chamber.\nAnd whan y\u1d57 was sayd, he stert vp as thoughe that he hadde wakened\nout of his slepe, [et] was well reuyued [et] for grete ioye he was\nmade all hole. And y\u1d49 next nyght folowynge Alexander toke Lodwyke [et]\nbrought hym vnto the chamber of y\u1d49 lady w\u1d57 whome he was in solace [et]\njoye all the nyght, [et] fro y\u1d57 tyme forth all hyr herte was vpon hym\nso y\u1d57 there was but one loue betwyxt them bothe. And after y\u1d57 Lodwyke\nvsed her oftentymes to vysyte. So y\u1d57 it came by processe of tyme to\nthe eres of y\u1d49 knyghtes of ye courte, how y\u1d57 the Emperours doughter\nwas knowen by Lodwyke: [et] conspyred amonges them selfe how y\u1d57 they\nmyght hym therwith all fynde, [et] hym to take or sle. As Alexander had\nknowlege therof, he armed hym to withstande them. And whan the knyghtes\nvnderstode y\u1d57 they ferynge Alexander suffred his felowe to go in peas,\n[et] Alexander many tymes put hym selfe in ieopardye for hym, he not\nknowynge therof, but y\u1d49 mayde knewe it welle. In shorte tyme after y\u1d57\nthere came letters to Alexander of the dethe of the kynge of Egypt y\u1d57\nhe sholde hastely come and receyue his kyngdome with honour [et] joye,\nand that shewed he anone too the mayden and to Lodwyke. and also of his\ndepartynge, wherof they were sorowfull [et] heuy. he sayd also vnto y\u1d49\nemperour, My mooste redoubted lorde please it you for to vnderstande\nthat I haue receyued letters of the deth of my fader. Wherfore it\nbehoueth me to go [et] receyue y\u1d49 kyngdome, and that ye wyll lycence\nme to depart, and for all benefetes to [me] done I offre my selfe [et]\nall my godes, [et] rather then I sholde by my goynge awaye offende or\ndysplese you my lorde I shall forsake all my realme [et] all y\u1d57 I haue\nin y\u1d49 world, [et] abyde w\u1d57 you styll. Then sayd y\u1d49 Emperoure, knowe ye\nfor certayne y\u1d57 of your departynge I am ryght heuy for ye were vnto\nme the beste seruau_n_t that was in all my house. But it becometh\nnot an Emperoure to lette his seruauntes frome ther promocyons, or\nauau_n_cementes, but soner to promote theym vnto hygher [et] gretter\nhonoure. Therfore go ye vnto oure tresourer, [et] he shall delyuer\nyou as moche golde as ye wyll haue, [et] in y\u1d49 name of god [et] with\nmy blessynge go in to your cou_n_tre. and thus Alexander had leue of\ny\u1d49 Emperoure [et] bad farewell, [et] many of y\u1d49 courte were sorowfull\nof his departynge, for of all he was beloued. Lodwyke w\u1d57 the mayden\nbrought hym on his waye well seuen myle. After that Alexander wolde not\nsuffre theym for to go further. then fell they both to y\u1d49 grou_n_de for\ngrete sorow [et] Alexander toke [et] lyfte them bothe vp ayen from y\u1d49\nerthe, [et] comforted theym with fayre [et] swete wordes and sayd, O\nLodwyke my moost beloued felawe, I warne you y\u1d57 the secretes beynge\nbetwyxt you [et] my lady, ye hyde them [et] kepe them as preuely as ye\nmay [et] take good hede to all thynges, for I wote an other shall come\nand be in my stede, that shall enuy you of the fauoure [et] grace, y\u1d57\nye stande in w\u1d57 the Emperoure and daye [et] nyght shall lye in a wayte\nto take you w\u1d57 a faute, [et] to put you to a rebuke. Then answered\nLodwyke [et] sayd, O Alexander I shall be ware as moche as to me is\npossyble, but how shall I nowe do whan I wante your company, therfore\none thynge I shall desyre of you y\u1d57 ye wyl take this rynge of me for\na reme_m_brau_n_ce. Then sayd he I shall for the loue of you gladly\nreceyue y\u1d49 rynge, [et] yet sholde I neuer w\u1d57oute y\u1d49 rynge forgete you,\n[et] comytted them too god. Then they embraced eche other aboute y\u1d49\nnecke [et] kyssed, and so departed frome other. Not longe after y\u1d57\nthe kynges sone of Spayne named Guydo was receyued of the Emperoure\nin y\u1d49 rowme [et] place of Alexander, to whome the stewarde assygned\nAlexander's place [et] chamber, whiche was sore ayenste y\u1d49 wyll of\nLodwyke, but he coude not amende it. Guydo perceyuynge y\u1d57 Lodwyke\nayenst his wyll had hym in his felysshyp, anone he toke [et] had enuye\nayenst hym so that Lodwyke of a longe tyme for fere of ye sayd Guydo\nkepte hym out of y\u1d49 company of y\u1d49 sayd mayde. Neuerthelesse afterwarde\nouercomen with the loue of y\u1d49 mayden, somtyme hau_n_ted [et] wente ayen\nto hyr as he afore tyme had done. Guydo shortly perceyuynge awayted\nso longe therupon, y\u1d57 he the trouthe knewe, and was therof in surete\nthat the mayden was by Lodwyke knowen [et] hadde accompanyed with\nhym. Uppon a tyme it happened y\u1d57 the Emperoure stode in hys halle [et]\npraysed gretely Alexander of his gentylnes and wysedome. That herynge\nGuydo sayde, My lorde he is not soo moche worthy to be c\u014dmended as ye\nwene for he hath ben a longe whyle a traytour in youre house. Thenne\nthemperoure sayd telle me how. Guydo sayd, ye haue but one doughter\noonly, y\u1d49 whiche shall be your heyre, and y\u1d57 Lodwyke hathe defouled\n[et] lyen by hyr by the helpe of Alexander: [et] he gothe to hyr euery\nnyght whan it pleaseth hym. and whan y\u1d49 Emperoure herde y\u1d57 he was sore\nmeuyd [et] wexed angry, [et] it happened Lodwyke vpon y\u1d49 same tyme to\ncome thrugh y\u1d49 hall and whan the Emperour sawe hym he sayd, what hear I\nof ye thou euyll and vntrue body. Yf it be founde [et] proued true thou\nshalt deye y\u1d49 moost shamefull dethe y\u1d57 cann be deuysed. Lodwyke sayd,\nMy lorde y\u1d49 emperoure what is y\u1d49 cause. Guydo answered, I saye [et]\ndepose here afore my lorde ayenst the y\u1d57 thou haste defouled his oonly\ndoughter. [et] euery nyght thou goost