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METRICAL ROMANCES.

^fletrial ^Romances

OF THE

THIRTEENTH, FOURTEENTH, AND FIFTEENTH CENTURIES :

PUBLISHED FROM

ancient opmixmiptn.

WITH AN

INTRODUCTION, NOTES, AND A GLOSSARY.

BY

HENRY WEBER, ESQ.

VOLUME III.

Of all maner of minstrales And jestoms that tellen tales Both of weeping and of game And of all that longeth unto fame.

Chaucer.

EDINBURGH: Printed by George Ramsay and Company,

FOR ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE AND CO. EDINBURGH; AND

JOHN MURRAY, AND CONSTABLE, HUNTER, PARK,

AND HUNTER, LONDON.

1810.

J

:

LIBRARY

PonWicsl Insfitut. of Medieval Studi.j

113 ST. JOSEPH STREET TORONTO, ONT. CANADA M5S l.W

OPT o 2 WW

CONTENTS.

VOL. ill.

Page

The Proces of the Seuyn Sages, 1

Tale I. The Pinnote-Tree and its Ympe, ... 23 II. The Knight and his Grehonde, .... 29

III. The Bore and the Herd, 36

IV. Ypocras and his Neveu, 41

V. The Father murdered by his Son, . . 49

VI. The Husband shut out, 56

VII. The Kinge and his Stiward, 61

VIII. The old Wise Man and his Wife, ... 68

IX. Cressus, the Riche Man, 77

X. The Magpie, 86

XI. Herowdes and Merlin, 91

XII. The Scheriffe, his Widow, and the

Knight, 100

XIII. Of Maister Gemes, 107

XIV. The Two Dreams, 113

XV. The Ravens, 134

Octouian Imperator, 155

Sir Amadas, , 241

CONTENTS.

Page

The Huntyng of the Hare, . . ; 277

Notes to Kyng Alisaunder, 291

Sir Cleges, 345

Lay le Freine, 346

Richard Coer de Lion, 347

Ipomydon, 361

Amis and Amiloun, 364

The Seuyn Sages, 367

Octouian, 374

Sir Araadas, 376

Glossary, 377

Various Readings, 460

THE

PROCES

OF

THE SEUYN SAGES.

▼OL. Hi.

THE

PROCES

OF

THE SEUYN SAGES.

Lordynges, that here likes to dwell,

Leues yowr speche and heres this spell :

I sal yow tel, if I haue tome,

Of the seuen sages of Rome.

Whilom lifed a nobii man,

His name was Dyoclician ;

Of Rome and of al the honowre

Was he lord and emperowre.

An emperes he had to wyfe,

The fayrest lady that bare life ; 10

Of al gude maners ful auenaunt,

And hir name was dame Milisant,

4 THE SEUYN SAGES.

A childe thai had bytwix tham two, The fayrest that on fote myght go, A knaue child that was tham dere ; Of him sone sal ye selkuths here.

Sone efterward byfel this case, The lady died and grauen was, And went whare God hyr dight to dwell ; Tharfore of hir namore I tell, 20

Whether sho past to pyne or play, Bot of the son I sal yow say. When he was seuyn winter aide, Of speche and bourding was he balde. Florentine his name cald was. Herkens now a ferly case !

His fader was emperoure of Rome, A nobil man and whise of dome, And Florentine, that was so fayre, Was his son and als his ayre. 30

It was nothing that he lufed mare, Tharfore he wold him set to lare ; And sone he gert byforn hym come Seuyn maysters that war in Rome. The tale vs telles, who to it tentes, That thai kowth al the seuyn sienz. And sone, when thai war efter sent, Hastly to the court thai went ; Thai come by for the emperoure, And hailsed him with grete honoure. 40

THE SEUYN SAGES. 5

He said, " Lordinges, takes entent, And sese whi I efter yow sent, For ye er wisest men of lare, That in this werld yit euer ware. My son I wil ye haue forthi, To make him cunnand in clergy ; And I wil that ye teche him euyn The sutelte of sience seuyn ; And al yowr wisdom and yowr wit, Mi wil es, that ye teche him it. oO

Whilk of yow now will him haue, And fullfil this that I craue ?"

Maister Bancillas spak than, For of that was he oldest man, Lene he was, and also lang, And most gentil man tham omang ; Ful perfiteli he kouth in partes, And sadly of al the seuyn artes. " Sir, he said, tak mi thi son ! Ful mekil thank I wil the kun ; fiO

And trewly I sal teche him than Of clergy more than ani man ; That dar I vndertak ye here, Within the terme of seuyn yere."

When this was said he held his pese ; And than said maister Anxilles ; He was a man meteliest, And, of eld als him semed best

6 THE SEUYN SAGES.

Of sexty winter and na mare ;

And als he was ful wise of lare : 70

" Sir, tak me thi son, he said,

And you sal hald ye ful wele payd :

I sal him lere ful right and rath,

That I can and mi felous bath :

I vndertak he sal it lere

Within the space of sex yere."

The thrid maister was litel man, Faire of chere and white as swan ; His hare was white and nathing brown, And he hight maister Lentilioune. 80

He spak vuto the emperoure : Tak me thi sun, sir, paramowre, And I sal teche him, ful trewly, Al maner of clergy That ani man leres in this liue, Within the time of yeres fiue."

The ferth maister a rede man was And his name was Malquidras ; Of fifty winter was he aide,

Quaint of hande and of speche balde ; 90

Him thoght scorn and grete hething, That thai made so grete josyng. " Syr, he sayd, I sal tel the, Mi felows wit fals noght to me ; Ne of thaire wisdom, o nane wise, Wil I mak no marchandise ;

THE SETJYN SAGES. 7

Bot, sir, this son vnto me take,

And I sal teche him, for thi sake,

The sienz of astronomy,

That falles to sternes of the sky, 100

And other sex syenz alswa,

In foure yere, vvithowten ma."

The fift maister was wise of dome, And he was cald Caton of Rome ; He made the boke of Catoun clere, That es biginyng of gramere. He karped loud unto the kyng : " Sir, tak this son to mi techeing, I wald noght he decayued ware, Bot I ne knaw noght mi felous lare ; HO

Bot for to lere him I warand, A Is mekil als he mai vnderstand, And als his wittes wele bere may, Forthermare dar I noght say, So that in time of seuen yere He sal be wise withowten were."

The sext maister rase vp onane, The fairest man of tham ilkane. Jesse was his name, God ote, Withouten faute fra heid to fote. 120

His haire was blayke and nothing broun j With eghen faire als a faukoun. " Sir, he said, if thi will were, Tak thi son to me at lere :

8 THE SEUYN SAGES.

I sal him teche, with hert fre, So that inwith yeres thre, Sal he be so wise of lare, That ye sal thank me euermare." The seuind maister Maxencius, A right wis man and vertiuus, 130

(Al his life with grete honowre Had he serued the emperoure) " Sir, he said, if thi will be, For al that I haue serued the, Tac mi thi sone to loke and lore ;

Of mi seruise kep I nammore :

And I the will thonke konne,

And al the clergie vnder sonne

I ich will into his bodi dight,

Bathe bi daie and bi night." 140

Dioclician the maistres herde,

He strok his berd, and schok his yerde,

And on hem made milde chere,

And spak that hi alle mighte i-here.

" Thonke I you kan, gode lordingges,

Of youre gentil answeringges,

I kan you thonke of youre speche,

That ye desire mi sone to teche,

Your compaignie is fair and gent,

N'el ich hit departe verraiment." 150

He tok his sone by the honde anon,

An bitaughte him to hem everichon.

THE SEUYN SAGES. 9

Thai underfengen him with cher blithe,

And thonged him a thousand sithe.

The seuen wise, with gret glorie,

That child ladde to consistorie,

That is a stede withimie Rome,

Ther men makes wise dome.

This seuen wise men, in boke,

Here conseil there togider toke, 160

That he scholde nowt in Rome bilaue ;

For burgeis, maiden, other knaue,

Mighte him in some riot sette,

That al his lore he scholde lette

Ther thai toke togideres alle,

Thai wolde make a riche halle,

Withouten Rome, in on verger,

A mile thennes, bi o riuer,

(Tiber it hatte withouten dout)

A mile long al aboute. 170

Alle tres therinne were,

That ani frut an erthe bere.

Amideward thai founden a space,

An evene and a grene place ;

Therinne thai set an halle anon,

Bothe of lim and of ston.

Quaire hit was, with chaumbres sevene ;

Was non fairer into hevene.

The halle was amidewerd,

The fairest of this midelerd. 180

10 THE SEUYN SAGES.

Therinne was paint, of Donet thre pars,

And eke alle the seven ars.

The first so was grammarie,

Musike, and astronomie,

Geometrie, and arsmetrike,

Rettorike, and ek fisike.

The segh was in the ha lie

The ars to bihelden alle.

Whan o maister him let, another him tok ;

He was ever upon his bok, 190

And to his lore tok gret kepe,

But whan he ete, other he slepe.

The ferth yer, hit was no dout,

With his maister he gan to despout ;

The fifte ye[r], he gan argument

Of the sterre, and of the firmament.

Thei wolde prove in the sexte yer,

Yif he ware wis and wer.

Leues thai tok, sextene,

Of iuy, that were grene ; 200

Under ech stapel of his bed,

(That he n'iste) four thai hid.

The child yede to bedde anight,

And ros arliche amorewen, aplight.

Hise maistres him bifore stode,

Open hefd, withouten hode.

The child lokede here and tar,

Up and doun, and everiwhar.

THE SEUYN SAGES. 11

Hise maistres askede what him was ?

" Parfai! he seide, a ferli cas! 210

Other ich am of wine dronke,

Other the firmament is i-sonke,

Other wexen is the grounde

The thickness of four leues rounde.

So muche, to-night, heyer I lai,

Certes, thanne yisterdai."

The maistres, tho, wel understode,

He coude inow of alle gode.

The seuende yer so tok he on,

He passede his maistres euerichon. 2£0

Togider thai made gret solas ;

Ac sone hem fil a ferli cas.

Dioclician that was in Rome, A riche man and wis of dome, His barons comen to him on a dai, And [said J " Sire, par nostrefai, Ye libbeth an a lenge lif : Ye scholde take a gentil wife, That you mit some solas do, And biyeten children mo. 230

Inow he habben of werldes won, To make hem riche euerichon." Th' emprour was well i-paied, With that the [seven wise] had seid. Sone he let him puruai An emperice, of gret noblai.

12 THE SEUYN SAGES

He went himself, and sent his sond,

Wide-whar, into fele lond,

Fort that thai ani founde ;

A dammeisele of gret mounde, 240

Thai brouwte here tofore themperour.

He segh sche was of feir co!6ur,

He wot sche was of hegth parage,

Anon thai asked the manage.

Thai weren wedded bi commun dome, Anon in the gise of Rome ; And lovede hem thourg alle thing. Herkneth nou a selli tiding ! Thing i-hid, ne thing i-stole, Ne mai nowt longe be for-hole ; 250

No thing mai for-hole be But Godes owen privete. Som squier or som seriant nice, Had i-told th' emperice Al of th' emperoures sone, Hou he with the maistres wone ; And hire schildre scholde be bastards, And he schal have al the wardes, Under heft, and under bond, Of th' empire, and al the lond. 260

Than couthe sche bothe qued an god ; And sone sche gan to pekke mod ; And thoughte, so stepmoder doth, Into falsnesse torne soth ;

8

THE SEUYN SAGES. 13

♦

And brew swich a beuerage, That scholde Florentin bicache. Ac, manie weneth other to hirte, And on hemselue falleth at the smerte !

Th' emperour and his wif, That he louede als his lif, 270

In chaumbre togidere thai sete ; Gladliche thai dronke and ete. " Sire, sche saide, gentil emperour, I th£ love with fin amdur, And thou nowt me sikeli. Sire, ich wil telle the whi : Seue yer hit is that thou me nome, And made me emperice of Rome, Thi make at bord and at bedde ; And o thing thou hast fram [me] hedde. 280

Thou hast a sone, to scole i-taught ; Lat me him se, warn me him naught ! Hit is thi sone, and thin air ; A wis child, and a fair. Thi most time thou hast ben kyng ; Thou drawest fast to thin e[n]ding : Fond we, Sire, in ioie libbe, And have ioie of oure sibbe ; For thi sone I tel mine,

Alse wel als tou dost thine. 290

Paraventure, hit mai falle so, That never eft ne tit vs mo.

14 THE SEUYN SAGES.

Yif thou me lovest ani wight,

Let me of him han a sight ! " —

" Certes, dame, seide th' emperour,

Hit ne schal novvt be long sojour ;

To-more we, ar underade of dai,

Thou schalt him sen, par mafai"

And sche seide, with chere blithe,

" Graunt merci, sire, a thouse[n]d sithe." 300

Amorewe th' emperour gan rise, And clothed him in riche gise. Messagers he clepede to, .Mid quik thai com toforn him bo, He scharged hem with his message, And bad hem grete the seven sage : " And seieth hem, with wordes bonair, Mi sone that thai atire fair, And brenge him horn in faire manere, For ich wil quik of him here, 3 J 0

Hou he had sped this seue yer. Me thinketh longe that n'er er." The messagers anon forht sprong, — I n'ot bi waie yif thai song, — Til thai come to that inne, Ther the maistres woned inne. And, as we finden writen in boke, Aither other be the hond toke ; And in thai wente right euene, And founde the maistres alle seuene, 320

THE SEUYN SAGES. 15

Disputend, in hire Latyn,

With that child Florentyn.

The messagers on knes hem sette,

And the seven wise thai grette>

In th' emperours bihelue,

And the child be himselue :

And seide that emperour het,

His sone that thai bi inngge him sket,

To Rome toun, to his presens.

" Your trauail, and youre despens, 330

He wil aquite for ech a yer,

After that yhe worthi wer."

The messagers were welcome,

And bi the hond quik y-nome,

And at the mete tales hem telde,

What the sonne gan to helde.

Hout wente the maistres sevene,

And bihelden up toward hevene :

Thai seghe the constillacioun.

The wisest in that so was Katoun ; 340

He gan to loke in the mone,

And seide that him thought sone :

" Lordinges, he saide, for Godes sond,

To mi telling understond !

The emperour to ous had sent,

To brenge him his sone gent.

Yif we him bring biforn our lord,

He sterueth ate ferste word

16 THE SEUYN SAGES.

That he schal in court speke !

Thanne he wil of ous be wreke, 350

To-draue ous, other to-hongi sone,

This I se wel in the mone."

The other said, withouten oth,

That Catoun hem saide soht.

Schild Florentin was lered in boke, And, in a ster he gan to loke, Whiche that sat next the mone ; And saide that him though te sone, That he wist thourgh alle thing, Of that sterre the toknyng. 360

Thanne saide the maistres to Florentin, " What sextou, leue child, tharin ?" He seide, " Maistre, I schal wel liuen, Yif I mai, this daies seuen, Kepe me fram answering, I mai live to god ending, And sauve me to warisoun, And you fram destruccioun." The maistres han wel devise The childes tale was god and wise. 370

Than seide master Bancillas, " Here is now a ferli cas ! Counseil we al herupon ; Hou that we mai best don." Than seide the schild, " Saunz fail, Ich you right wil counseil.

THE SEUYN SAGES. 17

This seven daies I n'el nowt speke ;

Nowt a word of mi mowht breke ;

And ye beth maistres gode and wise,

In al this werld of mest prise ; 380

Litel ye conne, par mafai,

But echon of yo mai saue me a dai !

The aighteden dai, ich meselue,

So the ax pelt in the helue,

That schal hewe the wai atwo

That had wrout me this wo."

Than saide master Bancillas,

" So God me helpe, and Seint Nicholas,

I schal the waranti o dai ! "

" And I," quath Catoun, " par mafai, 390

Schal the warrant another also."

Alle the maistres speken tho,

Thai wald, [by] wit and resoun,

Saue the child fram destruccioun,

Fram schame, and fram vilani.

" Maistres, he saide, graunt merci !

Certes, hi[t] bihoveth so,

For I sschal tholi mochel wo,

Gret despit, and strong tourment,

But ye be queinte of argument ! " 400

With this word, thai ben alle Departed, and comen to halie, And maked at ese the messagers, With god serablant, and glade chers.

VOL. III. u

18 THE SEUYN SAGES.

And whan hit com to time of night,

To riche bed thai were i-dight ;

And Florentin the schild, also,

To his bed he gan to go ;

And thought al night, her and ter,

Hou that he might be wis and wer 410

To overcome the emperice,

That he n'ere nowt i-holden nice.

The night passeth, the dai comen is ;

The seuen maistres arisen, I wis.

The maistres, and the messagers,

Habbeth greithed here destrers,

And that schild, wel fair i-dight :

And went hem forht anon right.

Thai dede hem out of that gardin,

That is i-cleped " the bois of Seint Martin," 420

And here way toke to Rome.

The maistres here wai ay en nome.

Tiding had th' emperour, His sone com with gret honour. Anon he let a stede dight, And rod him ayen with mani a knight. Whan he him seghth than was he blithe, And kest him wel mani a sithe. Knight, and erl, and mani baroun, Kiste the emperour's sonn, 430

And ladde him, with gret noblais, To th* emperour palais.

THE SEUYN SAGES. 19

The emperice him wil honour,

Do him sonde into hire bour.

Scho ladde fram bour to bour,

And dede here men6 make retour.

She schette the dore, and set him on benche.

Wil ye nou i-here of wommannes wrenche ?

The emperice was queinte in dede,

And [in] hire wrenche, and in hire falshede. 440

Sche and the schild alone wer than ;

Was with hem non other man.

Be his side sche set hire fast,

On him sche gan her egghen kast,

And saide, " Mi leve suete grom^

Swithe welcome be thou horn !

I have i-cast to the mi loue,

Of al worhtlich thing abouew

Thi louerd, the emperour, is old ;

Of kinde, of bodi he is cold. 450

I swere, bi sonne and bi mone,

With me ne hadde he neuer to done ;

But, for ich herde telle of thi pris,

That thou were honde, gentil, and wis,

For to haue with the acord,

Ich am i-wedded to thi lord.

Kes me, leman, and loue me,

And I thi soget wil i-be.

So God me helpe, for he hit wot,

To the ich have i-kept mi maidenhod ! * 460

20 THE SEUYN SAGES.

Sche kest here armes aboute his swere ;

Ac he made lourand chere,

And drowgh awai with al his might ;

He wold his lord don non unright.

Whan the emperice that understod,

Al achaunged was hire blod,

And saide to him, " Sweting fre,

Whi n'el ton nowt speke with me ?"

For no thing that sche mightte do,

O word n'olde he speken her to. 470

Than the emperice wex wroth ; Sche tar hire her and ek here cloth. Here kirtel, here pilche of ermine, Here keuerchefs of silk, here smok o line, Al togidere, with both fest, Sche to-rent binethen here brest. With both honden here yaulew here Out of the tresses sche hit tere ; And sche to-cragged hire visage, And gradde, " Harow !" with gret rage. 480

In halle was th' emperour. " Who had the don this desonour ?" " Bot this deuel, that her is, Hadde me ner i-rauisscht, I wis ! Hadde ich ben a while stille, With me he hadde don his wille ; And but ye hadde the rather i-come, Par force he hadde me forht i nome.

THE SEUYJM SAGES. 21

Lo hou he ad me to rent,

Mi bodi and mi face i schent. 490

He ne was neuere of thi blod !

Lat him binde, for he his wod ;

A fend he is in kinde of man.

Binde him, sire, and lede han,

For wod of wit I schal be,

Yif ich lengere on him see."

" He schal abigge !" saide th' emperour,

And cleped forht a turmentour.

Quik he het his sone take,

And spoili him of clothes nake, 500

And beten him with scourges stronge,

And afterward him hegghe an-honge.

" Blethliche ! " the boies quathe ;

And tok the schild, swithe rathe,

And ladde him forht thourgh the halle,

Among th' erles and barons alle.

Euele thai gonnen him bisen ;

Gentil ronnen him bitwen,

And asked anon of this cas.

Thai saide, " Here lordes heste hit was." 510

Anon thai ronnen into the bour,

Biforn here lord the emperour,

And blamed him he dede that dede,

Withouten counseil and rede ;

And bad him, that thilke sorewe

Most be respit til amorewe,

22 THE SEUYN SAGES.

" And thanne saue him other slen,

Bi conseil of thi gentil men."

The emperour than spared his sone,

Add het him caste in his pris6ne. 520

The emperice was fol wroth

That the child was spared, forsoht,

And wel mochel hit here traid.

Sche thought wel more thanne sche said.

An even late, the emperour Was browt to bedde with honour. The emperice, his worhtli fere, To him cam with lourand chere, And the emperour asked why Sche made semblant so sori. 530

w O sire, sche saide, no wonder n'is ; For now to londe i-comen is, He that schal, in thin eld age, Benime the thin heritage." " Pais, dame ! who schal that be ? " — " Thin howen sone, I segge the." — " Min owen sone ? dame, nay ! Ne schalt tou neuere se that dai, That he schal haue ani might Me for to don unright." 540

" Pais, sire, what halt hit heled To-dai tho hast him fram deth i-speled. Ase wel mot hit like the, Als dede the pinnote tre

THE SEUYN SAGES. 23

Of his ympe that he forht browte." The emperour lai and more thoughte ; And bad hire, with semblannt fre, Tellen him of that ilche tre, And of the ympe, al the cas.

THE I. TALE.

THE PINNOTE-TREE AND ITS YMPE.

" Whilom a riche burgeis was, 550

And woned her in Rome toun ; A riche man of gret renoun. He hadde, bihinden his paleys, A fair gardin of noblays, Ful of appel ties, and als of pirie ; Foules songe therinne murie. Amideward that gardyn fre, So wax a pinnote-tre, That hadde fair bowes and frnt ; Ther-under was al his dedwt. 560

He made ther-under a grene bench, And drank ther-under mani a sscench.

24 THE SEUYN SAGES.

Certes, therinne was al his playing In time of solas, and his resting.

" So bifel upon a dai, The burgeis fram home tok his wai ; He bough te marchaundise, and his chaffare, And bileued oute al a yare. Al so sone so he mighte,

Homward he gan him dighte. 570

Whan he was lith at his in, Quik he wente to his gardin, His fair tre for to sen ; Thanne seggh he wexe a litel stren, A yong ympe vt of his rote ; Fair hit him thoughte, and svvote. Ac that ympe that so sprong, Hit was sschort and nothing long. The burgeis cleped his gardiner. " Lo, he saide, lo me her ! 580

Seste thou this ympe, of gret mounde, Kanst thou me telle gode bounde, Whi hit is so short wering?" " Ya, sire, he saide, be heuene king ! The grete bough that over him is, So him bisschadeweth, I wis, That hit mai haue no thedom." " Neghe up, he saide, mi gode grom, And hak awai the grete bough, That hit ne do min ympe no wough." 590

THE SEUYN SAGES. 25

The gardiner, as his louerd het,

Hew awai the bough al swet,

And asked yif hit was wel i-do.

Another he bad him kit therto ; —

" Than mai, withouten letting,

Min himpe jolifliche spring."

Nou ben hise bowes awai i-sschore,

And mochel of his beaute forlore.

The ympe had roum, and wexeth fast.

The olde tre his vertu gan acast : 600

For no wonder hit n'is,

Of the maister-rote hit is

Out i-sprong, and out i-sschet,

And his bowes awai i-kett ;

Tharfore that olde tre les his pride,

And asered bi that o side.

The gode burgeis, on a dai,

His ympe thriuende he sai,

Fair i-woxe and fair i-sprad,

But the olde tre was abrad. 610

He clepid his gardener tho,

And asked whi the olde tre verd so.

He answerede, als he wel couthe,

" Sikerliche, ich telle the nouthe,

The yonge impe that wide springes,

Had large roum in alle thingges,

And, for the elde tre is so i-hewed,

Hit [is] so wikked and so sschrewed."

t6 THE SKUYN SAGES.

The burgeis seide, " Seththe the elde

Biginneth so to unbelde, 620

Hewe him to the grounde dounright ;

Lat the yonge tre atire, aplight.

Thous was the olde tre doun i-thrawe,

And the yonge tre forht i-drawe.

" Gode sire, gent and fre, That olde tre bitokneth the. The yonge bitokneth thi sone wode, That is i-spronge out of thi blode. He sschal be sone forht i-drawe, And maister ; and thou his knaue. 630

Hit wil wel sone ben i-do, And thou take kep therto : And but thou do, thou ne hast no might. That I biseke to oure dright, That als hit mote fare bi the, As dede bi the pinnote-tre."

" Certes, dame, thou seist for nowt ; I ne schal neuere so bin bicaught. Ich the bihote, sikerliche,

He schal, tomorewe erliche, 640

To deth be don ; and that is right." And thous passede the ferste night.

Amorewe aros the emperour, And mani baroun of gret honour.

THE SETJYN SAGES. 2?

Men vndede the gates of the paleis,

In com goende mani burgeis.

Sone was fild paleys and tour,

In com goind th' emperour.

u Goht, he seigh, to the prisone,

And fechcheth forht mine sone, 650

And quik that he war an-honge,

On heghe galewes and on stronge."

The boies gede anon doun,

And fesched the child out of prisoun,

And ladde him forht thour the halle,

Among the erles and barouns alle.

For that schild, that naked was,

Mani bade th' emperice evel gras !

Than com ridend Bancillas, (The childes firste maister he was) 660

And segghe his deciple harde bistad ; Tharfore he was in herte vnglad. He rod to th' emperour's halle, And lighte, and passede the knightes alle, And fint sone th' emperour, And, " Sire," saide, " Deu vous doint bonjour /" Th7 emperour saide, " God the defende Fram god dai and fram god ende !"

Than seide maister Bancillas, " Wlii artou wroht, and for what cas ? 670

Wil tou sle thin owen child ? Ne were thou wone be god and mild."

28 THE SKUYN SAGES.

" Hit n'is no wonder, saide th* emperour ;

Thou schalt ben an-honged, thou losenjour !

For, to the and thine fere,

I bitok mi sone to lere,

For to haue i-taught him god,

And ye have i-mad him wod.

Mi wif he wolde have forleyn :

Hit n'is no wonder though I have trayn ! 680

He schal therfore ben i-slawe,

And afterward al to-drawe."

Than seide maister Bancillas,

" Sire, that were now a sori cas.

Thei he had i-wraththed your wif,

Yit had he nowt agelt his lif.

Sauue youre grace, wene ich hit nowt,

Hit euere com in his thout."

Th? emperour saide, " I fond hire to-rent : Hire her, and hire face i-schent ; 690

And who is founde hond-habbing, Hit n'is non nede of witnessing !" Saide Bancillas, " Hit n'is non hale To leue stepmoderes tale. Yif thou him slest, bi hire purchas, On the falle swich a cas, As fel upon a gentil knight, And of his graihond that was to wight." a O maister, for Godes mounde, IIou bifel the knight of his grehonde ?" 700

THE SEUYN SAGES. 29

" Therwhile, sire, that I tolde this tale,

Thi sone mighte tholie dethes bale ;

Thanne were mi tale forlore !

Ac, of-sende thi sone therfore,

And yif him respit of his bale,

And thou schalt here a foul fair tale."

Th' emperour saide, " Respit I graunt ;

Fech him hider a serjaunt/'

Quik ran the messager.

With god semblant and glade cher, 710

He louted his maister that com him bi,

As he was lad to prisonn sti ;

" Maister, seide th' emperour, tel this cas."

" Blethliche," saide sire Bancillas.

THE II. TALE.

THE KNIGHT AND HIS GREHONDE.

" Sire, whilom was in this cite, In a dai of the trenete, A swithe noble strong: burclis, Of men that were of noble pi is.

30 THE SETJYN SAGES.

In a mede was this tourney,

Of men that were of gret noblai. 720

The knyght in the mede hadde o maner,

Al biclosed with o riuer,

Of chaumbers, and of hegghe halle,

Of old werk, for-crased alle.

The knight hadde a fair leuedi ;

A wel fair child sche hadde him bi.

Hit hadde of thre norices keping ;

The ferste gaf hit soukying ;

That other norice him scholde bathe,

Whan hit was time, late an rathe ; 730

The thridde norice him scholde wassche.

The child was keped tendre, an nessche.

The knight hadde a graihond,

Y-n'as no better in lond i-found.

Alle the bestes that [he] ran to

He tok, bothe hert and ro.

He was so hende, and wel i-taught ;

He n'olde yiue him for non aught.

The knight was lopen on his stede,

And armed wel in iron wede, 740

The scheld aboute his nekk, the spere on his hond

And burdised with the kniohtes of the lond.

The leuedi stod, in pount tournis,

For to bihelde the burdis.

The norice went out of the halle,

And set the cradel under the walle.

THE SEUYN SAGES. 31.

Mani stede ther ran and lep ;

To hem men toke gode kep.

An addre was norissched in the wal,

And herde the riding, and the noise al, 750

And pelt out here heued to se that wonder,

And segh that schiid ligge therunder.

He crep to grounde quik anon,

In the cradel the child to slon.

The graihond seghth the adder red,

Grislich, rough, strong and qued ;

Anon he gan hire to asail,

And hente here in his mouth, saun faiL

The adder so the grehound stang,

And he feled the bite so Strang, 760

Anon he let the adder gon :

Upon the cradel sche fleigh anon,

And was aboute the child to sting.

And the greihond com yerne flingging,

And hente the adder in strong ger,

And flapped here al aboute his er ;

Bitwene the adder and the grehound,

The cradel turnd up so doun on ground,

Up so doun, in hire feghting,

That the child lai dweling. 770

The stapeles hit upheld al quert,

That the child n'as nowt i-hert.

The addre so* the greihoun bot,

Bi the side, God hit wot,

32 THE SEUYN SAGES.

He cried, and on the cradel lep,

And bledde theron a wel gret hep !

And whan the smert was al i-gon,

To that addre he sterte anon,

And bi the bodi he him hent,

And al to peces here to-rent. 780

The grehound wolde nowt sessed be,

Til that adder ware toren of thre,

And al the place ther aboute,

Was wel blodi withouten doute.

The burdis to-yede, the folk gan hom tee,

And the norices alle thre.

The cradel and the child thai found

Up so doun upon the ground ;

The greihoun ci iede for his smert ;

The norice was sori in hert ; 790

And eche of hem understode,

That the greihond was wod,

And hadde that faire child i-slawe.

Awai thai gonne fie and drawe,

Als hit were wode wimmen.

The leuedi com hom ayen,

And asked hem what hem was ?

Anon thai telde here al the cas.

Thai lowen on that greihound hende;

Hit was pite so God ma mende ! 800

" The leuedi, when sche herde this, Aswone sche nl adoun, I wis.

THE SEUYN SAGES. 33

The knight com fram the justing fare ;

Anon asked hem what hem ware ?

" Sire, quadth sche, ich wille bi ded !

I n'elle never ete bred ;

For thi greihond, that is so wilde,

Hath i-slawe oure faire childe :

And but ye willen him slen anon,

Right now ich wille mi lif forgon. 810

The knight, for rage, into halle set ;

His hende graihond ther he met,

That him welcomed with fot and tail.

The knight drowgh his swerd, saunz fail ;

The graihond on the rigge he hit,

Into the grounde he him slit.

The greihound is ded ; the knight goth forth,

Into his halle grim and wroth.

Of the adder he fond mani tronsoun,

And the cradel up so doun. 820

He turneth the cradel and fint the child quik,

Hoi and sond, and hath ferlich.

He seghth the adder the graihound slowgh ;

He hadde slawen his greihond with wough !

He cride and made mochel sorewe :

" Ne be that man neuere i-borewe,

But in euel water adreint,

That ever leue wimmannes pleint ! "

Eft he maketh a gret cri ;

And he clepeth the leuedi, 830

VOL. III. c

34 THE SEUYN SAGES.

And on the knightes and sweines also,

And pleined him of his mochel wo ;

And sschewede his child hoi and sound,

And slawen was his gode graihond,

For his prouesse and his gode dede,

Al for his fole wiues rede !

" O grehound ! he seide, wight and strong,

I schal miselue abigge that wrong,

And tache other knightes, saun fail,

To leue here leuedis conseil ! " 840

He set him doun in that thrawe ;

Als quik he dede his schon of-drawe,

And karf his vaumpes, fot-hot,

And wente him forht al barfot,

Withouten leue of wif and child,

And wente into a forest wild,

Into desert fram alle men ;

Wolde he never come agen.

He tholede mani a biter stounde,

For the wrong of his greihonde. 850

" So falle on the, sire emperour, Swich arm, and schame, and desonour, Yif thou do thi sone unright, Als to the greihound dede the knight. Thourgth the counseil of hiis wif, He sloughth his greihond nowt geltif."

THE SEUYN SAGES, 35

" O maister, bi Peter that ich have sought,

So schal hit bifalle nowt !

Nou, bi God that I schaJ serue,

To-dai more ne schal he sterue. 860

The court wente ; the maister tok leue ;

Hit gan sone to wexen eue.

Th' emperour com to chaumbre anon ;

Th' emperice him loured upon.

Th' emperour saide, " Dame, artou wroth ?"

" Ye, sire, sche saide, forsoht."

" Tell me now, sweting fre I"

" Thou wost wel, so mot ich se,

For I the warn of thine fon,

And thou ne kanst me thank non. 870

Thou clepest thi sone : he is the deuel !

He schal the do wel mochel iuel.

But thou me of him wil awreke,

Al folk mot hit wite and speke.

He mot the bringge to swich ending,

Als hadde the bor for his cracheing."

" The bor ? dame, tel that me ;

Whi for cracheing deied he ?"

" Sire, nou thou wilt wite that cas,

Ich wille the telle hou hit was. 880

36 THE SEUYN SAGES.

THE III. TALE.

THE BORE AND THE HERD.

a Sire, quath the leuedi, here bi west, Ther was a fair riche forest ; A bor was norischt tharinne, Fram a pig to a swine. Of the bor was swich los, To gon therinne ech man agros : Ne dorst ther come knight ne swein. In the forest was a plein, And in the pleyn a tre of hawes, That ripe were be tho dawes. 890

The bor hem gan ful sone asmelle. Ech he het therof his felle. In that forest woned an herd, That of bestes loked an sterd. O best him was araught ; Wide war he hit hadde i-sought ; Be the hawe-tre he gan come, And thoughte to haue therof some. Ful he gaderede his barm,

Yet ne thought he of non harm ; 900

In his other lappe he gaderede some. The felle bor bicam to come.