to hyr [et] doost fornycacyon w\u1d57\nher, and y\u1d57 in batayle I shall proue [et] make good vpon thy body w\u1d57\nmy body. Thenne sayd Lodwyke I am innocente, [et] not defectyue in y\u1d49\ncryme, [et] falsely y\u1d58 puttest y\u1d57 and layest vpon me, [et] therupon I\nholde y\u1d49 batayle, for I truste on god thy falshede shall come vpon thyn\nowne hede. Then y\u1d49 Emperoure assygned theym the daye of batayle [et]\nfyghtynge. That done Lodwyke went vnto y\u1d49 mayden [et] shewed to her y\u1d49\ncause [et] the daye of batayle by the Emperoure assygned and in what\nmaner Guydo hadde hym accused, and sayd to hyr, Nowe it behoueth me to\nhaue your cou_n_seyll, or els I muste deye for why as ye knowe it had\nnot aueyled me to haue a-yensayd the batayle w\u1d57out I wolde haue yelded\nmyselfe gylty. Guydo is stronge [et] hardy in armes that his lyke is\nnone but Alexander, [et] I am weyke [et] feble [et] therfore yf I holde\nthe batayle ayenst hym I am but a dede man, [et] so shall ye abyde\nshamed [et] rebuked. Then sayd she, Do my cou_n_seyle in that, y\u1d57 y\u1d49\nmystrust youre selfe. Go hastely vnto my fader, [et] saye to hym that\nye haue receyued letters, wherby that ye are acertayned that y\u1d49 lorde\nyour fader is sore seke [et] lyeth vppon his dede bed [et] desyreth to\nse you [et] speke w\u1d57 youre persone, [et] to dyspose his kyngdome [et]\nhis godes afore he departe out of this world, [et] desyre his lycence\nfor the loue of your fader y\u1d57 ye maye go [et] vysite hym. [et] y\u1d57 he\nwyll proroge [et] lengthe the daye of bataylle whyles y\u1d57 ye maye go\n[et] come. And whan ye haue obteyned his congye or lycence, as hastely\nas ye may go secretely to the kynge Alexander, [et] whan ye are come\nto hym take hym aparte [et] shewe hym y\u1d49 cause of youre comynge [et]\nrequyre hym in this youre vtter extremyte y\u1d57 he wylle vs helpe [et]\nayde. And whan y\u1d57 Lodwyke had herd this cou_n_seyll, it pleased hym\nwell [et] dyde hereafter. Hys leue goten [et] lenger daye or terme of\nbatayle prefyxed and assygned departed [et] toke his iourneye towardes\ny\u1d49 realme of Egypte, [et] neuer letted daye nor nyght tyll he came\nvnto kynge Alexander's castell. [et] whan y\u1d49 kynge Alexander hadde\nvnderstondynge of his comynge he was moche glad [et] went to mete hym\n[et] receyued him honourably, [et] had wonder of his comyn\u0304ge. Tho\nsayd Lodwyke, O my dere lorde [et] my bestebyloued frende, my lyfe\n[et] my dethe is in youre handes, for as ye sayd to me afore y\u1d57 I\nsholde haue an other felowe y\u1d49 whiche sholde lye in a wayte to aspye\nme [et] too destroye me / w\u1d57out I save ye more wysely to my selfe:\n[et] as longe as I myght I absented me tyll y\u1d57 I coude no lenger. But\nafterwarde y\u1d49 kynges sone of Spayne makynge watch soo longe on me tyll\nthat he perceyued y\u1d49 trouthe, [et] hathe accused me vnto y\u1d49 Emperoure,\nso that frome this daye vnto y\u1d49 viii. daye hereafter prefyxed it\nbehoueth me to come [et] fyght w\u1d57 hym body ayenst body, and as ye knowe\nwell he is a stronge [et] an hardy man, and I am weyke [et] feble, [et]\ntherfore hath Florentyne cou_n_seyled me y\u1d57 I sholde not hyde this\nmy charge frome you for she knoweth you for a faythfull frende, [et]\nthat ye wolde not leue vs in this necessyte. Then sayd Alexander, is\nthere ony body y\u1d57 knoweth of your comyng vnto me for this mater more\nthan Florentyne. He answered hym [et] sayd no creature lyuynge, for I\ntoke leue of y\u1d49 Emperoure to go [et] vysite my fader lyenge greuously\nseke. Then axed Alexander hym what cou_n_seyll hathe Florentyne gyuen\nto you howe [et] in what wyse I myght helpe you. He sayd, O moost\nconstau_n_t [et] faythfull frende, in this wyse she hath cou_n_seylled\nme, co_n_syderynge y\u1d57 we be lyke, y\u1d57 ye sholde come [et] do y\u1d49 batayle\nwyth hym, no man shall knowe you but she, and the batayll done I shall\ncome ayen to y\u1d49 court [et] ye vnto youre cou_n_tree. Then he asked whan\ny\u1d49 day sholde be of the batayle, and he sayd this daye, viii. dayes.\nThenne sayd Alexander, yf I sholde this daye tary then can I not come\nto y\u1d57 daye prefyxed. Therfore se what I shall do. I haue boden all my\nsubgectes that tomorowe they sholde come [et] be at my weddynge [et]\nbrydale. and yf I sholde go than is y\u1d57 daye loste / and yf I go not\n[et] do the batayle than Florentyne [et] ye are bothe vndone. what\nthynke ye nowe beste for to doo. whan Lodwyke herde y\u1d57 he fell to the\nerthe [et] began to syghe [et] sorowe oute of mesure, saynge, sorow\nand heuynesse come to me on all sydes. Then sayd Alexander vnto hym,\nbe of good comforte for I shall not forsake you thus, thoughe that I\nsholde lese my wyf [et] kyngdome but herken what that I haue thought in\nso moche as we are bothe lyke: soo y\u1d57 the one of vs can not be knowen\nfrome y\u1d49 other but we be bothe togyder [et] I am not yet gretly knowen\nhere. but my barons [et] other folke shall take you for me. Therfore\nhere shall ye abyde [et] tary [et] mary my wyfe in my stede, [et]\nholde y\u1d49 feest [et] brydale, [et] do in all thynges as though I were\nthere my selfe present, excepte whan as ye come to bedde w\u1d57 my wyfe\nloke y\u1d57 ye be there true [et] faythfull: [et] I shall w\u1d57oute taryenge\ngo [et] take my horse [et] ryde theder as y\u1d49 batayle shall be, [et]\nyf god gyue me the vyctorye y\u1d57 I may ouercome [et] vaynquysshe your\nenemye, I shall come ayen secretlye, and ye shall go ageyne to youre\npartyes and dwellynge playce. Thys done, Alexander badde Lodwyke fare\nwell, and toke his journeye towardes y\u1d49 Emperours