THE SEUYN SAGES. 37

The herde him seghth, and was of-drad :

He dorst nowt fle he was so mad.

Up to the hawe-tre he steghth ;

The bor him com swithe neghth,

And he ne findeth hawe non,

As he was i-wont to don.

He loked up and segth the herd ;

He criede, and makede rewli rerd; 910

He wette his tossches and his fet,

The erthe with his snowte he bet.

Thourgh the mount the fom was wight,

The tusches in the tie he smit ;

The tre aresede as hit wold falle,

The herd was sori adrad withalle,

And gan sone on knes to falle.

This segth the herd-man

That the bor falle bigan. 920

He kest the bor doun hawes anowe,

And com himself doun bi a bowe.

With the left hond he heng,

And with the right hond on the bor he feng.

He clew the bor on the rigge,

And he bigan doun to ligge,

He clewe him eft upon the wombe ;

He fil adoun als a lombe ;

He lek his eghen, and gan to slape.

The knif drouth the herde knape, 930

38 THE SEUYN SAGES."

Out he drough scharp an long ; The bor to the herte he stong. The herd thous, with his long knif, Biraft the bor of his lif. He went him forth, and let him ligge.

" Lo, sire emperour, I the sigge,

Thou art the bor; thi maister the clawes,

With fals resoun, and wikkede sawes ;

And on the he wetteth his teth,

Til thai the bringge to thi deth. 940

With clawing thai sculle the desceiue,

Til thai the sle with dethes glaiue."

" Certes, dame, I sigge no :

Hit schal nevere bifalle so.

Forsothe he sschal tomorewe dai,

Withouten ani more derail"

And sche saide, ones other twiis,

" Gentil sire, graunt-mercys !

God yif the therto strengthe and might :

To dethe him do er hit be night." 950

The night passede, the dai com.

The highe emperour of Rom

Went adoun of his tour,

With herte wroth, and gret irour.

Men unkek gate and halle-dore.

Barouns entrede in astore ;

THE SEUYN SAGES. 39

Sone was filt paleys and tour.

In com gon th' emperour

Biforen hem, in grete traye ;

He het mani a wikke boie 960

His sone lede toward the hangging :

Hit was i-do withouten letting.

And right amideward the pres

Come ride maister Ancilles,

That the childes other maister was,

And i-segh that ferli cas.

Toward the halle he gan driue,

And highede thider fast and bliue,

And fond sone that emperour,

And gret him sone with honour. 970

Th' emperour, sikerliche,

On him loked litherliche ;

And to the maister he saide thore,

" Maugre have thou for thi lore !

Thou hast i-serued wikked mede ;

Thou schalt hit haue, so Crist me spede ! "

Than saide maister Ancilles,

" For Godes loue, sire, hold thi pes !

Wiltou sle thin owen sone ?

To ben milde hit was thi wone !" 980

" Hit n'is no wonder, saide th' emperour,

Thou schalt be an-honged, thou vile loseniour.

Ich tok the mi sone to lore,

For to teche him wisdom more,

40 THE SEUYN SAGES.

And ye han him bitreid :

His speche is loren, ich am desmaid.

Mi wif he wolde haue forht i-take !

To deth (he seide) he schal ben don with wrake."

Than seide the maister, " Hit is non hale

To leve stepmoderes tale, 990

For here bolt is sone i-schote,

More to harm than to note.

Yif thou him [slai] bi hire purchas,

On the falle swich a cas,

Als fil on Ypocras the gode clerk,

That slow his neveu with fals werk."

" Maister, he seide, tel me that cas

Of the scoler and of Ypocras."

Ancilles said als so tit,

" Thi sone to-dai mak thou quit, 1000

Til to-morewe hit be dai light,

And I the scha[l] telle, anon right,

With gret felouie and with wouhgh,

Hou Ypocras his neveu slowgh."

" I schal him respite," saide th' emperour ;

And het anon, withouten soiour,

Men scholde ay en fechche his sone,

And caste him into prisone.

The child was brout into the toun,

With a fair processioun, 1010

And into prisoun pilt he was.

Nou ginneth the tale of Ypocras.

THE SEUYN SAGES. 41

TALE IV.

THE TALE OF YPOCRAS AND HIS NEVEU.

" Sire, Ypocras was maister here ; Of leche-craft was non his pere. He hadde with him his nev£u ; That schild Iere of his vertu. He segh the child so queinte of lore, He wolde techen him nammore. He thoughte wel, at a score, He sscholde passi him before. 1020

The child aparceiued wel this, And held hit in his herte, I wis. His ernes werk he gan aspie, Til he couthe al his maistrie. Tho Ypocras wel he fond, Bi craft of the childes hond, That he couthe al his mastrie, And brast negh forth onde and vie. So bifel vpon a time ying,

Of Hongrie the riche king, 1 030

Hadde swich a sone gent ; To Ypocras anon he sent, That he scholde come his sone to hale, And habbe gold ful a male.

8

42 THE SEUYN SAGES.

Ypocras wende ne might,

But cleped his neveu, anon right,

And bad him wenden to that lond,

And that schild take an hond ;

And, whan he hadde so i-do,

He scholde ayen comen him to. 1040

The schild was set on a palefrai,

And forht he tok the righte way.

And whan he com to that lond,

The king him tok bi the hond,

And ladde him to his sike childe.

Now Crist of hevene be ou-s milde !

The yonge man segh the childes peyne, And tasted his senewe, and his veyne, He taketh an vrinal for to sen ; He ne segh nowt of the kyng, but of the quen : And of the child, God hit wite, 105 1

He segh hit was a mis-beyete. He gan the leuedi aside drawe. " Dame, he saide, be aknawe What man had biyete this child ?" " What ? sche saide, artou wild ? Who sschulde him biyete but the king ?" " Dame, he saide, that is soht no thing ! Hit n'as neuere of kinges stren." " Let, sche saide, swich wordes ben, 1060

Other I schal do bete the so, That tho schalt neuere ride ne go."

THE SEUYN SAGES. 43

u Dame, he saide, bi swiche tale,

Thi sone schal neuere more ben hale ;

Ac tal me, dame, al the cas,

Hou the child biyeten was."

" Belami, sche saide, so."

" Parfai, dame, he saide, no !"

And schok his heved vpon the quen.

" Dame, he saide, thai yhe wille me slen, 1070

I ne mai do thi sone no bot,

But yif I wite the sothe rot,

Of what man hit was biyete."

" Maister, sche saide, that mai no man wite.

Yif mi conseil were vnhele,

Ich were i-slawe bi righte skele."

" Dame, he seide, so mot ich the,

I n'elle nevere biwraie the."

" O meister, sche seide, so hit bifel ;

This enderdai, in on Aueril, 1080

The Erl of Naverne com to this thede,

Wei atij ed, in riche wede,

With mi louerd for to plai ;

And so he dede, mani a dai.

That ich erl I gan to loue,

Al erthliche thing aboue :

And so, par gret druri,

I let that erl ligge me bi,

And thous hit was on me biyete.

A ! leue maister, let no man wite !" 10Q0

i

44 THE SEUYN SAGES.

a

Nai, dame, for sothe, I wis ; But, for he was biyeten amis, Hit mot bothe drink and ete Contrarius drink, contrarius mete, Beues flesch, and drink the brotht." He gaf the child anon therof. The child warisscht fair and wel ; The kyng yaf him mani a juel, To the leche, of silver and goold, Als mochel als he nime wold. 1 100

" He wente horn with that eighte ; And Ypocras, anon right, He asked yif that the schild was sound ? " Ye, sire, he saide, bi Seint Simond." He asked, " What was his medicine ?" " Beff and broth gode afine." " What than was he an auetrol ?" " Thou seist soht, sire, be mi pol." Quath Ypocras, " Bi the gode dome, Thou art bicome al to wis a grome !" 11 10

Ther he though te, ayen resoun, To don him strong tresoun.

" So bifel, upon a dai, He and his neveu yede to plai, In a fair grene gardin, Therin wex mani an herbe fin. On thei seghen in the grounde, That was an herbe of gret mounde ;

THE SEUYN SAGES. 45

He tok and schewed hit Ypocras ;

And he saide a better ther was, 1 120

For he walde his neveu bikeche ;

The child stoupede swich on to reche.

Ther-while, Ypocras with a knif,

Binom that schild his swete lif ;

And let him birie sikerliche,

Als he were storven sodainliche.

i

And sone ther after, swithe yerne,

He let alle his bokes berne.

Ac God Almighti, hevene kyng,

He oversegh alle thing. 1130

He sent Ypocras, for his tresoun,

Sone therafter, the menesoun.

Wei wist Ypocras, for his qued,

That he scholde sone be ded.

For al that heuer he mighte do,

His menesoun might nowt staunche tho.

He let of-sende moche and lite,

Hise neyebours him to visite,

And tolde al right anon,

Hou his deth wa[s] comen him on, 1 140

With gret right and nowt with wough,

For his neveu that he slowgh.

An empti tonne he let set,

And, of water of a pet

He let hit fille to the mouthe,

For he walde his werkes were couthe.

46 THE SEUYN SAGESr

The tresoun he gan hem alle reherse,

In a thousand stede he let the tonne perce,

And tho he hadde mad holes so fele,

In ech he pelt a dosele, 1 1.50

And smerede the holes al aboute.

And everiche doseil he braid oute,

No drope of water vt com than ;

Mervaile hadde mani a man.

" Lo, he saide, water hi can stop,

That hit ne mai nowt bi bores drop,

Ac I ne mai nowt stop mi menesoun ;

And that is al for mi tresoun,

With gret right and nowt with wough,

For mi neveu that I slow. 1 160

Ich him slow sikerliche,

For he was wiser man than iche.

Ich, ne no man under sonne,

Me gif help nou ne conne,

But mi neveu aliue ware.

Right is that ich hennes fare !"

" Lo, saide the maister, hou Ypocras Destrued his lif and solas ! Sire emprour, tak hede, and loke, He slow his neveu, and brent his boke ; 1 170 Might hit him ani thing profite ?" " Nai, saide th' cmperour, moche ne lite."

THE SEUYN SAGES. 47

" No, saide the maister, verrannent ; I biseke God omnipotent, That yif thou do thi sone to ded, And hise maistres, be thi wiues red, That on the falle swich a cas, As dede our maister Ypocras."

The maister had so i-sped, Th' emperour sone was his frend. 1 180

The maister was owai i-nome, The emprour was to chaumbre i-come. Ther he fond his emperice, With louiand chere, and with nice. Hond wringging, and loud roupe, And here visage al biwope. " Dame, he saide, pluk up thi cher, Other tel me whi thou makest swich cher." " Sire, sche saide, hit is wonder non, Hi se thi honour all i-gon. ] 190

I se the wede waxe over the corn ; Alias ! alias, that I was boren, And that I schal this dai i-se, That we sschulle departed be !" " What, dame, is hit comen therto, We sscholle be departed so ?" " Ye, sire, bi Adam and bi Eue, For thou n'elt novvt me i-leue Of him that thou clepest thi sone. Certes, he had the deueles wone ! 1200

48 THE SEUYN SAGES.

He the procureth, night and dai,

Al the sschame that he mai.

Thine barouns and thine gentilmen,

Alle thai holden the ayen.

Thai sschal wel sone, for inche an hete,

Put th£ out of thi kinges sete,

And sette him stede inne thine ;

That ware mi deth and mi pine.

Ich hadde leuere to ben an-honge,

Than that I scholde Hue so longe." — - 1210

(A ! hou wimmen conne hit make,

Whan thai wil ani man lake !) —

" Ac, sire, yif hit falle so,

That th' empire is dight him to,

On the falle swich a cas,

As dede on him, that his heued was

... tf

Of his sone l-cast in a gong,

With felonie, and with wrong !

u O dame, who might that be

Wolde do his fader swich vilt6 ? 1220

Tel hit me, for God aboue !"

" Lat be, sire, for mi loue,

Thou ne louest nowt of mi telling ;

Hit schal the rewe bi heuene kyng !"

" Yis, dame, he saide, lat here the speke,

And ich wil sone the awreke.

Sei on dame !" and sche bigan

To tellen als a fals wimman.

THE SEUYN SAGES. 49

THE V. TALE.

THE FATHER MURDERED BY HIS SON.

A emperour was in thes town, A riche man, of gret renoun, 1230

Octouien was his name : Wide sprong his riche fame. Gold and siluer to wille he wan ; And more he hadde than ani man. He made Cressent, that riche tour, Therinne he pult his tresdr. Seue wise men ther were in Rome, The fiue out of londe he nome, And the twaie left at home, To kepe Rome with rightful dome. 1240

That on was bothe curteis an hende, Lef to give, and lef to spende ; And that other lef to pinche, Bothe he was scars, and chinche. And, als we nnden writen in boke, Th' emperour him taught his tresor to loke, And he hit kept bi al his might, Bothe bi daies an bi night. For the wretche man, saun-fail, Wende the erthe scholde him fail ! 1250

VOL. III. D

50 THE SEUYN SAGES.

The large wise wiste wel,

Of this tresor eche a del.

He saide to his sone, " Tak a pike,

To-night thou schalt with me strike."

," Whider ?" seide his sone ;

" Therof haue thou no thing to done !

Arise vp quik, and with me go,

And do als ton sest me do."

For[th] thai went, withoute sojour,

To Cressent that riche tour. 1260

An hole thai bregen, al with ginne,

And bothe thai wenten therinne,

And token tresor, I you swere,

Als the moche als thai might bere,

And beren hit horn wel on hast,

And maden hem large whiles hit last.

Amorewe aros that sinatcur,

And sichen to-bregen his louerdes tour,

And beren was awai that tresour ;

Therfore he made gret dolour. 1270

He ne made no pleint to no man,

But stopped the hole anon ayen,

For he thouwte wel that hit left,

Wolde come ayen eft :

For thef of steling wil nowt blinne

Til he honge bi the chinne.

Nigh euene bi the hole,

Ther the catel was i-stole,

THE SEUYN SAGES. 51

The wise man dede make a dich,

Ful of lim and of pich, 1280

That yif he agen wald come,

That the traitour sscholde bi nome.

The stolen catel i-spended is ;

The wise bicometh a fol, I wis.

" He tok his sone ; ayen, he went To that tour that hight Cressent. An hole thay broken al biscore ; The fader lep in bifore, Into the limed diche :

Loude he gan to crie and skriche, 1290

And saide, " Sone, com her thou nowt, For ich ham nomen and bicaught !" " Hou so, fader ? ich wil fechche help P " Nai, sone, mak therof no yelp. Her ne geth help ne red ; For sikerliche ich am ded." " A ! leve fader, what schal I do ?" M Sone, with thin hond thi swerd tak to, And hastiliche gird of min heiied." " Nai ! arst mi lif scholde me bi bireved, 1300 Ar ich mi fader scholde sle !" " Sikerliche, sone, hit mot so be ; Other ich, and tou, and alle mine, Beth i-schent withouten fine. Bettere hit is that ich on passe, Than al mi ken, more and lasse !

59. THE SEUYN SAGES.

Smit of min heved with thi sword ;

Schalt tou neuer here therof no word.

Hit ginneth to dawe ; highe the henne !

Foryiue I the al that sinne." 1310

His fader heued he smot of thare,

And awai with him hit bare.

Ac he ne wiste, for non nede,

Whar he mighte hit best i-hede.

But als he com bi a gong,

Amidde the pit he hit slong,

And wente horn, and made wo ;

His brethren and his sustren also.

Amorewe aros that sinatour,

And segh to-broken his louerdes tour, 1320

And segh ther stonde an heuedles man ;

Knowe him nowt he ne can.

He loked bifore and bihinde,

Knowleching ne couthe he finde.

He let him drawe out of the pit,

And his fet set faste i-knit,

With trais an two stronge hors,

And hete to Rome drawen his cors ;

And yif ani weped, other cride,

He het him nime that ilche tide. 1S30

" Quicliche breng him me bifore,

For of that kyn he was i-bore."

The heuedles bodi, also skete,

Was i-drawe thourgh eueri strete.

THE SEUYN SAGES. 53

Fort he come ayen the paleis, That aughte the ded burgeis, There was cri, and wail-a-wo, Of brother and of suster also.

" The sone, that wiste of al that dede, Stirt him in, in gret drede ; 1340

He braid out his knif on heghth, And smot himselve thourghhout the thegth. The kinges seriaunt faste hide, To nime that folk that faste cride ; Thai schewed i-wonded here brother, Thai seide thai wepte for non other. Thai seghen all the wonded man, And leued hem wel, and went oyan."

" Lo, sire, swich a foul wille, Ayen resoun and right skille ! 1350

Was nowt the boi of wit bereued, Whan he tok his fader heued, In a vil gonge slong hit inne ? He mighft] han don a better ginne ; I-biried hit ower priueliche." " Thou saist soth, dame, sikerliche ; An unkynde boi hit was ! " " Ya ! on ihi heved falle that cas ! Thi sone, the deuel him mote an-honge> But he cast thin heved in a gonge." 1360

54 THE SEUYN SAGES.

i

" Dame, I schal yeme me fram care ; Certes, to-morewe he schal forht fare." " Sire, I leue the nowt, sikerliche." " Yis, dame, hardiliche !" u Graunt merci, sche saide, sire gent ;" An kist him to acordement ; And let here word swiche sone, And yede to bedde mididone.