courte, for to fyght\nand to do the batayle with Guydo. [et] Lodwyke abode in Egypt in the\nstede of kynge Alexander, and vpon the next mornynge came Lodwyke as\nthough it hadde be kynge Alexander. [et] solemply in y\u1d49 face of the\nchirche maryed and spoused Alexander's wyfe, [et] helde y\u1d49 feest and\nbrydale w\u1d57 grete royalte of delycate, [et] precyous metes, plente of\nall maner wynes, [et] dyuerse melodyes of instrumentes of musyke,\nand he made greate joye [et] chere to all the noble men, [et] to all\nother people y\u1d57 there was assembled. And whan y\u1d49 nyghte was come, he\nwente to bedde with y\u1d49 quene, [et] layd betwyxt hym and her a naked\nswerde, wherof she had greate wonder, but no thynge she sayd, and\nalso he laye w\u1d57 hir euery nyght as longe as Alexander was out. \u00b6 The\nkynge Alexander at the daye y\u1d57 was prefixed [et] sette, came vnto y\u1d49\nEmperoure [et] sayd, O most drad souerayne lorde it is so y\u1d57 I haue\nleft my fader ryght seke. Neuerthelesse I am come for to defende myn\nhonoure [et] my forwarde to performe. The Emperoure sayd ye do ryght\nwell [et] accordynge to a noble man, [et] fortune shall fauoure you in\nyour iuste [et] ryght wysse quarell. And whan the Emperours doughter\nvnderstode y\u1d57 Alexander was comen, anone she sent for him [et] whan\nas he was come to hyr she embraced hym, [et] with ioye [et] gladnesse\nshe kyste hym, [et] blessed y\u1d49 tyme that she myght see hym ayen [et]\ndemau_n_ded hym where he that hadde lefte hyr frende and louer Lodwyke.\nThen he shewed [et] declared vnto hyr all y\u1d49 processe [et] how he had\nleft hym kyng in his realme, [et] toke his leue at hyr, [et] wente in\nto Lodwyke's chamber, [et] there was no creature y\u1d57 thought otherwyse\nbut it was lodwyke, oonly excepte Florentyne. The next daye folowynge\nafore er Alexander went vnto y\u1d49 batayle he sayd vnto y\u1d49 Emperoure in\ny\u1d49 presence of Guydo. My moost redoubted souerayne lord this Guydo\nhath falsely [et] vntruely accused me vnto your noble grace, y\u1d57 I\nsholde be of suche aqueyntau_n_ce w\u1d57 youre doughter y\u1d57 sholde be vnto\ny\u1d49 dyshonoure of your moost noble persone [et] hyrs, [et] vnto y\u1d57 I\nswere [et] afferme, by this holy euau_n_gelyes y\u1d57 she was neuer in\nony maner by me in suche wyse knowen as he hathe to you alledged [et]\nenformed, [et] that this daye w\u1d57 the ayde [et] y\u1d49 helpe of god I shall\nproue [et] make good vppon his body. Then sayd Guydo, yet ones I say\nayen [et] swere by y\u1d49 holy euaungelyes [et] by all y\u1d57 god hathe made\ny\u1d57 thou hast hadde knowledge [et] hast defouled y\u1d49 Emperours doughter,\n[et] y\u1d57 I shall make good vpon thy hede. where vpon they lepte vpon\ntheyr coursers, [et] fyersly ranne togyder w\u1d57 theyr speres y\u1d57 they\nbothe brake [et] shyuered in peces, [et] theye drewe theyr swerdes\n[et] faught longe togyder, tylle at y\u1d49 laste Alexander w\u1d57 grete myght\nand strengthe at one stroke smote of Guydoes hede, and sent it vnto\ny\u1d49 Emperour's doughter wherof she was ryght gladde, [et] bare it vnto\nher fader [et] sayd, Fader beholde the hede of hym y\u1d57 you [et] me hath\nfalsely defamed. whan y\u1d57 the Emperoure perceyued y\u1d49 vyctory, anone he\nsent for Alexander whom y\u1d57 he beleued hadde ben Lodwyke [et] sayd,\nO Lodwyke this daye youre honoure [et] my doughters ye haue saued.\nye shall stande [et] be the more in my grace [et] fauour, [et] what\nsoeuer he be that hereafter more defame you he shall for euer stande\nin my indygnacyon. Alexander answerd, god helpethe [et] saueth theym\ny\u1d57 trusteth in hym, [et] alwayes wreketh y\u1d49 blode vndeffectyue or\ninnocent. But now my moost redoubted lorde of one thynge I requyre you,\nat my departynge fro my fader I lefte hym sore seke y\u1d57 it wyll lyke\nyou for to lycence me to go [et] se how it standethe w\u1d57 hym, [et] yf\ny\u1d57 it be ony thynge amended I shall incontynent come ayen. Then the\nEmperour sayd, that pleaseth me well, but ye maye in no manere wyse\nleue me for fro hensforth I can not be without your presence. Alexander\ntoke leue of y\u1d49 Emperoure and bad hym fare well, [et] rode ayen vnto\nhis realme whome whan Lodwyke sawe he made greate chere [et] gladnesse,\n[et] ryghte frendlye receyued hym [et] sayd, O moste true frende of\nall frendes, tell me howe ye haue done [et] spedd in your iourney [et]\nnede, and what ende ye haue brought it to. Then sayd he, goo to y\u1d49\nEmperoure and serue hym as ye haue done tofore. I haue goten you more\ngrace and fauoure of hym than euer ye haue hadde afore tyme [et] I\nhaue also smyten of the hede of youre enmye and aduersarye. Then sayd\nLodwyke, ye haue not only at this tyme saued my lyfe, but many a tymes\nhere afore, y\u1d49 whiche as yet I can not deserue, but god rewarde you,\n[et] so departed [et] wente ayen vnto the Emperoure, [et] there was no\nman that knewe of the absence of Alexander saue oonly Lodwyke. And whan\nas the nyght was come he wente to bedde with the quene, [et] anone he\nhadde with hyr swete [et] frendly wordes [et] her embraced [et] kyst.