Dioclician, th' emperour, Amorewe wente out of his tour, 1370

And let of-sende his gentil knaue ; No man ne most him saue ; And het him led forht sikerklik, And bidelue him also quik, That he neuer, for no thing, Herde of him more tiding. He was forht lad with boies felle. The burgeis, and the dammeisele, Thai gunne arere swich a cri, That hit schillede into the ski ; 1380

And saide, " Wail-awai ! whi, with wronge, Schal th' emperour's sone ben an-honge ?"

Than com ridende Lentilioun, A wis maister and of fair fazoun ; The childes thridde maister hadde i-ben; For reuthe he ne might him nowt i-sen. And th' emperour wel sone he fond : He gret him faire, ich understond.

THE SEUYN SAGES. 55

TV emperour saide, " So God me spede,

Traitour, the schal be quit thi mede! 1390

For mi sones mislering,

Ye schulle habbe evil ending !"

w O sire emperour of pi is,

In dedes thou sscholdest be war and wis.

Yif thou wilt thi sone sschende,

Withouten assent of barouns hende,

And dost vs qued for oure godnesse,

On the falle swich a destresse,

So dede on the riche gome,

That with his wif was ouercome I" 1400

" O tel me, maister, hou ani wimman

Mighte bigile ani man ? "

" Bletheliche, sire, so God me amende,

Yif thou wilt thi sone of-sende :

For, yif he were therwiles i-slawe,

For nowt I telde the; mi tale."

The riche emperour, also sket,

His sone ay en fechche he het.

The child was don the prisoun in :

The maister his tale he gan agin. 1410

56 THE SEUYN SAGES.

THE VI. TALE.

THE HUSBANDE SHUT OUT.

" Ther was a burgeis in this touti, A riche man of gret renoun, That wolde spouse no nethebours schild, But wente fram horn as a moppe wild. He let his negheboures child for a vice, And wente fram hem als moppe and nice, And browghte horn a dammaisele, Was ful of vices swich fele. He seghth hir fair and auenaunt, And with here fader made couenant, 1420

For to habben hire to wiue, And euere more to righte Hue. He spoused hire, and ladde hire hom. Hire forme lemman hire after com, That hire serued mani a stounde, Whan on slepe was the [hus]bounde. Than was the lawe in Rome toun, That, whether lord or garsoun, That after corfu bi founde rominde, Faste men scholden hem nimen and binde, 1430 And kepen him til the sonne vprising, And than before the fokk him bring,

THE SETJYN SAGES. 57

And thourgh the toun him villiche driue.

The burgeis aparseiued of his wiue,

Fele nightes was. gon him fram,

And in the dawiying ayen sche cam.

He saide nowt, wel longe while,

But euer he souchede him of gile.

O night, he him ase dronke made,

And yede to bedde blithe and glade, 1440

And lai stille als he slepe sone.

Sche stal awai, mididone,

And wente to here lotebi ;

And he hit aparseiued sikerli,

And went him out, and segh an herd,

Al togider hou sche misferd,

And wente him in out of the strete,

And schet the dore swithe skete,

And spak out ate windowe,

And saide, " Dame, God yive the howe ! 1450

This thou ne might forsake for non nede,

Ich have i-nome the in this dede.

With thi lechour, with him thou go !

Of the ne kep I neuere mo."

" A ! lat me in, sire, paramour !

Men sschal sone ringe corfour."

" Nai, dame, ich the forsake ;

In thi foli thou worst i-take.

Al thi ken schal witen and sen,

What mester woman thou hauest i-ben.', 1460

58 THE SEUYN SAGES.

" Nai, God Almighti that i-sschilde,

Ich wille bicome wod and wilde.

But tbou me in lete, ich wille telle,

Ich wille me drenchen in the welle."

" Drenche thiselue other an-honge,

For here thou havest liued to longe ! "

She tok up a gret ston,

And wente to the welle anon,

And saide, after a wommannes wrenche,

" Her now, sire, I schal me adrenche" 1470

Sche let the ston falle in the welle,

And sterte under the dore wel snelle.

The seli man bigan to grede,

" Alias, wat schal me to-rede ! "

Anon rightes he wente him owt,

And sough te his wif in the welle about,

And s withe loude he bigan to crie ;

And sche stert in, wel an highe,

And sschitte the dore swiche fast ;

And he gan up his heued cast. 148(*

" What, he saide, who is thare ?"

" Ich, sche saide, God yiue [the] kare !

Is hit nou time, bi thi snoute,

For to ben thous longe ther oute ?"

" A ! dame, he saide, ich was asschreint,

Ich wende thou haddest ben adreint.

Lat me in, dame, par amour,

Men schal sone ringe corfour."

THE SEUYN SAGES. 59

" The deuel hong me thanne bi the toth !

The waites scholle wel se the soth, 1490

That thou art an hold lechour,

And comest horn after corfour.

Thou schalt suffre kare and howe,

And drinke that thou hast i-browe."

With that the waites come ride,

And hi herden hou thai gon schide,

And corfour belle ringge gan.

I-nomen was that seli man,

And neuer of him no qued ne herde ;

Thai wist ful wel hou hit ferde. 1500

Thai beden his wif, as sche was hende,

Leten him [in] ar corfu ende.

Sche answered, as malicious,

"He cometh nou fram the hore-hous !

Thous he is wonet me to serue :

On euele dethe mot he sterue !

Ich haue i-hid his schame er this,

I n'el nammore nou, I wis."

Corfour belle no lenger rong ;

The burgeis was lad forht with wrong. 1510

What helpeth hit lenger tale ?

That night he sat wel sore akale,

And his wif lai warme abedde,

And solas of hire lemman fredde.

Amorewe the burgeis was forth i-fet.

And his honden biforen him knet,

60 THE SEUYN SAGES.

And thourgh the toun he was i-lad,

Lohtliche driuen and bigrad,

Ase a thef. This meschaunce,

Gelteles he sufFred this pennaunce. 1520

" Sire, couthe this woman of gile ?" " Ya ! sche was a traitour vile, And wel werse than an hound !" " Sire, mo swich ther beth i-found ; And thiself had on swich ! Sche wil the traie sikerlich, Yif thou dost after her red, That thou dost thi sone to ded. That chaunce falle the i-liche, That bifel the burgeis riche." 1530

" Parfai, maister, that ware god right ; I n'el nowt do bi here to-night." The child bileft stille in prisoun, The maister went out of the toun, And hadde mani a blessing, For his disciple deliuering.

Whan men leke windowe and gate, Th' cmperour com to chaumbre late. The emperice bigan to loure Lohtliche on th' emperoure. 1540

" Dame, he saide, what haileth the, Swich semblannt for to make me?"

THE SEUYN SAGES. 6l

" Yit schal hit falle ous so bitwene

That mani a man hit sschal hit sene,

As bitwene the leuedi and the stiward,

And the king in o fore ward."

" What forward was that ? Telle hit me,

As thou wilt to me lef be."

" Nai, sire, sche saide, hit n'is nowt worth ;

Mi tale ne mot nowt forth. 1550

Telle ich the ensaumple neuer so god,

Thou me haldest of wit wod.

Therfore ich wille holde me stille,

And suffri wel that man the spille."

" Nai, dame, lat here the speke,

And ich the wille ful wel awreke,

So ich hit finde profitable,

And soth I seie, withouten fable."

THE VII. TALE.

THE K1NGE AND HIS STIWART).

" Now ben sene, sire, and i-here! A king was whilom of gret powere j 1560

62 THE SEUYN SAGES.

Al Poile and Calabre lond,

Al he held hit in his hond.

Wimmen he louede swithe lite,

And usede sinne sodomighte.

So long he pleiede with yong man,

A swele in his membres cam than.

The skin might hit nowt helde,

Ne he ne mighte himselue welde.

He fil sik in Godes wreche ;

He let of-senden him a leche. 1570

In vrine he segh he mighte libbe ;

He laide a piastre under his ribbe.

Barli-bred he et for gode,

And barli-water, that was i-sode,

Til he hadde of his membres bote.

Than saide the leche, ar ye mote

Haue womman to pleie aright,

Yif ye wil be hoi aplight."

" I schal wel ;" and cleped his stiward,

And he com als a leopard. 1580

" Lo me her, sire, what will ye ?"

" But a lemman fech thou me,

That I might to-night with plai !"

" I ne wot non, sire, in this contrai,

That be thi bodi ligge dar,

For thi los is boren so far,

That thine membres ben to-swolle."

" Bihote hem pans an handfolle.

THE SEX3YN SAGES. 63

Bihot twenti mark som leuedi

O night for to ligge me bi." 1590

Thanne thout that stiward coueitous,

That siluer schal bileue with ous.

To his wif he went anon,

And saide sche most on his arnede gon.

" Blethliche, sire, ac whidewai d ?"

" To the king, saide the stiward ;

Thou schalt plaie with him in derk,

And winne ous gode twenti mark."

" A ! sire, sche saide, fi ! fi !

Hit is a foul man to liggen bi ; 1600

And that wot euerich womman wel."

" Thou schalt, bi Seint Michel !

Who that seluer winne n'elle,

L.ese he mot with right skille.

Thou schalt ous the penies winne,

Other 1 the sschal driue out of min inne."

" O nedes he sschal, that nedes mot ;

Hit n'is nowt mi wille, God hit wot,

But hit is skil, right and lawe,

To do bi me as bi thin awe." 16 10

To the kinges chaumbre he went ayain,

And drof out bothe knight and swayn,

Blewe out the torches, and let in his wif.

To the king sche wente bilif.

The fals stiward to bedde wente.

The king the leuedi in armes hent.

64 THE SEUYN SAGES.

What helpeth hit ani more seid ?

That night he was ful wel apaid.

The wretche stiward ne might nowt slape ;

Ac in the moreweing he gan u[p]rape. 1620

To the kingges chaumbre he went saun fail ;

The king, that night, hadde ben in trauail,

In trewe loue witouten arm,

And slep in the leuedis arm.

The stiward made moche sorewe,

Til hit were half wai midmorewe ;

He held himself mochel wrechche.

Thons [he] the king bigan to wechche,

And saide, " Sire, vp ! vp ! hit is dai 1

Lat that leuedi wende awai !" 1630

The king saide, " I ne have no rape,

For me lest yit ful wel slape,

And pleie twies anc| ones,

For to hele mine bones."

" Nai, sire, hit is mi leuedi,

That al night laien the bi."

" Belamy, he saide, is hit thi wif ?"

" Yea, sire, he saide, be mi lif !"

" O traitour ! figh, a puteyn !

Whi had thi wif bi me lain ?" 1640

" Sire, for the winning of thi moiie."

u Therfore, he saide, yvel mote thou the !

Thou hast bitraid thi wif and me.

Dweile thou, wil ich arisen be,

THE SEUYN SAGES. 65

I schal thi vile fals cors

Do to-drawe with wilde hors.

Out of mi lond I rede thou flee,

That I the never eft i-see ;

For, abide thou min uprist,

Thou be honged bi Jesu Crist !" 1650

Sire, thous the stiward les his wif,

And fley awai with mochel strif.

I wis he was al forlore,

He com ay em neuere more.

" The king aros whan him list, And kep the leuedi with the best ; And held hire, two yer, other thre, And sithen yaf hire, with riche fe, To a riche erl of that lond. Sche was nowt bicaught, ich understond : 166(>

u Sire, and so wil hit fare bi you, Whan ye han loren youre vertu. Out of londe thou best i-driue, Schal ich the neuere i-se til I Hue. No forse on me after an empefour Mai me wedde a vauasour. I mai Hue a wel god lif, Thai I be nowt an emperour's wif. Ac [the] falle chaunce ase hard, As dede the couaitous stiward, 1 670

VOL. III. E

QQ THE SEUYN SAGES.

That solde his wif for mon6 ; But thou do als I rede the." " Par fai, dame, that is skil, I wil do bi the, yif God wil." " Sire, sche saide, withouten faile, Thou dost bi a god counseil."

Morewe cam, as ye mowe here ; The emperour aros, with foule chere, Into his palais he went yare, And his barouns he fond thare. l68°

Biforen hem alle, in gret traye, He het mani a wikke boye His sone toward the dethe bringge : Hit was i-do withouten letting. Toward deth he was i-brout ; Mani a; man hit of-thout, Thourgh Rome stretes, wide and side. The ferthe maister ther com ride ; Malquidras was his name ;

In his herte was no game. ™9°

His disciple louted him to ; The maistres hert brast negh for wo ! He went into the halle flet ; The emperour wel faire he gret. Th' emperour him missaide than. « Merci, sire, saide the wise man. Sire, what haue we the misgelt ? Oure gode dede schal ben iuel i-yelt 1"

8

THE SEUYN SAGES. 67

"Sire, quath th' emperour, be min hed,

Worthi art to suffii ded, 17oo

For to the, and thine hrey

I bitok mi sone to lere

For to han i-taught him god,

And ye han i-made him wod I

Miwifhewoldehaueforlai,

Therfore ye sschuJIe a] dai."

" O, sire emperour of pris,

In dedes thou sscholdest ben war and wis !

i if thou wilt thi sone slo,

Withouten assent of barons mo, mo

And for oure godnesse do us qued,

Swich a cas fal on thin heued,

As hadde the olde wise of his wiue,

Er thou parte out of this liue."

u O maister, that was wel i-said ;

Hou was that olde man i-traid ?"

| He was nowt bitraid, for he wis was."

^ A ! leue maister, tel me the cas."

* Blethliche, withouten strif,

So thou respite thi sones lif, mo

Til to-morewe that hit be dai ;

Than I the schal the tale sai."'

Th' emperour Dioclician

His sone ayen hight fechche than,

And into prisoun he was i-cast ;

The maister ginneth his tale in hast.

68 THE SEXJYN SAGES.

THE VIII. TALE.

THE OLD WISE MAN AND HIS WIFE.

"Whilom was a man old [and] wis, And hadde inow of worldes pris. In his youthe, in middel of his liue, He hadde i-wedded two jolif wives ; 1730

He liuede and bothe hem overbod, And was longe in his wideuhod. He liuede so longe that he hor was, And hadde of womman no solas. His seriaunts ofte to him come, And of alangenes him undernome, And [bade] him take a wif jolif, To solace with his olde lif. Bi her rede he tok a yong womman, Ase wone is of old man l~40

Yong womman for [to] spouse, And thanne be wraw and gelouse. Litel thai mai do, withouten gabbe, That yong womman wolde habbe. Al so ferde that olde wise ; He dede his wif wel smal seruise. The yonge wif, upon a dai, Com to chiiche, par mafai,

THE SEUYN SAGES. 69

And fond hire moder thare,

And tolde hire al of here kare. 1750

And saide, " Moder, I tholie a cas,

Mi louerd doth me no solas :

Ich moste have som other loue !"

" Nai, dowter, for God above !

Old men ben felle and queinte,

And wikkede wrenches conne ateinte.

Misdo nowt, doughter, but do bi rede P

" Lat ben, moder, for hit is nede."

" Doughter, thi louerd had o gardin,

A wel fair ympe is tharin ; 1760

A fair herbeth hit ouer-spredeth,

Al his solas therinne he ledeth.

Nou ne bereth hit lef non,

And whan thi louerd is out i-gon,

Doughter, tak thi gardiner,

And lat hit hewe to the fer ;

And, yif he say to the ani resoun,

Answere hit with this enchesoun,

That thou dest hit is, for the nones,

To warme bi his colde bones." 1770

" Dame, sche saide, hit schal ben dou."

Horn sche wente swithe anon,

And al maugre the gardiner,

The ympe was hewe to the fer.

The gode burgeis was horn i-come,

And goth to his gardin, as was his wone,

70 THE SEUYN SAGES.

And fond his ympe up i-hewe.

" O, thoughte he, her was a sscherewe !"

Sche saide sche dede hit for non arm,

But for he sscholde his bones warm. 1780

He hit tok on iuel strong,

But he ne monede hit nowt long.

He wentte to bedde, and tok solas

That night, neuer the better hir n'as.

" The yonge wif, another dai, To chirche tok the righte wai, And fond eft hire moder thare, And of blisse sche was al bare ; For, neither be night no be dai, Hire louerd n'olde with hire plai. 1790

U Ich mot louie, sche saide, dame !" " O doughter, hit were gret sschame, Yif thou sscholdest thi gode kinde, Thourgh dede of vilainie, schende. For, yif thou dost a folie, Thi louerd hit wil sone espie, And he him wolde fellich awreke. Herkne doughter what I schal speke : A grai bichche thi louer ginneth louie, Ouer alle other bestes aboue ; 1800

And whan ye sit bi the glede, And the bichche lith in thi grede, Mak the wroth, and draw thi knif, And binim the bichche here lif ;

THE SEUYN SAGES. 71

And loke thou be therafter queynt,

And were th£ with a wiues pleint."

The yonge saide hit scholde be so ;

Horn ssche gan hire wai to go.

Was hit nowt longe afterwar[d],

The yonge leuedi and hire lord 1810

Sete, an even, bi the fer ;

Biforen hem stod here squier.

Sche hadde on a pilche of pris,

And a chaisel theron, I wis ;

The bichche lai in hire barm :

Sche plaide, and hit dede here harm.

Sche drow a knif, and here smot.

The bichche daide, God hit wot,

And pilche and cheisel al bi-bled ;

The lord ros, and yede to bed, 1820

For al hire wrenche, and al here ginne,

The more loue sche ne might awinne. The thridde time to scherche sche went,

And hire moder ther sche tint,

And saide, " Dame, for al thi lore,

I finde loue neuere the more !

Moder, ich mot louie algat."

" Doughter, ich rede that thou lat !

Ac, tel me, doughter, for God aboue,

What man hastou tnent to loue ?" 1830

" Dame, sche saide, the prest, bi skil."

" Nai, doughter, yif God wil,

72 THE SEUYN SAGES.

While thou might have squier or knight!"

" Nai, moder, mi trewthe I plight,

I n'elle come in no knightes bedde ;

He hit wile make wide i-kedde :

And I the saie, sikerliche,

The prest I mai loue priueliche."

" Nai, dough ter, her a queinte ginne ;

T!ii louerdes lone hou [thou] schalt winne. 1840

Thi louerd schal sone make a fest

Of riche men, and honest.

Thou schalt be bisaie, that ilke dai ;

Honge at the gerdel mani a kai,

And sette the haiest ate bord,

In a chaier ayen thi lord.

Thi kai in the cloth make thou fast ;

After, stirt up on hast,

Thai thou felle coppe other cloth ;

Go forth and strif nowt therof : 1850

And than thou schalt sone i-se

What therof wil be."

The yonge wif to hire moder said,

" Hit sschal be don, bi Marie maid !

And wite I sschal, moder, bi than,

Yif he wil plaie, that old man."

Wei sone therafter, sikerli,

The olde knight and t[h]e leuedi,

A wel fair feste thai made thare,

O frendes that hem leue ware. 1 860

THE SEUYN SAGES. 73

Sire, what helpeth hit longe tale ?

The wif seruede of bred and ale,

And after set hire adoun sone.

The kai made moche to done,

For sche feld both cloth and cop ;

Natheles thai ware gadered vp.

Swithe sore sche him atraid ;

Certes, he was wel iuel i-paid !

Whanne the gestes weren at ais,

Thai wenten horn fram his paleis, 1870

Morewe com ; ac now i-here !

The louerd let make a gret fere,

And let of-sende a neyghebour,

Ich understonde, a god barbour,

And set his wif forth, fot-hot,

And hire misdedes hire atwot ;

And saide, he moste chasti hire ginne,

For iuel blod was hire withinne ;

Hit moste be quik i-laten out,

That ssche ne helde hire nowt so stout. 1880

Wer here lef, were hire loth,

Of hire he spoiled euerich cloth.

Tho hire kertel was of i-drawe,

Tho wende sche wel to ben i-slawe ;

An saide sche sscholde die also swithe,

For sche never lat blod in hire live.

Therof ne stod him non owe ;

He rent hir smok to the elbowe,

74 THE SEUYN SAGES.

And sithen set hire on a stol,

For he ne wolde nowt ssche were a fol. 1890

And gan to smiten hire on the veyn,

And sche bledde, with gret meyn,

Grete disch-folles two.

Als swithe here arm was staunched tho,

He dede that other arm forht drawe.

Than wende sscho wel to ben i-slawe,

And loude ssche gan to wepe and crie. —

" H it helpeth the nowt be Seinte Marie !" —

The barbour in the veyne hire smot ;

Sche bledde wel til sche was hot 1900

The thridde disse-ful vpright ;

Anon sche les colour and might.

The louerd hit seghth, and dede hire staunche,

And in a bed he dede hire launche,

And saide, " Thries thou breddest wod,

Therfore thou bleddest thre dischful of blod ;

And, yif thou bredest wod ani more,

Yit I sschal dubble thi sore."

Sche wende to deghghe, sche was agast, And sent after here moder on hast. 1910

Hire moder com, and sche saide, " A ! mercy, moder, for Mali maide ! I schal deghghe : nou red me red ! " " Doughter, what schal that i-sed ? Thou most me telle what is this. " " Mi louerd me hath negh slawen, I wis j

THE SEUYN SAGES. 75

For mine thre unwrast dede,

Thre dissch-fol of blod he let me blede,

That I ne mai line, bi Godes ore!"

" Doughter, lest the lone more ?" 1920

" Nai, moder, bi God Almight !

I n'elle neither louie clerk ne knight."

" No, doughter ; I seide ml wel,

That olde men beth queynte and fel ;

Thai conne more qued bithenche,

Than thou kanst do with ani wrenche.

Hold the to thine hosebounde,

And thou schalt haue al the mounde."

u Lo, sire, quad Malquidras, Ne was this a wonder cas ? 1930

Thries misdede this womman bald, And thre vengaunces he hire yald. Therfore sche hadde elles i-don, That had ben werst of euerichon. The prest hi kaste hire loue to, That no man might have vndo. So fareth the quen with hire resoun, With hire lesingcs and fals tresoun, Thi sone to deth for to bring ; Ac yif, thou leuest hire lesing, 1940

Than the falie a werse aprise, As dede to that elde wise."

76 THE SEUYN SAGES.

" Par fai, maister, that were lawe ; To-dai ne schal he nowt be slawe." The maister out of toun rit ; The child bileft in prisoun-pit.

The dai is gon, and comen the night ; Th' emperour wente to chaumbre aplight, His emperice ther he fond,

Sore wepe and wrong hire hond. 1950

" Madame, saide th' emperour, Whi makest thou swich scher and foul lour ?" w Sire, no wonder though ich am wroght, Thou dost thing that me is loht ; Thou leuest tales of losengrie, Of falsnesse, and of trecherie : So dede Cressus the riche man ; Gold and siluer to wille he wan Bi losengerie an bi engin,

Ac hit turned him to euel fin." I960

" Madame, he saide, tel that me Of sire Cressus, hou ended he ?" " Blethliche, sire, so mot ich th6, So that ye wil the better be."

THE SEUYN SAGES. 77

THE IX. TALE.

CRESSUS THE RICHE MAN.

Virgil was whilom a clerk, That coude of nigramancie werk. He made a fair conjuring, Amideward Rome cheping, That no man quenche ne might, With no water, I thou plight. 1970

Alle the poure men of the lond, Warmed hem ther, bi fot and hond, And made here mete bi that fir ; That was a thing of gret mater. And ther biside, on o donjoun, He kest a man, of cler latoun, And in his hond an arblast heldand, And therinne a quarel taisand ; And in his foreheued was writen, with blac, Lettres that this word spak : 1980

Yifme smiteth ani man, I schete him anon ogan." So hit bifel, on a dai, A Lumbard com, with gret noblai, And segh the merueile, sannz dout, And saide to the folk about,

iC

78 THE SEUYN SAGES.

" Wil ye that I smite this man,

To loke what he do can ?"

And thai saide, " Ya ; " and he him smette :

The ymage in the fir sschette ; 1990

The fir aqueinte for euere mo.

" Sire was this wel i-do ?" — " Nai, dame, he saide, bi heuene king, That was no right wis doing !" " No sire, sche saide, withouten fail ; Ac Virgil dede yit more meruail. — »■

" Upon the est-yate of the toun, He made a man of fin latoun, And in his hond of gold a bal. Upon the yate on the west-wal, 2000

Virgil kest an ymage other, Right als hit were his owen brother, That al the folk of Rome said, With that bal togider thai plaid. That on hit hente, that other hit threw ; Mani a man the sothe i-knew.

Amideward the cite, on a stage, Virgil made another ymage, That held a mirour in his hond, And oversegth al that lond. 2010

Who wolde pes, who wolde bataille, Quik he warned the toun, saunz faile. Aboute Rome seuen jurneys, Thous he warned night and dais,

THE SEUYN SAGES. 79

And tho that were rebel i-founde ; The Romains gadered hem in a stounde, Thai wente thider quik anon, And destrued here fon.

The king of Poile hadde gret enuie, That the Romayns made swich maistrie, 2020 For he ne mighte, for non nede, A yen Rome in batail spede, That he ne was euer more biwraid, Ouercomen, venkud, and bitraid. Upon a dai, he send his sond, After alle the wise men of his lond, And tolde hem alle his grenaunce ; And saide he wolde hegliche auaunce, Who might that ymage fel adoun, He wolde him yif his warisoun. 2030

Twei clerkes, brothers, that were in Rome, That maisteri on honde thai nome : And the king hem made seur Of warisoun and gret honour. Thai dede the king fille twei forcers Of riche golde and of clers ; And dede hit lade, with priuet£, Into Rome that riche cite. That o forcer thai doluen, nowt late, In Rome ate est-gate, 2040

Under the ymage that the bal held ; This was a dede queinte and beld.

W THE SEUYN SAGES.

That other forcer ful of gold,

Thai bidoluen in the mold,

Under the west-gate, that no man wist ;

This was a dede of queint list.

Am ore wen, thai sschewed hem in Rome,

And biforn Sire Cressus come,

And said, " Al hail, sir emperour !

It falleth to the tol of tresour. 2050

We come to do the understonde,

Of hid tresor in thi londe.

Yif thou wilt half parte with ous,

Thou sschalt hit have, Sire Cressus !"

Th' emperour saide, " That I n'ot ;

Ich have forlorn that eueri grot,

And therfore frendes I graunt you,

That ye mai finde with youre vertu,

The haluendel in alle thingge ;

Gowe aboute the findinge ! " 2060

" Nai, certes, saide the elderer brother,

Arst we mote don another,

Ich mot mete a sweuen to-night,

And to morewen, whan hit is light,

Sire, thou schalt have thine wille."

Thous thai were that night stille.

" Sone amorewe, with god entent, Sire Cressus to the est-gate went. The clerkes doluen in the mold, And fond a forcer ful of gold. 12070

THE SEUYN SAGES, 81

And yaf hit up to th' emperour,

And he hit feng with gret honour.

Amorewe, the yonger saide, wel euen,

" Sire, to-night me mette a sweuen,

A richcher forcer than that,

We schulle finde ate west-gate."

Quik wente thider th' emperour,

And his barouns of gret honour,

And ther thai doluen in the gronde ;

A riche forcer ther thai founde, 2080

Ful of red gold i-graue,

And up to th' emperour thai hit haue.

TV emperour held hem so wise,

In al the werld was hire pris.

Than swor the eldere, " Bi blod and bones,

Haue ich to-night i-met ones,^

I schal the finde tresor i-telle,

Is non richer fram hennes to helle."

" Thai yede to bedde and risen amorewe, Th' emperour to mochel sorewe. 2090

Than saide the elder to th' emperour, " Under the ymage that halt the mirour, In al Poile ne Romanye, Ne is so mochel tresorie ; Moste we dehie therunder, Thou sscholdest habbe gold a wonder ! n ' Nai, quath th' emperour, for eghte non, That ymage wolde ich misdon ! "

vol. in. f

82 THE SF.UYN SAGES.

Than seide the yonger to th* emperour,

" Ther is al Virgiles tresour! 2100

We schulle the ymage so undersette,

That we ne schal hit nothing lette,

And whan we han the gold in the grounde,

We sscholle hit make as we hit founde,

For we beth mazouns queinte of cast."

Than saide Cressus, " Goht an hast."

Thai bigonne hire werk, sannz dout,

And sette postes al about,

And bigan to mini under.

Herkneth now a selkouth wonder I 2110

Thai to-rent ston fram ston,

The fondement to-brast anon.

Al dai thai mined doun right,

Til hit com to the night.

" On the morewe (thei saide to Cressus stille),

Of gold thou schalt haue thi wille."

The emperour wente to his palais ;

Clerkes also and mani burgeis,

£ch man wente to his inne :

The clerkes thoughte another ginne. 2120

Whanne ech man slepen, grete and smale,

The clerkes to the stage stale,

And bet a fir strong and sterk ;

The fir fleghth up into the werk,

And falsed the siment, and the ston ;

The ymage ouerthrew anon.

THE SEUYN SAGES. 83

And tho the clerkes seghthen this, Awai thai flowen, for sothe I wis.

Amorewe th' emperour aros ; Of this dede him sore agros. 2130

In his herte was kare and howe ; Awai he wolde han i-flowe. The smale, and the poeple of Rome, To Sire Cressus thai nome sone, And tolde him, for coueitise, He hadde i-loren Romes prise. Thai ladde [him] forth in that stounde, And to a table fast him bounde ; And red gold quik thai melte, And nose and mouht ful thai helte, 2140

And eren, and eghen also, Therwhiles a drope wolde in go ; And seide, " Sire, for Godes loue, Thou hast mad thrai that was aboue ; Nou artou ful ; nou make the heit, Nou wiltou na more coveit." Now is he ded with mochel schame."

" O thou seist soth, he saide, dame ! " " Ya, sire, for his lesingges,

That he leued twaie false gadelinges, 2150

He turned to wel iuel fin. Sire, swich schal be ending thin."

84 THE SEUYN SAGES.

" Nai, dame, he saide, yif God wile."

" Yes, sire, sche saide, bi right skile ;

For thou leuest wel flaterie,

That the maistres conne to the lie,

And desire to make thin air,

He that sschall the schende vair,

For he is the fendes chike ;

Therwhiles he liueth thou mai sike." 2160

" Dame, I sschal kepe me fram kare ;

Right to-more we he sschal forth-fare."

" Sire, sche saide, bi Seint Michel,

Thanne dost thou wisliche and wel."

Morewe com, as ye mowe here ; TV emperour aros with wroth chere, And to his paleys he gan wende, Righte biforen his barouns hende. He let brenge forht his owen sone ; And whan he com out of prisoun, 2170

Amideward Rome toun, Than com riden maister Catoun. The folk of Rome on hiin gan crie, And saide, " Catoun ! kithe thi maistrie ! Help thi disciple in this nede !" Catoun light adoun of his stede, And grette th? emperour on his kne, And vnethe he wold him se. He seide to him, " Maister Catoun, Thou hast me don wel gret traisoun ! 2180

THE SEUYN SAGES. 85

For to the, and thine fere,

I bitok mi sone to lere,

Ye taughte him to nimen forth min emprice ! " —

" Sire, quath Catoun, swich wordes beth nice/' —

" And his speche is forlore."

" Nai sire, and he finde your grace bifore.

Thi wif wolde he forlain haue nowt ;

Yif thou hit leuest, thou art bicought.

Ac yif thou do thi sone duresse,

On the* falle swich a destresse, 2190

And swich a maner vileynie,

As hadde the burgeis for his pie."

" O, maister, he saide, what ? what ?

I the praie, tel me that ! "

" Sire, he saide, what helpeth hit mi sawe,

Gif thi sone therwhiles beth i-slawe ?

Ac let him fechche quik ayain,

And I the schal mi tale sain."

The emperour of Rome, Dioclician, His sone he het fechche anon. 2200

86 THE SEUYN SAGES.

THE X. TALE.

THE MAGPIE.

Nou, everich man that loueth his hale. Lestne wel Catones tale !

" A burgeis was in Rome toun, A riche man of gret renoun ; Marchaunt he was of gret auoir, And had a wif was queint and fair ; But sche was fikel, vnder hir lok, And hadde a parti of Eue smok : And manie ben yit of hire kinne, That ben al bilapped therinne! 2210

" The burgeis hadde a pie in his halle, That couthe telle tales alle Apertlich, in French langage, And heng in a fair cage, And seth lemmans comen and gon, And teld hire louerd sone anon ; And, for that the pie hadde i-said, The wif was ofte iuel i-paid. And the burgeis louede his pie, For he wiste he couthe nowt lie. 2220

" So hit bifil, vpon a dai, The burgeis frani home tok his wai,

THE SEUYN SAGES. 87

And wente aboute his marchaundise :

The wif waited anon hire prise,

And sente here copiner fore ;

And whanne he com to the halle dore,

He ne dorste nowt in hie,

For the wreiing of the pie.

The wif him bi the hond hent,

And into chaumbre anon thei went. 2230

" The pie bigan to grede anon, u Ya ! now mi louerd is out i-gon, Thou comest hider for no gode ! I schal you wraie bi the rode ! " The wif thought schent sche was. A wrenche sche thoughte nathelas ; And clepede a maide to make here bed,

And after, bi hir bother red,

A laddre thai sette the halle to,

And vndede a tile or two ; 2240

Ouer the pie thai gan handel

A cler bacyn, and a candel ;

A pot ful of water cler

Thai sschadde upon the pies swer.

With bacyn beting, and kandel light,

Tha bobbed the pie bi night,

And water on him gan schenche :

This was on of wommannes wrenche. " Tho the dai dawen gan,

Awai stal the yonge man. $250

88 THE SEUYN SAGES.

Men vnlek dore and windowe ;

The pie him schok with mochel howe,

For ssche was fain that hit was dai :

The copiner was went his wai.

The gode burgeis was horn i-come ;

Into the halle the wai he nome.

The pie saide, " Bi God Almight !

The copiner was her to-night,

And hath i-don the mochel sschame ;

I-mad an hore of oure dame ! 2260

And yit hit had ben, to-night,

Gret rain, and thonder bright ;

Sehthen ich was brid in mi nest,

I ne hadde neuere so iuel rest."

" The wif hath the tale i-herd, And thoughte wel to ben amered ; And saide, " Sire, thou hast outrage To leue a pie in a kage ! To-night was the weder fair and cler, And the firmament wel fair ; 2270

And sche saith hit hath ben thonder : Sche hath i-lowe mani a wonder ; But ich be awreke of here swithe, Ne schal I neuer ben womman blithe !"

" The godeman askede his neghebours, Of that night, and of the ours ; And thai saide, that al that night, Was the weder cler and bright.

THE SEUYN SAGES. 89

The burgeis saide, the pie,

Ne scholde him namore lie. 2280

Nammo wordes he thar spak,

But, al so svvithe, his nekke to-brak.