\nTho sayd she, ye haue made this tyme all to longe, that ye haue not\nshewed ony thyng of frendshyp or loue, how may this be. Thenne sayd\nhe, wherfore saye ye that. She sayd, euery nyght as I was in my bed ye\nhaue layde betwyxe you [et] me a naked swerde and ye haue neuer tasted\nor torned you towardes me more than nowe. And whan the kynge herde y\u1d57\nhe thought on y\u1d49 trouthe of hys felowe [et] sayd vnto hyr, O my moost\ndere lady [et] quene, it was not do[ne] for none euyll wyll, but for a\ngode probac\u014dn [et] for a perpetuall loue. But she thought in her selfe\ny\u1d57 loue shall ye neuer more haue of me, but y\u1d57 dyspyte she thought I\nshall auenge vpon the. Tho was there a knyght y\u1d57 she afore had a lytell\nloue and fauour vnto, [et] she began for to loue hym more [et] more,\nso longe tyll at y\u1d49 laste they thoughte [et] ymagyned how they myght\ndestroye [et] sle y\u1d49 kyng, [et] therfor they gate poyson [et] poysoned\ny\u1d49 kynge, soo y\u1d57 yf he had not ben ryght stronge of complexyon he had\ndeyed thereof but it wrought in hym so sore y\u1d57 it caused hym to be y\u1d49\nmoost foule and horryble lepre or laser y\u1d57 euer was sene vpon erthe.\nThe lordes [et] noble men of his realme [et] the quene also seynge this\ndespysed hym [et] sayd, y\u1d57 it behoued not a lepre to regne vpon vs, for\nhe sholde not procure nor engendre ony fayre or clene heyres. And so\nhe was deposed of y\u1d49 dygnyte royall, [et] dryuen out of his realme. \u00b6\nIn the meane tyme deyed the Emperour of Rome, [et] Lodwyke wedded y\u1d49\ndoughter [et] after that Lodwyke's fader deyed, so that Lodwyke reygned\nbothe Emperoure [et] kynge of Fraunce at ones. Whan kynge Alexander\nherde that he thought in hymselfe, nowe my felowe reygneth togyder\nvpo_n_ thempyre [et] the realme of Frau_n_ce, to whome maye I better\ngoo than to hym for whome many tymes I haue aduentured my lyfe. and\nvpon a nyght he rose vp [et] made hym redy [et] toke w\u1d57 hym hys staff\n[et] claper, [et] yede towarde themperours courte. And whan he was come\nnyghe to y\u1d49 yate, he set hym amonges other lasers abydynge y\u1d49 gyuynge\nof y\u1d49 almesse. and on a season as y\u1d49 Emperoure went out of his palays,\nall y\u1d49 pore lasers began to rynge theyr clapers, [et] y\u1d49 gode kynge\nAlexander dyd lyke y\u1d49 other, but there was none almesse gyuen to them.\nHe taryed so longe vnto y\u1d49 tyme y\u1d57 themperour was set [et] serued at\ny\u1d49 table. Tho went kynge Alexander vnto y\u1d49 yate [et] knocked therat,\n[et] the porter asked who was there. Alexander answerd hy_m_ I am a\npore despysed man, but for y\u1d49 loue of god I require you y\u1d57 ye torne\nnot your syght fro my vysage, and y\u1d57 ye wyll for y\u1d49 rewarde of god do\nmy message vnto y\u1d49 Emperour. he asked what is y\u1d49 mater. Alexander sayd\ngo [et] tell hym here is a laser that ryght horryble is to see. The\nwhiche prayeth hym for the loue of god [et] kynge Alexander that he\nwyll grau_n_te hy_m_ this daye to ete his almesse afore hym vpon the\nerthe in his hall. The porter sayd I wonder that ye dare desyre that\nof my lorde, for why all the hall is full of lordes [et] noble me_n_,\n[et] yf they beholde you they sholde all abhorre [et] leue theyr mete.\nBut for so moche as ye haue requyred me so profou_n_dly for y\u1d49 loue\nof god I shall go [et] do youre erande what so euer happen therof.\n[et] so he yede forthe afore themperour [et] dyd his message. Whan y\u1d49\nEmperour herde y\u1d49 porter name Alexander y\u1d49 kynge of Egypte, he sayd to\ny\u1d49 porter, go bryng hym in afore me how horryble y\u1d57 so euer his vysage\nbe, [et] ordeyne hym a place afore me, y\u1d57 he may ete his mete afore\nme in my presence. The porter brought hym in anone, [et] ordeyned hym\na place [et] set hym to mete afore y\u1d49 Emperour, [et] whan he was well\nrefresshed he sayd vnto one of the Emperours seruau_n_tes, My dere\nfrende do me thys erande to y\u1d49 Emperoure. Saye vnto hym y\u1d57 I praye hym\nfor y\u1d49 loue of god [et] kynge Alexander y\u1d57 he wylle sende me his cuppe\nw\u1d57 wyne. The seruau_n_t sayd for y\u1d49 loue of god I shall doo it, but I\nbeleue it wyll not be, for yf ye ones drynke of my lordes cuppe, he\nwyll no more drynke of y\u1d49 same. neuerthelesse he dyd y\u1d49 erande. Anone\nas the Emperoure herde hym name kynge Alexander, he c\u014dmaunded his cuppe\nto be fylled of the beste wyne [et] bere it vnto hym. The whiche wyne\nwha_n_ he hadde receyued it he put it into hys botelle, [et] toke his\nrynge y\u1d57 Lodwyke had gyuen vnto hym [et] put it in to the cuppe, [et]\nsent it ayen vnto y\u1d49 Emperour, and whan y\u1d49 Emperoure sawe the rynge\nanone he knew it y\u1d57 it was the same y\u1d57 he had gyuen vnto Alexander in\nfrendeshyp whan y\u1d57 he departed fro hym, [et] thoughte in his herte\ny\u1d57 Alexander is dede, or ellys this man is merueylously come vnto y\u1d49\nrynge, [et] c\u014dmau_n_ded anone that the laser sholde not departe vnto\ny\u1d49 tyme he had spoken w\u1d57 hym, for in no wyse he coude haue knowlege of\nhym nor yet reputed hym for Alexander, after that the dyner was done\n[et] ended, the Emperoure toke the seke man aparte and askyd howe he\ncame by y\u1d49 rynge. Alexander demau_n_ded yf he knewe well y\u1d49 rynge. The\nEmperour sayd, I knowe it ryght well. Alexander sayd, wote ye also to\nwhome ye haue gyuen it. Themperour sayd I wote ryght well. Howe is it\nthan sayd Alexander y\u1d57 ye knowe not me, for I am Alexander to whome ye\nhaue gyuen y\u1d49 same rynge. whan the Emperoure herde y\u1d57 he felle downe to\nthe grou_n_de for sorowe [et] tare and rente his robys [et] clothes,\n[et] w\u1d57 grete syghynges and bewaylynges sayd, O Alexander ye be the\none halfe of my soule, whehe (_sic_) is your goodlye and delycate body\ny\u1d57 was so fayre y\u1d57 nowe so vnclene [et] wretchedly is enfecte. he\nanswered, This is me hapned for the grete fydelyte that ye haue done\nto me in my bedde with my wyfe, whan ye layd a naked swerde betwyxt\nyou [et] hyr, wherfore she became wrothe [et] hated me, that she [et]\na knyght that afore tyme she ought hir loue vnto haue impoysened me as\nye maye see. [et] aboue y\u1d57 they haue dryuen me out of my realme. [et]\nwhan the Emperoure herde that he for loue toke hym aboute y\u1d49 necke [et]\nkyste hym [et] sayd, O my moost entyerlye beloued brother, I sorowe to\nsee you in this grete syknesse [et] mysery, wolde god I myght deye for\nyou, but my moost dere frende, suffre pacyently a lytell tyme tyll y\u1d57\nwe haue sente for all y\u1d49 physycyens [et] wyse maysters in physyke to\nhaue theyr counseylle [et] aduyse. yf there be ony remedye or hope of\nrecouerynge of your helthe, [et] yf it be possyble for to helpe you, we\nshall neyther spare Empyre lordshyps nor other good temporall to make\nyou hole [et] sou_n_de. In the meane whyle he was brought into a fayre\nchamber rychely appareylled [et] appoynted of all maner thynges y\u1d57 were\nrequysyte [et] necessarye for his ease [et] helthe. [et] in all haste\nhe sente his messangers by all partyes of y\u1d49 worlde, for y\u1d49 experte\n[et] moost wyse physycyens y\u1d57 myght be fou_n_de. Of whome within a\nmoneth were come [et] assembled before y\u1d49 Emperoure xxx. y\u1d49 whiche\nwere ryght experte [et] subtyll in y\u1d49 scyence. To whome themperour\nsayd, My welbeloued maysters I haue a frende y\u1d57 greuousely is infecte\nw\u1d57 a lepry, whome I wolde ryght fayne were heled [et] made sou_n_de.\n[et] no thynge theron to spare neyther golde ne syluer ne all y\u1d49 other\ngoodes y\u1d57 I haue in this worlde, but I wolde gyue it to recouer hys\nhelthe. The maysters answered [et] sayd all y\u1d57 euer is possyble to be\ndone by physyke y\u1d57 ye shall sone vnderstande after y\u1d57 we haue seen the\npersone. [et] forthw\u1d57 as they had seen hym, [et] perceyued y\u1d49 cause\n[et] mater of y\u1d49 infyrmyte, they iuged it a dysease vncurable for all\ny\u1d49 maysters lyuynge. and whan the Emperoure herde y\u1d57 he was ryght sory\nin hys herte, [et] remytted it vnto y\u1d49 helpe of almyghty god callynge\nvnto hym relygyous men, [et] poore people, [et] other deuoute persones\n[et] desyred theym to praye to god, y\u1d57 he wolde wouchesaufe to make\nhole his frende y\u1d49 sooner for theyr gode dedes [et] prayers. and he\nhymselfe with manye other fasted [et] prayed humbly to almyghty god\nfor y\u1d49 helth of his frende. Uppon a daye as kynge Alexander was in\nhis prayers, there came vnto hym a voyce saynge Yf the Emperoure wyll\nw\u1d57 his owne handes slee hys two sones, whiche his wyfe hathe born by\nhym at one burden, [et] wasshe thy body w\u1d57 the blode of them, thy body\n[et] thy flesshe shall be as fayre [et] as clene as y\u1d49 flessh of the\nlytell chyldern. whan kynge Alexander had herde this he thought in\nhymselfe, this vysyon is not expedyente to be shewed for it is sore\nayenste nature y\u1d57 ony man sholde slee his owne sones for y\u1d49 recoueryng\nof the helthe of a strau_n_ge man. The Emperour nyght [et] daye laye\nin his prayers w\u1d57 greate deuocyon, [et] prayed to god for y\u1d49 remedye\nof kynge Alexander. So y\u1d57 at the laste there came a voyce vnto hym\n[et] sayd, how longe shall ye thus crye [et] calle vpon me whanne it\nis openly shewed [et] notefyed vnto Alexander how that he shall be\nmade hole. The Emperoure herynge that wente vnto Alexander [et] sayd,\nOf all frendes y\u1d49 beste [et] mooste true, blessed be the moost hyghe\ngod the whyche neuer faylethe y\u1d57 call [et] truste vpon hym, of whome I\nhaue knowlege y\u1d57 it is shewed vnto you howe [et] in what wyse that ye\nmaye be made hole, wherfore I praye you that ye wyll it openly shewe\nvnto me that we maye joye togyder. [et] yf ye nede ony thynge therto\nthat I maye do I shall fulfyll it vnto my powere and for your helthe\ngyue all y\u1d57 I haue. Alexander said Syr I dare not shewe to you how y\u1d57\nI maye be cured or heled of my maladye, for it excedethe [et] it is a\nthynge ayenste nature for to be done, therfore I wyll not shewe it to\nyou, howe be it grete truste [et] confydence is in you. The Emperoure\nsayde Alexander truste in me, for what so euer is possyble for to be\ndone for the recouerynge of youre helthe I shall do it [et] therfore\nhyde no thynge frome me. Then sayd Alexander I haue of god knowlege y\u1d57\nyf ye wyll slee youre two sones with youre owne handes [et] wasshe me\nin theyre blode I sholde be hole, [et] therfore I haue not shewed it\nvnto you, for me thynketh it is ayenst nature y\u1d57 the fader sholde slewe\nhis owne chyldern for y\u1d49 helthe of a straunge man. The Emperoure sayd\nsaye not y\u1d57 ye be a straunge man, for I loue you as I do my selfe, [et]\ntherfore yf I hadde ten chyldern I sholde notte spare one alyue to haue\nyoure helthe. after that y\u1d49 Emperoure watched [et] spyed his tyme whan\ny\u1d49 Empresse [et] all ladyes [et] chambereres were oute of y\u1d49 waye [et]\nwhan tyme was he entred into y\u1d49 chamber where as the chyldern slepte,\n[et] drewe out his knyfe [et] cutte asonder bothe theyr throtes, [et]\ngadred y\u1d49 blode in a vessell, [et] therin he bathed [et] wasshed\nAlexander. [et] whan he was so bathed his body [et] flesshe was as\nfayre [et] as clene as thought (_sic_) it had ben of a yonge chylde.