" And whamie he segh his pie ded, For sore we coude he no red : He seghgh hir and his cage, He thoughte of gile and of outrage. He wente him out, the ladder he segth, And up to the halle rof he stegth. The pot with the water he fond ; (That he brak with his hond ;) 2290

And manie other trecherie, That was i-don to his pie.

He went him doun, withouten oth,

In his herte grim and wroth ;

And with a god staf, ful sket,

His wif ate dore he bet ;

And bad hire go, that ilche dai,

On alder twenti deuel wai !

" Lo sire, he seide, for a foles red, The pie, that seide soht, was ded ; 2300

Hadde he taken god conseil, His pie hadde ben hoi and hale ; And al so fareth thin emperice, Thourgh here resoun, sscherewed and nice,

90 THE SEUYN SAGES.

Sche goth aboute, dai and night,

Thi sone to dethe for to dight ;

And he be ded, verraiment,

Ne worth ther 11011 amendement.

Bi here rede ne do thou nout ;

Yif thou do, thou art bicought. 2310

Al the werld the spise,

Yif thou do bi here, and lete the wise."

Anon th' ernperour saide than, u Catoun, bi him that made man, Don ich vville after thi sawe ; To-dai ne sschal he nowt be slawe." The schild bileft in prisoun ; Vpon his palfrai lep Catoun, And hadde mani a blessing, For his disciples deliuering. 2320

The night is comen, the dai is gon, Th' ernperour wente to chaumbre anon ; His quen thanne ayen him nam, With semblant ase a wroth wimman. " Dame, he saide, pluk up thi cher, Other tel me whi thou makest swich cher ?" " Hit iris no wonder, sire, bi heuene ! The sschulle sschende thi maistres seuene ; That niaketh the to Joue thi fo. Forthi ich wille nou fram the go ; 2330

Ac yif thou dost more bi hire leuing, Falle on the ase dede Herowde the king,

THE SEUYN SAGES. 91

That les his sight in wonder wise ; Therfore thou might sore agrise !" " Dame, he saide, on ech manere, That ilche tale ich most here !" " Bletheliche, sire, so mot ich the, So that ye wolde the better be.

THE XL TALE.

HEROWDES AND MERLIN.

"An emperour was in Rome, The richest man of Cristendome, 2340

Herowdes was his righte name ; Wide i-sprongge his riche fame- He hadde with him seuen wise, A Is ye han, of grete prise. Al that th' emperour dede or thout, Bi here conseil al he hit wrout. So her was arered, in this toun, Bi here rede, and bi here costom, That who that mette a sweven anight, He scholde come amorewe, aplight, 2350

92 THE SEUYN SAGES.

And brenge a besaund to offring,

And of his sweuen have undoing.

So longe thai vsed this errour,

Thai were richcher than th' emperour,

So hit bifel, vpon a dai,

A Is he went vpon his plai,

And whan he com to Rome yate,

And wolde wenden out therate,

He bicam blind so ston.

His maistres he of-sente anon, 2360

And asked whi he might nowt se,

Whan he scholde out of Rome te ?

Thai asked respit a fourten night ;

Bi than thai trowede that thai might

In hire bokes finde resoun,

And answeren him with right enchesoun.

Respit thai hadde of th' emperour ;

He wente him horn to his tour,

And the maistres horn went,

And hire bokes went and trent, 2370

Ac thai ne couthe nowt i-find,

Whi th' emperour was blinde.

Thai soughte conseil fer and negh,

Ase man that is queinte.

" So, on a dai after than, Thai mette with an hold man, And tolde him al hire conseil ; And he answered, sauuz fail,

THE SEUYN SAGES. 93

" In al the werld n'is man liuind,

That couthe you that sothe finde, 2380

But gif hit ware child on,

That neuer hadde fader non.

For he can telle sothes alle,

That ben don in bour and halle.

Yif ye that schild finde mowe,

He schal you telle, ich wille auowe."

The maistres wolde no leng abide,

To seche the schild thai gonne ride.

On a dai thai com ther Merlin pleid,

And on of his felawes him traid, Q390

And he was wroth, and maked a res,

And cleped him sschrewe faderles ;

And saide he was of the fendes kinde,

Hise felawes euer misdoinde.

" Datheit hane thou ! quath child Merlin,

Al to loude thou spak thi Latin !

Seue maistres is her come,

That han me sought, al fram Rome,

Thai han with me mochel to done ;

Ich wil hem helpe swithe sone." 2400

With that com a man of that lond,

And brought a besaund in his hond>

To whom that Merlin saide thous.

" Man, thou art ful merueilous ;

Thou woldest haue undoing

Of thi to-nightes meting.

94 THE SEUYN SAGES.

Forthi, thou woldest that o besaund offer ;

Bere hit horn into thi coffer,

-And I sschal telle, and nowt ne lie,

What thi meting signefie. 2410

Thou mettest to-night, in thi donghel

Sprong a water out of a wel,

That was of swithe god sauour,

And seruede the and thi nethghebour.

I wil the saie the sothe word,

The welle bitokneth a gold hord :

To-delue anon in thi donghel,

Thou sschalt hit finde swithe snel."

Thanne he dalf therinne anon,

And fond of gold ful, God won. 2420

He yaf the maistres of the gold,

As moche ase thai nime wold,

And also his neghhebour ;

He made him riche of that tresour.

But Merlin saide, bi heuene king,

He wolde therof nothing.

" The maistres out of toune nome, And ladden Merlyn toward Rome, And asked him, with milde mouthe, Yif he the sotfie telle conthe, 2430

Whi th' emperour might nowt se Whanne he scholde out of Rome te ? " Ya, saide Merlin, sikerli, Ich kan telle him ful wel whi !"

THE SEUYN SAGES. 95

The maistres were glad of this,

And to Rome thai went, I wis.

The dai was comen that hem was set,

Anon with th' emperour thai met,

And saide, " The dai is comen of answering."

Quath Herowdes, " That is soth thing." 2440

Tel me hastilich and sket

Thing that ye me bihet."

" Lo, sire, we han a schild i-browt,

That schal the telle al thi thowt.

Lo her, sire, a litel page !

That schal sai the thi corage."

Quath th' emperour of lime and lond,

" Wil ye his tale take an hond V

" Ya, on al that we haue or haue mowe,

The childes tale we wil auowe." 2450

" Tel me, he saide, child Merlin !"

" Sir, lad me arst to chaumbre thin."

Th' emperour him ladde anon,

Into his chaumbre of lim and ston ;

And whanne thai were therinne i-schet,

Merlin his tonge with wit whet,

And spak to th' emperour :

" Thou hast, he saith, her in thi bour,

Fer under thi bed adoun,

A gret boiland cauderoun, 2460

With seuen walmes boiland ;

The walmes han the abland,

96 THE SEUYN SAGES.

And therwhiles thai boilland be,

Sire, thou ne schalt neuer i-se :

And yif thai mai ben queint aright,

Thou might wel haue thi sight.

Th' emperour had wonder of this,

And let reume his bed, I wis,

And tok ten men other twelue,

And liet hem in the grounde delue. 2470

Tfiai deden ase here louerd hem het,

And doluen alle ther ful sket.

Thai ne hadde doluen but a stounde,

That the cauudronn was i-founde,

That hadde right walmes seuen :

Tho was i-leued the schildes steven.

" Quad th' emperour, " Forsothe I wis, Bi the I wil don after this ; Ac, telle me, child, som resouns, What bitokneth this boilouns ?" 2480

" Sire, do out thi folk ichon, And ich wil the telle swithe anon." Th* emperour, anon right, Drof out both clerk and knight. Thanne biginneth the child Merlin, To telle th' emperour swich Latin : " Sire, he said, bi God in heuen, 1 hise boilouns that boilen seuen, Bitoknen thine seuen wise, That han i-wrowt ayen the assise. '2490

THE SEUYN SAGES. 97

Thai han arrered custumes newe,

That thai mai wel sore rewe.

Be hit other clerk or knight,

And him mete a sweuene anight,

He cometh amorewe ich understonde,

An brengeth a besaund in his hond,

And to the maistres hire sweuene telle ;

Thai hit vndo after her wille.

Thai respounde ase hem liketh ;

Thous thai mani man biswiketh. 2500

And, for that ilche senne, I finde

That thou art bicome blinde."

" Nou, tel me, child, thin entent,

What mai me to amendement I"

" Leue sire, for mi loue,

Bi on of hem mi tale proue*

Leue sire, taketh th' emprise,

And taketh the eldest of the wise,

Lat smite atwo his nekke bon ;

The grettest walm shal quenche anon." 2510

Th' emperour dede be the schildes lore,

The eldest maister was slein therfore.

His heued was into the cauudroun cast,

The greste walm queynte on hast.

Tho th' emperour wiste this,

He let sle alle seuene, I wis.

The water bicom faire and lithe j

Th' emperour therof was blithe.

VOL. III. g

98 THE SEUYN SAGES.

Anon he wichss therof his hond,

And ouersegh al the lond. 2520

" And, sire, so fare nfaistres thine, Thai schul th£ bringe to mochele pine. Thai han so i-blent th&, That thou might nowt that sothe i-se. Ac yif thou dost more bi here rede, To swiche blendnesse mote thai the lede, As hadde Herowdes the king, That was negh browt to iuel ending." " Nai, dame, he said, thou art wilde ! Fram swiche schame God me schilde ! 2530

For hem I schal me ful wel kepe, Of hem ne yive I nowt an hepe." " Sire, sche saide, thou hast god right ; Thai ben about, dai and night, The to bigile an bitraie." —

Cokkes crewe, and hit was daie. Th' emperour aros anon, And wente to his halle of ston ; And ase th' emperour, verraiment, Hadde yiuen his sone juggement, 2540

The sexte maister com into the halle, And hendeliche he grette hem alle, And saide, " Sire, thou art wel nice, To leuc so mochel thin emperice.

THE SEUYN SAGES. 99

Whanne thou leuest hire so

That thou wilt thi sone slo,

Thanne mot hit so fare bi th&,

As bi a sschereue of this countr£,

Tha[t] hirt his wif with a knif

In the wombe, he les his lif. 2550

Quath th' emperour, " In alle man&r,

That ilche tale ich moste her."

" Leue sire, what helpeth mi tale,

Yif thi sone tholieth dethes bale ?

Yif him to-dai-longes rest ;

Ich schal the telle a newe gest ;

Swich a tale I the telle can,

Ne schaltou neuer leue wimman."

Th' emperour hete him let,

And his sone ayen fet. 2560

The child was pult in prisoun,

The maister ginneth his resoun.

100 THE SEUYN SAGES.

THE XIL TALE.

THE SCHERTFF HIS WIDOWE, AND THE KMIGHT.

" Sire, he saide, thou might me leue, Hit was a knight, a riche scherreue, And [had a] yong jolif wif, That he louede has his lif, And ssche him, bi vnderstonding, Louede him wel in alle thing. So, on a dai, him and his wif Was i-youen a newe knif ; 2570

Fair hit was, and of egge scharp ; And thai on gamen gonne carp. The knight his wif in the wombe carf ; For doel therof amorewe [he] starf : He dede gret foli, cert, Or to tendre was his hert. Sone amorewe, erliche, He was biwaked richeliche, And wel faire browt on erthe, After that he was werthe. 2580

The leuedi saide, for no wenne, Sche ne wolde neuer wende thenne,

LIBRARY

Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studied

113 ST. JOSEPH STREET TORONTO, ONT., CANADA M5S 1J4

THE SEUYN SAGES. 101

But, as hir louerd for hir daide,

Sche wolde be ded, an bi him laide.

Here frendes segghen al that cas,

And comen to hire to make solas,

And saiden, " Dame, gent and fre,

Of thiselue have pite ;

For thou art fair and yong, saunz fail,

And maist the werld mochel auail : 2590

Some knight the wedde of noblai,

And haue with him moche to plai ;

Gode children biyeten and faire.

Gentil dame, debonaire,

Lete awai thi mourning,

And tak the to som conforting !"

" That wil I do for no wele ;

Ac die ich wille on his beriele !"

Sche saide " Alias ! and wailawo !

N'el ich hennes neuere go, 2600

Ne confor take neuer mo." —

Here frendes were sori tho.

A logge thai made vpon his graue,

For sche wolde ther bilaue ;

And maked hir a ful fair fer,

And fond hire that night stouer,

And left here alone,

And sche made reuli mone.

" That ich dai thai were i-nome, The thre theues bi commin dome. 26 JO

102 THE SEUYN SAGES.

The thre theues were knightes,

That were i-honged anon rightes,

For thai hadde the countre anuwed,

And with robberie destrwed,

An-honged thai were alle thre.

A knight of the countre1 held his fe,

For to loke the thre knightes

Vpon the galewes thre nightes.

He com to the galewes, armed wel,

Bothe in iren and in stel, 2620

For to make the ferst night-ward.

The weder was cold and froward ;

He was for-cold, and lokede aboute,

And was war, withouten doute,

Of the fir in the chirche-hawe,

And thiderward he gan to drawe,

For to haue som warmyng ;

And fond the leuedi doel makying,

And bad sche scholde late him in.

Sche saide, sche n'olde, bi Seint Johain. 2650

" A yis ! he seide, leve dame,

I n'elle the do harm, ne sschame."

He svvor, as he was gentil knight. —

Sche let him in anon right.

He sat and warmed him bi the fer,

He biheld the leuedis cher,

And segh swich semblant sche made ;

And saide, " Dame, thou art a gade,

THE SEUYN SAGES. 103

That thou mounest for the ded,

That mai the do nother god ne qued ! 2640

Confort thiself, pluk up thin herte ;

Swich mourning than wil th& smerte.

Of this mourning thou hast vnright ;

Thou scholdest louye som gentil knight,

That the might do sum solas."

And sche saide, " Alias ! alias !

He was so smal and so gent,

I ne mai loue non other, verraiment ! "

" Ne hadde he seten ther but a while, He thoughte men mighte don him gile ; 2650 He priked to the galewes with his fole, And fond that a thef was i-stole. Tho was him wo, verraiment, He scholde lese his auauncement, But he mighte finde the thridde, The thef that heng the twaie amidde. He that wimmen couthe red, To help men at her ned : Sche ne was nowt fer, but somdel negh, He telde hire the sorewe that he dregh ; 2660 And bisoughte hire of god conseiling, For that he was in gret mourning. Sche saide, " Sire, ich wille help the, So that thou wille spousi me." " Yis, dame, he saide, preciouse, Gif thou me helpe, ich wille the spouse."

104 THE SEUYN SAGES.

Sche let here sorewe awai gon,

And saide, " Help, lemman, anon,

Help delf vp mi lord that was,

He schal vs helpen in this cas ; 2670

And honge we him in his entaile ! "

Here red was don, saunz faille.

Hit ne mai nowt ben forhole ;

Thai baren him forth for him was stole !

Thanne saide the knight to the leuedi,

" Who mai this knight hongi ?

I the segge, bi heuene king,

I n'olde him honge for no thing.

For, yif ich hadde i-honged a knight,

I schol be coward i-cleped with right." 2680

" Sire, sche saide, ich wil fol fawe

Heghe him honge and vpdrawe."

The leuedi dede, in wode gere,

Ane rop aboute hire lordes swere,

And drow him up, and heng him fast ;

The knight of hire dedes was agast,

And saide, " Dame, be gode mounde,

The stolen knight hadde a wonde

In his heued that was biknawe,

Wharbi him knewe heghe and lowe ; 2690

And but thi louerd swich on haue,

I the saye, so God me saue,

Sone, withinne litel while,

Worht i-parceiued oure gile."

THE SEUYN SAGES. 105

u Sire, sche saide, tak thi swerd,

And in the heued smit mi louerd ;

Thanne schal hit ben non vnderstonding,

But hit was he that er thar hing."

" Nai, dame, for moche ne lite

The dede knight wolde I nowt smite." 2700

u No, sire ? sche saide, thi swerd me reche,

And ich him schal, with min hond, teche

Hou Godes grame com to toune,

Right amidelward his croun."

The leuedi tok and smot with mayn,

Al amidelward the brayn.

Thanne the knight wel understod,

That fals and fikel was hire blod,

And saide, " Yit vnliche he beth ;

Broken were his fore-teth." 27 10

u Sire, sche saide, smit hem out."

u Nai, dame," he saide withouten dout.

".Than wil ich," she saide, and tok a ston,

And smot hem out euerichon.

Whan this dede was i-do,

The leuedi saide the kukri t to, ' Sire, now ich haue i-wonne thi loue ! " '* Nai, dame, he saide, bi God aboue,

For gold no silver, lond ne house,

Thi false bodi ne wolde 1 spouse ! 2720

For al so woldestou serue me,

Hasc thou hast don thi louerd so fre.

106 THE SEUYN SAGES.

Thou hast i-tawt me a newe ran, That I schal neuer leue wimman ; For there thai make semblant fairest, Thai wil bigile ye altherformest !"

" Sire, and on the falle svvich a strif, Als dede the sschereue of his wif, Yif thou, for thin emperice wild, Wolle sle thin owen child. 2730

Ac, sire, abid til another morewe, On hire schal falle alle the sorewe. And whanne thou herest thi sone speke, Rightfulliche thou him awreke." Th' emperour saide, " So ich schal ;" And thanne departed the curt al, Some to castel, and some to tour.