\nThen y\u1d49 emperour had knowlege of his vysage, [et] kyssed hym say_n_g,\nO good Alexander nowe I see you in y\u1d49 same forme whiche I haue often\ntymes dylected in, blessed be god that euer I hadde thyse chyldern, by\nye whome ye be holpen and made hole. [et] yet wyste no man of the deth\nof y\u1d49 chyldern saue oonly y\u1d49 emperoure [et] Alexander. [et] whan as\nthe emperoure sawe y\u1d57 Alexander was parfytly heled, he sayd vnto hym,\nI shall ordeyne to you an honeste companye [et] ye shall go frome hens\nten myle the next daye sende vnto me a messager, [et] y\u1d57 ye shew openly\nvnto me of youre comynge, and I shall then with all solempnyte come\n[et] mete you, [et] ye shall abyde with me vnto the tyme that we maye\notherwyse prouyde for y\u1d49 recouerynge of youre realme. This cou_n_seyll\npleased Alexander ryght well, [et] accordynge to y\u1d49 same it was done,\nfor on y\u1d49 nexte daye came y\u1d49 messager vnto the emperoure shewynge hym\ny\u1d49 comynge of kynge Alexander [et] whanne the empresse herde that she\nwas ryghte gladde, [et] sayd vnto the emperoure, O my lorde haue ye\nnot nowe a cause of greate ioye, that kyng Alexander whome we of a\nlonge tyme haue not seen. and yf it please you to go and mete hym with\nyour lordes and seruau_n_tes, I shall folowe you with my ladyes [et]\ngentylwymen. [et] yet wyste she not the dethe of hyr chyldern. Then\nrode they forth with a grete companye and met with the kynge Alexander\nand whan they mette togyder, with greate reuerence and honoure they\nreceyued hym, and with grete gladnesse and joye they broughte hym in\nto the palays. and whanne the tyme of dyner was come Alexander was set\nat y\u1d49 table betwyxt y\u1d49 emperour [et] y\u1d49 empresse [et] all the chere y\u1d57\nshe coude make she dyd to hym. and whan the Emperour perceyued that,\nhe was ryghte well pleased [et] sayd, O myne owne Florentyne I joye\naboue all thynges y\u1d57 ye do [et] make to kynge Alexander soo gode chere.\nThen sayd she, wherfore sholde I not, is not his comynge to vs bothe\njoye [et] gladnesse but more to you my lorde, for this dygnyte y\u1d57 ye\nare in by hym ye are promoted, [et] many tymes he hathe saued you fro\ny\u1d49 dethe. Themperour sayd than I praye you myn owne Florentyne y\u1d57 ye\nwyll take hede to my wordes y\u1d57 I shall saye to you. Sawe ye not y\u1d49\nfoule laser, whiche the laste daye sate before oure table, and prayed\nme for the loue of god [et] kynge Alexander y\u1d57 I shold gyue hym drynke.\nshe sayd, My lorde I saw hym well a more horryble man I neuer behelde.\nthen sayd Themperoure, I demaunde nowe this of you. I put case y\u1d57 he\nwere kynge Alexander [et] that he in ony wyse coude not be made hole\nbut w\u1d57 the blood of your sones, the whiche ye in one daye brought in\nto this worlde, wolde ye not y\u1d57 theyr bloode were shed that he myght\nbathe hym therin to y\u1d49 entente y\u1d57 by the same he myght haue parfyte\nhelthe as ye nowe se hym in. She sayd my lorde wherfore demau_n_de ye\nme y\u1d57 question. I saye [et] lete you haue knowlege for trouthe that\nyf I hadde ten sones I sholde gladly slee them w\u1d57 min owne handes to\nprepare [et] ordeyne for hym a bayne, [et] sholde wasshe hym therin\nmyne owne selfe, rather than I sholde leue hym in suche peryll. for\ngod myght well sende vs mo chyldern. but suche a true frende were as\na thynge impossyble for vs to recouer or fynde. Whan themperour herde\nthis of hyr, he was well co_n_tente [et] pleased in his mynde [et]\nsayd, O wyfe had ye leuer haue your chyldern dede than Alexander shold\nbe in y\u1d57 sekenesse of lepery. therfore shall I open and shewe to you\nnowe y\u1d49 trouthe of y\u1d49 mater. That foule laser the whiche ye sawe was\nAlexander that syttethe here, [et] by y\u1d57 maner he is made hole w\u1d57 the\nblode of our sones, [et] they are dede: as y\u1d49 Empresse herde y\u1d57 she\nbegan to sorowe as nature wolde, all thoughe she had sayd afore y\u1d57\nshe had leuer see hyr chyldern dede than she wolde suffre Alexander\nin suche payne. The nourysshes of y\u1d49 chyldern vnderstandynge this,\nw\u1d57 grete cryenge [et] wepynge went to y\u1d49 nourysshery or chamber of\nthem, [et] grete sorowe [et] bewaylynge was made thrughe themperours\ncourte for his sones. [et] whan the nourysshes came into y\u1d49 chamber,\nthey fou_n_de the chyldern playnge [et] syngynge of y\u1d49 moost blessed\nvyrgyne Mary, aue maria gracia plena dn\u0304s tecum, [et] tho went they\nayen in all haste vnto y\u1d49 Emperour [et] shewed hym y\u1d57 his sones were\nlyuynge [et] that about theyr throtes there as they were cutte they\nhaue a cercle of threde of golde, [et] therof was grete joy [et]\ngladnesse in all y\u1d49 courte, [et] gaue thankynges vnto al[m]yghty god\n[et] to y\u1d49 blessed vyrgyne mary his moder of y\u1d57 grete myracle. after\ny\u1d57 themperoure w\u1d57 a grete multytude and company of people gadred [et]\nassembled went w\u1d57 Alexander into Egypte [et] set hym ayen into his\nroyalte [et] possessyon of his Realme [et] the quene w\u1d57 the knyghte\nwhiche lyued togyder in auoutry he dyd the_m_ both to be brent in too\npoudre. And whan this was all done, the Emperoure hadde a syster oonly\nwhom he gaue Alexander vnto his wyfe. And whanne kynge Alexander had\nall his realme obteyned ayen [et] was sette in gode reste [et] peas y\u1d49\nEmperoure wente ayen vnto his Empire, [et] the kynge Alexander ryght\nwysely [et] manly gouerned hymselfe in all his feates [et] actes so y\u1d57\nhe ouercame all his enmyes [et] rebelles. And whan he was in al his\nglorye, peas [et] myght, he hadde thought [et] mynde vpon his fader\n[et] moder, by whome he was caste into the see, which dwelled in ferre\npartyes from thens he sent to them a messager [et] dyd them to haue\nknowelege y\u1d57 the kynge of Egypte vpon suche a daye wolde be w\u1d57 them to\nete [et] to drynke [et] to make good chere. and whan the messager was\ncome too them, they receyued hym w\u1d57 grete joye [et] with gyftes largely\nto hym gyue_n_ sent hym ayen, saynge y\u1d57 theyr seruyces sholde be redy\nat all tymes to do y\u1d49 kynge plesure but y\u1d57 coude they neuer by power\nfully deserue y\u1d57 he wolde wouchesauf to shewe them y\u1d57 honoure, wherto\nthey were not worthy, he for to come to them to ete [et] to drynke\n[et] sporte hym. The messager went ayen vnto y\u1d49 kynge [et] shewed how\ngladlye y\u1d57 they wolde receyue hym, [et] what rewarde they had gyuen\nhym [et] how faythfully they were [et] redy to do hym seruyce at his\nc\u014dmau_n_dement, wherew\u1d57 the kynge was well co_n_tente. And whan y\u1d49\ndaye was comen y\u1d57 was prefyxed, the kynge with a fayre co_m_pany rode\ntowarde his faders house, y\u1d49 whiche as well to y\u1d49 knyght his fader as\nto his moder was vnknowen that he was theyr sone. Whanne the kynge was\ncome nygh vnto his faders castell, the knyght rode to receyue and mete\nhym, [et] whan he come nyghe vnto y\u1d49 kynge he descended frome his horse\n[et] reuerenced hym with his knee on the erthe, but the kynge toke hym\nvp shortly, [et] comau_n_ded hym to ascende ayen vpon his horse, [et]\nrode so togyder cheke by cheke vnto y\u1d49 castell. And whan they were\ncome theder the moder came them to mete, [et] felle vpon hyr knees to\ny\u1d49 erthe [et] welcomed hym gladly. The kynge toke hyr louynly vp [et]\nkyssed hyr ryght frendly. [et] she sayd, My moost honorable lorde ye\ndo vnto vs vnworthy grete honour w\u1d57 the presence of your persone moost\nhonourable, the whiche we neuer more can deserue. After y\u1d57 all the mete\nwas all redy, [et] the tyme of y\u1d49 day was come to go to dyner. The\nfader came w\u1d57 a basyn, [et] with an ewyr, [et] the moder w\u1d57 a towell\nsaynge, Syre all thynge is redye, please it you to wasshe. [et] whan y\u1d49\nkyng sawe that he smyled [et] sayd vnto hymselfe, Nowe is y\u1d49 songe of\nthe nyghtyngale true, for my fader [et] my moder sholde gladly fulfyll\nas I sayd, yf y\u1d57 I my selfe wolde therto consente and suffre them to\ndo it. But he wold not suffre theym for to doo too hym suche seruyce,\nsaynge youre aege is for to be honoured and worshypped / [et] therfore\nI wyll not of it, and called vnto hym one of his seruauntes the whiche\nserued hym therof. Thenne sayd the knyght, ye wyll not suffre vs too do\nit for our honour, for we are not worthy therto. The kynge sayd, haue\nnot I sayd that for your aege I forbere you it. whan y\u1d49 kynge was set\nat y\u1d49 table, he set his moder on y\u1d49 ryght hande of hym, [et] his fader\non his lefte syde [et] they as moche as they myght behelde his vysage\n[et] cou_n_tenau_n_ce. The dyner ended y\u1d49 kynge entred in to a chamber,\n[et] made y\u1d49 knyght w\u1d57 his lady to come in to hym, [et] comau_n_ded all\nother to auoyde [et] goo out. and whan they were thus alone, y\u1d49 kynge\nsayd vnto them haue ye no chyldern. They answerd we haue neyther sone\nne doughter. and y\u1d49 kynge sayd had ye neuer none. The knyght answered,\nwe haue hadde one sone, but he is longe agone dede. The kynge asked\nof what dethe deyed he. The knyghte sayd, a naturall dethe: Tho sayd\ny\u1d49 kynge, yf I maye otherwyse knowe y\u1d57 he deyed than are y\u1d49 fou_n_de\nw\u1d57 a defawte. Tho asked the knyghte, My lorde wherfore enquyre ye thus\nafter oure sone. The kynge answered, that do I not w\u1d57out cause, [et]\ntherfore I wyll knowe of what dethe he deyed. [et] yf ye wyll not tell\nme I shall cause you to deye a shamefull dethe. whan they herde that\nthey fell too grou_n_de upon ther knees afore hym [et] asked hym mercye\n[et] forgyuenesse of theyr lyues. The kynge wolde not suffre them to\nknele, but scortly toke them vp [et] sayd, To that entente came I not\nin to your house to ete your brede [et] to betraye you. but saye me\ny\u1d49 trouthe [et] ye shall be saued, for it is gyuen me to vndesta_n_de\nthat ye haue put hym to dethe, and yf that come in iugemente ye muste\ndeye a shamefull dethe. Than sayd the knyght, lorde pardone me my lyfe\n[et] I shall shew you y\u1d49 very trouthe. The kynge sayd fere not, for I\nshall do you no harme. Tho sayd he, Souerayne lorde we had a sone oonly\ny\u1d57 was wyse [et] lettred [et] ryght well vnderstande. And vpon a tyme\nas he stode afore vs [et] serued at y\u1d49 table, There came a nyghtyngale\ny\u1d57 ryght swetly songe, whoos songe he began to interprete and tell\nvs what it mente [et] sayd: This byrde syngeth that I shall become\nso grete [et] myghty a lorde y\u1d57 it shall be to youre honoure [et]\naduau_n_seme_n_t in suche wyse y\u1d57 ye my fader shall be gladde to holde\ny\u1d49 basyn w\u1d57 water to wasshe in my handes, [et] my moder y\u1d49 towell yf y\u1d57\nI wolde suffre it. And whan I herde y\u1d57 I was sore meued [et] toke [et]\ncaste hym in to y\u1d49 see for too drowne. Tho sayd the kynge what euyll\nmyght haue come to you yf he hadd ben made so grete [et] myghty, me\nthynketh it sholde haue been youre honoure [et] proufyte. The knyghte\nsayd lorde it was no reason but a woodnesse. The kynge answered: y\u1d57 was\na grete folysshnes of you y\u1d57 y\u1d49 wolde do ayenst y\u1d49 ordynau_n_ce [et]\nwylle of god. But nowe ye shall knowe for trouth y\u1d57 I am youre sone\ny\u1d57 ye caste in to y\u1d49 see. [et] god of his grete mercye [et] goodnesse\nhathe saued me, [et] by his grace hathe brought me too this astate\n[et] dygnyte. and y\u1d49 fader [et] moder herynge y\u1d57 with fere [et] joye\nreplenysshed fell flat to y\u1d49 grou_n_de, whom he louy_n_ly [et] frendly\ntoke vp sayng fere not, but rather be glad [et] joyous for ye shall\nno thynge suffre, but my exaltacyon shall be your glorye [et] joye\n[et] proufyte [et] kyste bothe his fader [et] moder w\u1d57 grete joye [et]\ngladnesse. Tho began y\u1d49 meder (_sic_) to wepe. Than sayd y\u1d49 kynge wepe\nnot but be of gode chere for in my realme y\u1d49 shall be honoured aboue\nme durynge my lyf [et] toke them w\u1d57 hym in to his realme where they\ndwelled togyder in honour [et] joye, [et] ended theyr dayes w\u1d57 joye\n[et] myrthe.