Th' emperour wente to his bour ; Th' emperice made semblant ille, For sche ne hadde nowt hire wille. 2740

His owen men nathelas, Made wel god solas.

Th' emperour was browt abedde, With riche baudekines i-spredde, Th' emperice him com to, Als sche was ar i-wont to do, a Sire, hastou owt herde the geste, Whi men made folen feste?"

THE SEUYN SAGES. 107

" Nai, dame, he saide, gent and fre,

I the praie thanne telle hit me." 2750

THE XIII. TALE.

OF MAISTER GEMES.

" Sire, sche saide, withouten dout, Whilom was Rome bilayn about With seuen Soudans biset, Wal and gate and castelet. The honour of Rome for to abate, And for to strwe Seinte Petres sate ; That is to seie, Cristendom to felle, And Cristenmen to aquelle. The folk hem ful wel held,

Wise of speche, of dede beld ; 2760

" To vii wise men toke we this toun, To kep hit fram destructioun." Bi his rede hit was i-take, To vii wise men to biwake. A moneth thai kept hit, Als we findeth in the writ.

I

108 THE SEUYN SAGESt

Whan hit com to the moneth ende,

Thai ne might hit no lenger defende,

But ase thai dede a fair queintise.

Herkneth now in what wise ! 2770

" A man ther was, so seigh the rime, That hit Gemes, in that time ; He was on of the seuen wise : Ther he dede a fair queintise. He let him make a garnement, Ase blak as ani arnement, And heng theron squirel taile, A thousand and mo, withouten fail. A viser yit he made more,

Two faces bihinde and two before ; 2780

With lang noses and mowthes wide, And vgly eres on ether syde ; With eghen that war ful bright and clere, And brade, ilkone, als a sawsere ; With brade tonges, and bright-glowand, Als it war a fire-brand.

" When he had on this wise done, The folk of Rome he sembled sone ; And bad tham fast, withouten fayl, Ordain tham vnto batayl. 2790

Al thai answerd him vntill, Thai sold be redy at his will, On the morn with sheld and spere. The maister than dyd on his geie,

THE SEUYN SAGES. 109

And went vp in a towr on hight,

Whare the Sarzins se him myght.

His veser on his heued he kest ;

A bright merure aboue he fest :

Twa swerdes out gan he brayd,

And grete strakes obowt him laid* 2800

He made als mekil dyn and bost,

Als he had foghten ogayns an ost.

" When the Sarsins saw this meruail, Thai wald no lenger bede batayl. Sum wend, for the merure lyght, That it war ane angel bright, That God had sent theder perchance, On tham for to tak vengance. So mekil light the merure kast, That the Sarzins fled ful fast. 2810

The maister made slike nois omell, Sum hoped he war the fend of hell. Thai war so temped in that tyde, Thare thai durst no lenger bide. Thai opind than the yates of Rome, And Cristend men fast efter come. The emperowre and his men ilkane Of the Sarezins slogh gode wane ; Als mani als thai might ouertake Fast thai gain thaire crownes crake. 2820

Thare wan the Cristenmen honowre, And mekil gold and gude armowre :

110 THE SEUYN SAGES.

Thus-gat Gemis that was wise Wan the maystri by quaintise.

" The maysters of Rome and buriayse Said he was worthi to prayse, And none so worthy als he Emperoure of Rome to be : And right so, by thaire aller dome, Thai made him emperoure of Rome.

" Sir, thus sail thi maisters wise Decayue the with thaire quayntise ; 2830

And thou mun be ful fayn may fall On knese for to serue tham all. I prai to God it might be so If thou more traystes tham vnto, For thai er nothing els obout, Bot to make the thaire vnderlout : That sal men se ful sone, I trow, And thiself sal noght wit how, 2840

Vntil thou lose al thine honowre, And sum of tham be emperoure. Yit war me leuer that thai so ware Than thi son that greues me sare."

Thus, when the emperoure herd hir speke, He said als swith he sold hir wreke ; And alsone sold his sone be slayn. Sho thanked him and was ful fayn.

THE SEUYN SAGES. Ill

Than out of chamber gan thai pas. —

Thus hir tale endid sho has. 2850

The emperoure than went to hall ; His turmentowres son gert he call : He bad thai sold let for no thing, His son with scowrges for to dyng ; And when that thai had so-gates done He bad he sold be honged sone ; " So that I namore him se, For mekil meneyng makes he me." The childe than out of the toun thai led, So for-beten that he bled ; 2860

And right als thai went with him thus, So com maister Maxencius. He sese his scolere him bisyde : He prays the folk a while to byde. A while thai hight to dwel thare still. The toun ful fast he hies him till.

He come bifore the emperoure, And hailsed him with grete honowre. He sayd : " Sir, thou ert hy-iustise : The aght wele to be war and wise. 2870

Methink thou wirkis, to thi reproue, Onence thi son that thou sold loue : For a day wiltou be his frende, Another day thou wilt him shende ; Al day mai men turn thi mode ; So fares foles that can no gode,

112 THE SEUYN SAGES.

And namly thai that dose thaire dede,

Als wikked wemen wil tham rede.

Thou trowes ouerwele thi wiues tale

That es obout to brew the bale. 2880

If thi son til to morn may lif,

For nankins gode thou wald him gif j

And if thou, by thi wiues rede,

Ger do thi sou to euil dede,

Swilk a chance mot fal to the

Als did ane erl of this cuntre ;

He trowed mare of his wife a leghe,

Than that himself saw with his eghe."

The emperoure sayd : " Methink wele than, That he was no witty man 2890

That his whife wordes trowed sold he Better than that himself might se." u Sir, sayd the maister, so ertow ; For thi whif tales wil thou trow Better than any other rede ; And sho wald ger thi son be ded. And, if he haue this day respite, Tomorn he sal himseluen quite : Than sal thou thiseluen se Wha haue the wrang, thi wife or he.M 2900

The emperoure said, " Sir, for sertayn, That wald I here and that ful fayn : Tharfore, maister, I th£ pray, That ilk tale to me thou say 8

THE SEUYN SAGES. 113

Of that erl that thou of talde ; And, sir, he said, thou mai be balde That this day sal my son noght dy. The mayster sayd : " Sir, gramercy !'

THE XIV. TALE.

THE TWO DREAMS.

" Lord, said the maister, this es no ly : In the kingdom of Hungery 2910

Wond a nobil knight whylom ; A rightwis man and whise of dome. He dremyd thus opon a nyght That he lufed a lady bryght ; Bot he ne wist in what contre That the lady might funden be : Him thoght he knew hir wele bi kinde, And wele he hopid he sold hir finde. That same time dremyd that ladi bright, And thoght that sho sold luf a knight ; 2920

Bot sho wist noght of what land, Ne in whate stede he was dweland.

vol. in. H

114 THE SEUYN- SAGES.

Ne his name knew she na thing ;

Tharfore made sho grete murnyng.

Opon the morn, the stori sayse,

The knight toke horses and hernays,

And went to seke that lady bright,

That him dremyd of that nyght.

That iomay vnto him was hard,

For he wist noght whederward 2930

That he sold tak the redy way ;

Tharfore he drowped night and day.

So he traueld monethes thre,

And no signe of hyr kowth he se,

Bot wele in hert he hoped ay

That he sold hir se sum day.

" So fer the knyght his way had nomen, That into Hungeri he cumen ; Thare he findes a faire castele, Bi the se-syde, wroght ful wele : 2940

Tharin stode a towre ful hee ; Fairer saw he neuer with ee An erl wond in that castele That aght the lordship ilkadele. With him he had a worthly wife, The fairest lady that had lyfe. The erl was ieluse of that lady. He sperid hir in the toure forthi. Sho might noght out bi day ne night, To speke with swier ne with knight. 29-30

THE SEUYN SAGES. 115

In that land was were ful Strang

Of kinges and lordes, that lasted lang.

Thare come ridand that nobil knight,

That so had soght the lady bright ;

He hiked vp vnto the toure,

And saw the lady, white so flowre,

Ligge in a window barred with stele;

Than in his hert he wist ful wele

That this lady was the same

That he had so dremyd of at hame : £960

He luked vp vnto the toure,

And meriiy sang he of amowre.

" And when sho herd him so bigyn, Vnnethes might that lady blyn, That sho ne had cald him hir vnto ; Bot for hir lord sho durst noght do. He gat biside, vnder a tre, At the ches, a knyght and he. This knyght percayued the erl thare ; Vnto the lady he mened namare : £970

Bot til the erl he rides ful right, And of his palfray down he lyght ; On his kne sone he him set, And the erl ful faire he gret. " Sir erl, he said, I am a knight, Out of my cuntre cumen for fight : Theder ogayn dar I noght gane, For a knight thare haue I slane :

116 THE SEUYN SAGES.

Tharfore, sir, if thi willes be,

Thus am I cunien to dwel with the. 2980

My famen er ml steren and stout,

Thai haue destroyed my landes obout."

u The erl said : " So mot I the Right so fares my famen with me, So that I haue no socoure Bot this castel and this toure : Tharfore, sir, thou ert welkum here, Of swilk a man haue I mystere ; And if thou wil me help trewly, I sal the gif grete mede for thy." 299^

" Yis, sir, he sayd, at my power, Ay, whils I my armes bere!" With the erl thus dwels the knight, Al for luf of the lady bryght Thar was na knight that bare shelde, That might so wele his wapen welde : Thorgh strenkith of hand and Godes grace, He ouercome al the erles fase. The erl him lufed and honourd than Mare than any other man ; 3000

He made him steward of al his land, And bad the men bow til hys hand.

" Sone efter that, opon a day, The knyght allane went him to play, Vnder the toure whare the lady was : There he made him grete solace.

THE SEUYN SAGES. 117

The lady in a wyndow lay,

And saw the knyght allane him play.

A letter sone sho kest him tyll,

Wherby he might wit al hir will. 3010

The knight toke vp the parchemyne,

And red the Franche, ful fayre and fyne ;

And alsone als he red it had,

Was he neuer in hert so glad.

By that letter the knyght wele kend,

That his trauayl was cumen till end.

Ful sare him langed to hyr at ga

Priuely, withowten ma ;

And wele he saw, that by na gyn

Allane to hir myght he noght wyn. 3020

Thar was bot a dur and a way,

And tharof bare the erl the kay»

" So on a day, with mylde worde, The knyght spekes vnto hys lord, And said, " Sir, of thi gude grace, I pray the to gif me a place Bifor this towre that I may big A litel place, in forto lig ; And that I may my wonyng haue, .At myne ese, if ye vowchesaue." 3030

The erl answerd him ful sone : " Sir, thi wil sal al be done : Big the a hows, at thi lykyng." The knight him thanked of that thing*

IIS THE SEUYN SAGES.

The knyght gat masons many ane,

And grat tham hew ful faire fre-stane :

A nobil hows thare gert he make,

Ful sone, for the lady sake.

When it was wroght als it sold be,

Bath of stane and als of tre, 3040

Than thoght he euer by what kyn gin,

That he moght to the lady win.

" Biside thare, in another town, Was thare cumen a new masown, That soght had fra fer cuntre ; Sotiler man might none be. The knyght vnto that mason sent ; His messangers wightly war went, That broght him to the knyght in hy. He hailsed him ful curtaysly. 3050

The knight said : " May I traist in the For to tel my preuete That I haue aghteld for to do r" The mason sware grete athes him to, That he sold [do] whatsom he wolde, And neuer tel man on this molde.

" He said : " In this tour, I tel the, Wons a lady that lufes me, And I luf hir wele at my might ; Bot I may, nowther day ne night, 3060

Til hir win ne with hir speke : Tharfore a hole bihoues the breke

8

THE SEUYN SAGES* 119

In this towre, ful preuely,

That no man wit bot thou and I ;

That I may cum, in priuete,

Vnto the lady and sho to me."

" Sertes, sir, said the mason sone,

Als thou has said it sal be done."

Hastily he takes hys tole,

And in the tour he made a hole, 3070

That the knight might cum the lady vntill,

Night and day, at thair owyn will.

When the lady wist of this

Hir thoght hir hert was ful of blis.

The knyght quit wele the seruise

Of the mason for his quayntise ;

He slogh him sone that ilk day,

Forfered that he sold oght say.

" And afterward, ful sone onane, Into the toure the knight gan gane, 3080

Thurgh the hole gan he pas, Til he come whare the lady was. Bitwene tham was grete ioy and blis ; In amies, ful curtaysly, thai kys : Wele sho wist it was that knyght That sho had dremyd of anVght. Sho said, " Sir, thou ert welkum here." He said, " Gramercy, lady dere !" To hir he talde of his dremeing, And sho him talde of the same thing ; 3090

120 THE SEXJYN SAGES.

And when thai wist it was sertayn Ayther of other was ful fayn. Sho lete him wirk thar al his will, And sethen he said the lady vntyll, " Dame, I dar no lenger byde, For herein may thou me noght hide ; And tharfore, dame, haue now goday : I sal cum ogayn when 1 may."

" The lady, at thaire departyng, Gaf the knight a gude gold ring, 3100

And said, " Sir, I pray to the, When thou sese this thinke on me." At the lady the ryng he hase, And graythly til the hole he gase. The ring he put his fynger on, And doun ogayn he hied him sone, Thurgh the hole was made of stane : A meri man the knight was ane. The knyght went into the hall Vnto the erl, and his menye all. 3110

The erl gert him sit ful nere, And to hym made he meri chere. Als thai spak of diuers thing The erl saw his whiues ring Opon the knyghtes fynger bare. He had wonder how it was thai e ; He wist wele thar was none slike, Ne that none might be made so like,

THE SETJYN SAGES. 121

And euer he thinkes, in hert styll,

How ani man might come her till, 3120

Styl he held al in his thoght ;

Vnto the knyght he sayd right noght,

Bot vp he rase bilyue onane ;

Vnto his whyfe he thoght to gane,

For to wit whare hir ring was.

The knight perzayued al the case ;

He hies, als fast als he may,

Tite vntil hys priue way.

" The erl hies to the lady fre, Bot the knyght come lang or he ; 3130

Vnto the lady the ring he cast, And doun ogayn he hies him fast. The lady has the ring uphent ; Sho wist ful wele than how it went. Sho did it in hir purs in horde, And sone tharefter come hir lorde ; And with gude chere he gan hir glade, And asked hyr what chere sho made. Sho said, sho myght haue no solace, So was sho prisond in that place, 3140

Fra the sight of alkins men ; — " How may I any kumforth ken?" " Dame, said the erl ful sone, For grete derenes es yt done, And, for I wil nane change thi thoght/' The lady said, " Sir, thinkes it noght ;

122 THE SEUYN SAGES.

Thare es no knight in no cimtr&

That might change my luf for the ;

And sen ye wil that it be thus,

At yowre lyking habide me bus ; 3150

For other cumforth kepe I nane

Bot of God and of yow allane."

a The erl thoght yit on other thing ; " Dame, he said, whare es thi ring That I the gaue of gold ful fyne : Lat me se it, leman myne." The lady answerd hym vnto : (t Sir, what sal ye tharwith do ? Wene ye that it be oway

For I were it noght ilk day ? 31 60

Nai, sir, dredes yow neuer a dele, For I sal yeme it wonder wele." " Dame, he sayd, for luf of me, A sight tharof that I might se ; And, sertes, I ask it for none ill." Sho said, " Sir, gladly, at yowre will." Out of hir purs the ring sho toke. The lord gan graythly on hir loke. " Lo ! sir, sho said, here is my ring." The erl had meruail of this thing, 3170

That it was like, by sight, The ring that he saw of this knight. Bot wele he hopid and weterly, That nane might win to the lady;

THE SEUYN SAGES. 123

Ne that hir ring was noght hir fra, Bot that thai had bene like thai twa.

" He was wele solast of that sight, And thare he dwelled al that night. The lady bi hirself oft smyled, And thoght that he was wele bigild. 3180

Opon the morn the knyght vprase, And to the kirk graythly he gase, Goddes werkes thare for to wirk. Sethen com the erl vnto the kyrk, A mes ful sone than gert he sing, In honowre of oure heuyn kyng. The erl sent than, hastily, Efter the knyght of Hungery. The knyght com sone the erl vntill. The erl said, " Sire, if thou will, 3190

Thou sal wend to wod with me At hunt and solace for to be."

" The knyght answerd wordes hende, " Sir, to wod may I noght wende ; For me es cumen new tithand That makes me ful wele lyk&nd, Fra my cuntr£, withowten lese, That my frendes haues made mi pese For that knight that I haue slayn ; And of thir tythandes am I fayn : 3200

And, sir, this tythandes es me broght Bi my leman, that has me soght,

124 THE SKUYN SAGES.

Heder, owt of myne awin cuntr£.

Tharfore, sir, if yowre wil be,

This day I pray yow with me ete,

And se my leman at the mete,

And for to make cumforth hir till."

The erl said, " Gladly, I will

Do al the cumforth that I can,

Bath to the and thi leman ; • 3210)

When so thou will send efter me,

And smertly sal I cum to the."