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n_Here foloweth y\u1d49 applycac\u014dn of y\u1d49 example to purpose._\n\n\nT[h]enne sayd the Emperours sone, lorde haue ye vnderstande what I\nhaue sayd. Themperoure sayd ryght well. Tho sayd the sone, My mooste\nhonourable [et] redoubted fader, all thoughe y\u1d57 god hathe gyuen [et]\nindued me w\u1d57 wysdome [et] vnderstandyng aboue many other, y\u1d57 sholde\nnot be in appayrynge of youre honoure [et] myght, but more for the\npreseruacyon of the same. So in lyke wyse y\u1d49 kynges maieste which was\nno thynge to y\u1d49 hynderaunce of his fader, but rather for his worshyp\n[et] proufyte, for as long as they lyued they were honoured in his\nrealme. Than sayd themperoure, My dere sone I wyll all hole resygne to\nyou thempyre too gouerne, for I perceyue well by youre narrac\u014dn y\u1d57 ye\nhaue to me declared, y\u1d57 it is beste to me [et] moost for myn ease y\u1d57\nI leue this besynesse [et] labour [et] take me to more reste, for I\nam olde [et] feeble. The sone answered his fader, My lorde fader, so\nshall it not be, but as longe as ye lyue ye shall haue the auctoryte\nand myght of thempyre to do and commaunde as it apperteyneth vnto an\nEmperour, but in all besynesses y\u1d57 are labourouse I wyll alwayes be\nredy to mynystre [et] to serue you accordynge to my dute.\n\n\n\n\n[How Judgement was given upon the Empress and how that she and her\nLover were both put to death.\n\n\n[Then the Emperor commanded the judges and justices to sit in judgement\nand to bring again the Empress before them; with the Ladies and also\nthe Ribauld, her best beloved, cloathed in the vesture and habit of\na woman, whom he did cause to stand next unto the Empress; then the\nEmperor's son asked sentence and just judgement upon them, saying,\n\n[My most honourable Lord and father, even as you are Emperour of the\nWorld; and that your majesty and power requireth to do true justice\nunto all your subjects that desire it: so now I demand that you this\nday do give right sentence and true judgement upon the untruth,\nfalshood and shame which were put and alledged unto me by the Empress;\nfor the which accusations I have been seven times led unto the gallows\nand have stood in great jeopardy and peril of my life; and also that\nshe hath been to you untrue of her body as you have seen by good proof\nmade before you; and on the which I ask judgement; and therefore\ncommand your Justices and Judges to give sentence thereupon, according\nto Right, Equity and Law.\n\n[As soon as the Empress heard this, she fell flat to the earth before\nthe Emperor and asked mercy and forgiveness for her just offence and\nmisdoing; but it helped nor profited nothing, for the son would have\nright and desired Judgement. Then spake the Judges and Justices, her\nown misdeeds condemn her, and the report of her Lemmon by her kept and\nfound; therefore we give sentence against the Empress, that she shall\nbe bound to a horses tail and drawn through all the streets of the city\nto the place] of execucyon [et] there to be brent. [et] we iuge also\n[et] gyue sentence ayenste the rybaude y\u1d57 he shall be quartred [et]\nsmyten in peces [et] his flesshe caste vnto y\u1d49 houndes, and byrdes of\ny\u1d49 ayre for to deuoure hym, [et] this se_n_tence was approbate [et]\nalowed of all people. \u00b6 Hereafter in shorte tyme deyed y\u1d49 Emperoure,\n[et] Dyoclesyan his sone gouerned [et] ruled thempyre w\u1d57 grete wysdome,\n[et] helde [et] kept his maysters w\u1d57 hym in grete honoure [et] glorye.\nBy whoos cou_n_seyll [et] wysdom he gouerned the Empyre, y\u1d57 he excelled\nall his predecessours in rychesse [et] in doynge iustice [et] ryght.\nAnd his maysters loued hym aboue all other thynges in the worlde. So\nthat many tymes they put themselfe in grete perylle [et] ieoperdye of\nther lyues for hym. And so they ended theyr dayes in grete joye [et]\nhonoure, and c\u014dmended theym to almyghty god.\n\n\u00b6 Thus endeth the treatyse of the seuen sages or wyse maysters of Rome.\nEnprented in Flete Strete in y\u1d49 sygne of the sone, by me Wynkyn de\nworde.\n\nFOOTNOTES.\n\n[Footnote 1: See _Antiquary_, vol. v. p. 157.]\n\n[Footnote 2: An 'r' has been interpolated with the pen.]\n\n[Footnote 3: Misspelt _Ulrgilius_ in the text.]\n\n[Footnote 4: The last seven words are repeated in the original.]\n\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n\nTRANSCRIBER'S NOTES:\n\n1. Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.\n\n2. Silently corrected simple spelling, grammar, and typographical\n   errors.\n\n3. Retained anachronistic and non-standard spellings as printed.\n\n4. Since the character that looks like a figure seven (7) with a\n   horizontal line through it is not available in some fonts, the\n   abbreviation ([et]) has been used to represent it. It is often\n   used in place of the word \"and\" in the 1520 text.\n\n5. The forward stroke character (/) is often used to represent a comma.\n\n6. The Pilcrow ( \u00b6 ) character normally represents the start of a new\n   paragraph. The original 1520 text in this eBook is not divided into\n   modern paragraphs. Pilcrows would have been inserted where, on\n   reading the text, a new paragraph would be expected. They have been\n   left as printed in the original book.","title":"The History of the Seven Wise Masters of Rome","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":47399}