" Than went the erl to his solace, Vnto the wod to mak his chace ; And the knight went sone onane, And ordand mete and drink gud wane. His hows he dight on gude aray ; And smertly than he toke the way Vnto the lady faire and bright, And gert that sho war gayly dyght, 3220

In gold garmentes, richely wroght, And talde hir al how he has thoght That ilk day sho and hir lord Sold bath togeder et of a bord ; And how hir lord sold vnderstand That sho war cumen out of fer land. Down he broght hir til his hows, Hamely als sho war his spows : Bot hir garmentes war al new, That no man in that cuntre knew. 3230

THE SEUYN SAGES. 125

Opon hir fingers gert he done Gold ringes ful many one ; Hir hed was gayly dubed and dyght With gerlandes al of gold ful bright. So out of kenyng he hir bioght, That hir lord than knew hir noght.

" Fra hunting come the erl in hi ; The knyght him keped ful curtaysly, And til his hows he led him than, For to ett with his leman. 3240

Redy was ordaynd and dyght Mete and drink for mani a knight ; Vnto the bord the erl es set, And his whif with him to et. The knight said, " This es my leman :

Makes hir comforth if ye can."

The erl bad sho sold be blith ;

And he biheld hir mony a syth,

And wonder in his hert had he

How that it so myght be, 3250

That any lady, in this life,

Might be so like his owin wyfe.

The lady prayed him blith to be,

And eit gladly, par charitt.

The erl bad hir also be glad,

And loked on hir als he war mad.

Bot lie tho^ht the towre was so Strang,

That thare myght no man do him wrang,

126 THE SEUYN SAGES.

Ne that his whif might noght cum doun ; Tharfore trowed he no tresowne. 3260

He thoght, " Oftsythes bifalles slike That mani wemen er other like, Als was the ring of gold fyne That I wend wele had bene myne."

" Thus the erl left al his care ; Of this mater he thinkes nomare. Than said the knight on this manere Vnto the erl ; " Sir, mase gude chere." The erl said, " Sire, I th£ pray The sertan soth that thou me say : 3270

Wheym es this faire lady That thou hes set at met me by ?" The knight said, " Sir, bi my lewt&, Sho es cumen from myne awyn cuntr£ ! Sho es my leman that has me soght, And new tythandes sho haues me broght. Mi pese es made for euer mare For the knight that I slogh thare : So that I may wend, hardily, Hame ogayn my pese to cri ; 3280

And tharfore wil I with hir wende For to speke with ilka frende." " Sir, sekerly, said the erl than, Methink thou has a fayre leman."

" Whan thai had eten and dronken inoughe, Thai toke vp mete and clathes drogh.

THE SEUYN SAGES. 127

When the erl liked to gane,

He toke leue at the knyghtes leman ;

And hastily when he was went,

The knight and the lady gent 3290

Sone did of the riche aray,

That thai had done on that day.

Hir awyn robe sone did thai on,

And dighted hir als sho was won ;

And than sho toke the priue sty.

Into the toure, ful hastily.

The knight gan playnly with hir pas

Vntil sho in hir chamber was.

And vnnethes was the knyght went out

When the erl was gane obowt ; 3300

Vnto the toure he takes the way,

Als hastily als euer he may.

Thare he flndes his lady

Keped him ful curtaysely.

'* Than was the erl in hert ful glad, Whan he wist that he hir had. Him thoght yit sho was like fully To the lady that sat him by, Thare the erl dwelled al nyght, And laiked him with his lady bright. 3310

That night thai wroght what thaire wils ware, And on that wise thai met namare. Herkens now how it bifell ! On this maner stode that castell

i28 THE SEUYN SAGES.

That the se ran fast byside :

Many gode shippes gan thare bide.

Whils the erl of grete honowre

Lay with the lady in the towre,

The knight ordand a ship of sail,

And gert bere theder gude vetaille. 3320

Al his gode theder gert he bere,

Gold and siluer and other gere.

" On the morn the erl forth gase, And left his lady in that plase ; Vntil the kirk than went he sone, And herd his mes als he was wone. And when he to the kirk was gane, The knyght went to the towre onane, And down he broght the fay re lady, Into his hows ful priuely, 3330

And of thai toke the clathes sone That the lady had hir on. Thai dight hir in the garmentes gay That sho had on that other day ; With gerlandes and with gleterand thing Was sho made out of knawyng.

" When al was done als it sold be Vnto the erl his lord went he. " Sir, he sayd, I wald the pray Of a ded this ilk day, 3340

That thou wil gif me, with thi hand, My leman or 1 pas thi lond,

THE SEUYN SAGES. 129

That I mai wed hir to my whife ;

For with hir wil I lede my lyfe."

He sayd he thoght to wed hir than

That had byfore bene his leman,

For lufe of God, and als for drede,

And for he sold the better spede.

The erl said that es gude scill,

And als thou sais, syr, do I will. 3350

" Sone the erl cals knyghtes twa, And bad tham sone that thai sold ga, And feche the lady vnto the kirk. Thai war redy his wil to wirk. To kirk thai led that faire lady ; A prieste was reuist hastily. The erl come with meri chere, Omang al that folk in fere ; His owin lady he toke byliue, And gaf the knyght vntil his wiue. 336ft

The prest tham weddes swith sone, And als tite als the mes was done, Than was thare made grete menestrelsy, And the knight and his lady Went tham forth, with grete solas, To the ship whare his godes in was. The erl went with tham thartill : The knight went yn with ful gude will

The lady stode still on the sand ; The erl toke hir by the hand, 3370

VOL. III. i

130 THE SEUYN SAGES.

And bad the knyght he sold hir take,

Euermare to be his make.

Thare the knyght toke the lady,

And said to the erl : " Sir, gramercy

Of this and al other grace !"

Thus of the erl hys leue he tase.

The wind blew, thai went thair way :

Thus lost the erl his whife for ay ;

He gaf hir thus the knyght to wed :

Tharfore ful sari life he led. 3380

When the knight was went with the lady, The erl wendes hame hastily ; Vntil the toure the way he tase, To tel his lady how it was, And how he had his knyght conuayd : He trowed noght how he was bitraid. Vntil his toure thus wendes he right For to speke with his lady bright, Into the chameber gan he ga, And loked obout, bath to and fra ; 3390

He saw no S)ght of his lady ; Tharfore sone he wex sary. Of hir cowth he nothing here ; Than he wepid with sari chere. Vnto himself he gan him mene That al was soth als he had sene ; Than wist he it was his lady That at the mete was set him by :

THE SEUYN SAGES. 131

To wax wise than he began ;

Tharfore blamed him moni a man." 3400

Than the maister Maxencius Vnto the emperoure said thus : " On this wise dose thou, sir, said he, When thi whif spekes to the Thou trowes hir tales, day and nyght, Better than that thou sese in sight. And, sir, he said, that this soth be, To morn thou sal wele here and se Who has the wrang in al this strife, Whether thi son or thi wife. 3410

For to-morn thi son sal speke ; Than hope I wele thou will him wreke." The emperowre sais, " Bi my swire, Sir, that war my moste desire : If I may whit who has the right, It sal be venged at mi might, " Than the maister wendes his way ; Thus was the childe saued that day.

The emperice than was ful wa, That the childe was saued swa ; 3420

For wel sho wist hir was na bote Of that mater more to mote.

The emperoure than, al that night, In his hert he was ful lyght j

132 THE SEUYN SAGES.

Bot the emperice had mekil sorow,

For the childe sold speke at morow.

The emperoure lay in gude pese ;

Him for to preche wald sho noght presc.

On the morn the emperoure

Went to kirk with grete honowre, 3430

With many knytes of his menye,

And al the burias of that cete\

Burias wiues and maidens bright,

Wele araid and richely dyght,

To court thai come with ful gude chere,

The child speche for thai wald here.

The seuyn maisters euerilkane

Come vnto the court onane.

Smertly when the mes was done, The emperoure him hasted sone, 3440

Til a faire place he made him boun, And bad the folk thai sold syt down. Sone he cald the maisters seuyn, And twa he gan bi names neuyn, And bad tham fech his sone forth sone. His cumandment bilyue was done ; Thai went to presowne with gude will, And broght the childe his fader vntill : Ful klenly was he cled and dyght, Bot he was lene and febil of myght. 3450

The childe was set in middes the place, Right before his fader face. 8

THE SEUYN SAGES. 133

The folk made mikil noys and shrill ;

Tharfore the childe yit held him still.

He thanked God of his gude grace,

Whils thai made pese in that place.

Than stode the child vp sone onane,

Bifore his fader and the folk ilkane ;

He bowed him ful bowsumly,

And of his fader asked mercy. 3460

He said, " Sir, ye er wrethed wrang ;

That sal ye wit wele or I gang.

The wiked wil, sir, of yowre wife

Has made me al this mekil strif ;

For sho had made, thurgh sorceri,

Thing that I sold haue bene ded by.

I saw in the mone and sternes all,

How that sold of me bifall,

That, had I spoken with any man,

To seuyn days war cumen and gane, 3470

My hert sold sone haue broken asonder ;

Than had my maysters bene al under.

And, for my maisters, that me yemed,

For my sake sold noght be flemed,

Tharfore, sir, I held me still,

And sofferd what men did me till.

" Bot, fader, he said, it fars of the, And right so haues thou done with me, Als did a gude man, here bi west, That his son in the se kest, 3480

134 THE SEUYN SAGES.

For he said he sold be, by grace,

Richer man than euer he was."

The emperoure said, " So haue I sele,

Son, thi wordes payes me wel ;

Tharfore, son, for my benzown,

Tel vs al now that resown,

Thi maisters has al tald, for the,

Tales that ful wele liked me :

Bot, sone, a tale of the allane

Wil like me mare than thai ilkane : 3490

Tharfore thi tale thou tell vs till."

He said, " Sir, gladly, at yowre will.

THE XV. TALE.

THE RAVENS.

" Syr, he said, in this cuntre Wond a man, curtays and fre ; He had a son was wise and balde, Of fully fiften winters aide. Opon a day, in somers tyde, The gudeman went by the se-svde :

THE SEUYN SAGES. 135

He had a ship that new was wroght;

He bad the mayster it sold be broght 3500

A mile or twa opon the se,

And himself tharin wald be.

He toke his son, als ye may here,

And went to ship, thai bath in fere ;

Thai war in will tham to solas,

In an yle that in the se was.

" Als thai thederward gan wende, Twa ravenes, on thaire shippes ende, Cried on tham, loude and shill, And ouer thaire ship thai honed still : 3510

Than said the fader, with hert fre, " Son, what may al this noys be, That thise rauens thusgat cri ? Whateuer sal it sygnyfy ?"

" The child was of wit ful klene : He said, " I wot wele what thai me[ne] : Thir twa rauens says, in thaire steuyn, That, thurgh the help of God of heuyn, I sal be of so grete powste,

Fader, that thou sal noght knaw me ; 3520

And if I wil it soffer, sertayn, Fader, thou sal be ful fayne For to hald my kapes sleue, Whils I washs : this may ye leue. And more yit says the rauens twa, That my moder sal alswa

136 THE SEUYN SAGES.

Be ful fayn to hald the clathe

Whills my handes be wyped bathe."

When the fader herd how he sayd,

Of his wordes he was noght payd ; 3530

And til his son than gan he say :

" The crakes sal ly if I may !

What, son, he said, couaites thou

To be richer than I am now ?

Nay, sertes, it sal noght be swa,

Whils that I may ride and ga !"

His semly son than hentes he,

And kest him sone into the se.

He turned the ship, with eger mode ;

The child net forth in the node. 3540

" The fader bade the rauens him take, And with his bodi meri make ; And hastly went he hame ogayne : Ful wele he wend his son war slaine. The child swam forth in the se ; On God in heuyn ay thinkes he, And specially he praied him till To help him, if it war his will : And God of heuyn, of his grete grace, Made him to riue vp in a place, 3550

Opon an ile thare in the se ; Ful ioyful than in hert was he. The childe yede vpon the land, And thanked Jesu of his sand.

THE SEUYN SAGES. 137

In that land he lifed allane ; Four daies mete ete he nane.

" He herd the fowles speke him till And said, " Childe, gif the noght ill ! Jesu wil the help in haste ;

Thi mischefe es now althermaste." 3560

The childe knew wele the fowles sang ; He thanked God graithly omang ; He vnderstode al fowles language, Bathe yn wod and als in cage. Thai sang him cumfort wonder wele, For he wist thaire mening ilk dele.

" The fift day than come sayland A fissher-bote biside the land. Of that sight ful fayn was he, And fast he hies iiim to the se. 3570

" Help me, sir, thus gan he cri, For Jesu luf and milde Mari !M The fisscher saw the childe allane, And vnto him he rowed onane ; And sone when he come to the childe, He spak to him with wordes milde : " Frely, childe, what dose thou here ?" Than said the childe with simpil chere, " Sir, help that I war in thi bate, And I sal tel the al my state." 3580

Intil his bate he gan him bring, And than he talde him his asking,

138 THE SEUYN SAGES.

How his fader kest him in the se For he said that he sold be Gretter of myght, by Goddes grace, And richer than his fader was, And how he swam into that yle, Al he talde him in that whyle.

" The fissher thoght of hym pete : " Childe, he said, I sal bring the 3,590

Vntil a kastel here nere hand, Vnto the kinges steward of this land. Thare sal thou play and men make." The childe said, " For Jesu sake, Bring me, if it be thi will, Thare I may ette and drink my fill." Sone thai come to the castele, Where the fissher was knawen wele. He said the childe I vnderstand Vntil the steward of that land. 3600

The steward was of hym ful fayn ; He saw neuer fayrer, for sertayne ; He was ful cumly on to call, Fay re and curtays euer with all. The childe wex and wele gan thryue ; The steward lufed hym als his lyue.

" In that land than was a king, That had grete thoght and made mornyng, For thre rauens that cried on him ay, In kirk, in hall, in ilka way, 36 10

THE SEUYN SAGES. 139

Whare so he sold ryde or gane,

Tha rauens cried euer onane :

Opon the king ay gan thai cry.

His folk tharof had grete ferly ;

And al the men of ilk cuntre,

Had grete selkuth that sight to se.

The king in no place [might] haue pese,

For of thair noyse wald thai neuer sese,

Nowther for bow ne for sling :

No man might tham oway bring. 3620

" The king wald fayn oway tham wyn, Bot he wist noght how to bygyn. Efter his barnage has he sent, And gert ordayn a grete parlement, For to wit encheson why That the rauens made slike cri ; For wele he trowed tham al omell, That som wise man sold him tell. When his barons wist his will Hastily thai come him till ; 3630

Al the lordes, on ilka syde, Com vnto the courte that tide. The steward that had the childe in keping, Said he wald wend vnto the king> If he myght here of any man That the king wele tell can, Why thre rauens opon him cry, And what that it might signyfy.

140 THE SETJYN SAGES.

" Sir, said the child, par charite,

Wiltou lat me wend with the ? " S640

The steward said, " Sen thou wil swa,

Gladly saltou with me ga :

The kinges wil, son, saltow here,

And sum gude thare may thou lere."

H The steward wendes, the childe alswa, And with tham other many ma. Vnto the kourt than cumen ware Erles, barons, both les and mare. The sertayn day bifore was set ; Tharfor the lordes, withowten let, 3650

Come vnto that sertayn day, And than the king gert sone puruay All the lordes into a hall, And set himself omang tham all. " Sirs, he sayd, ye sal sit downe, And takes entent to my resowne."

" Than stode he vp omanges tham all, On the highest place in the hall : " Lordinges, he said, lokes omang yow If any man can tel me now 3660

Of the rauens that cryes on me, ] n what stede so that I be ? Wha can me tel, so mot I thriue, My doghter sal he haue to wiue, And half my kingdom ilkadele, That he sal hald him paid ful wele."

THE SEUYN SAGES. 141

When the king had said his will

Al the lordes sat stane-still ;

Of al the wise men that thar ware

Nane kowth gif him graith answare. 3670

The steward childe than was wele paid,

When he herd how the kyng had said ;

In his hert he thinkes wele

That he kowth tel him ilkadele.

Til his lord spekes he priuely,

And said this tale wele tel can I

Of the rauens that on the king cries,

And also what it signifies :

If the king will hald that he has hight

Vnto tham that kowth tel him right, 3680

To tel him wil I wele warand,

If he wil hald me lele couenand."

" The steward said, " Lat swilk wordes be, For, son, thou may sone shend me, If thou tald a wrang resown, In euyl tyme come we to toun." " Sir, sayd the childe, drede the nathing : I knaw ful wele the fowles criyng ; Whare any singes, in wode or cage, I vnderstand wele thaire langwage." 3690

The steward stode vp in the hall, And to the king than gan he call. " 1 haue a childe, he said, sir kyng, That can tel the thine asking,

J42 THE SEUYN SAGES.

Why the thre rauen opon the cry,

And als what it may signyfy,

If thou will hald that thou has hyght

Vnto tham that tel the right."

" Yis," said the king, and tharto sware.

" Al that I hight, and mekyl mare, 3700

Sal I gif him that me tels

Why the thre rauens on me yelles."

The steward the childe vnto the king led,

And bad he sold noght be adred.

When the child come to the king

He bad he sold mak no lesyng.

The child said, §t Sir, by God mighty,

I sal say noght bot sothfastly."

" Than stode the childe vp sone onane, Bifore the barons euerilkane. 3710

On him thai loked, bath les and mare ; So faire a childe saw thai neuer are. " Sirs, he said, ye se ilkane, How a rauen sittes and cries allane. Sir king, he said, I tel it the, It es the femal of the thre : And, sirs, he said, ye se alswa How thare sittes other rauens twa ; Also ye se thaire ferly fare,

How the les cries on the mare. 3720

The mare o f them the elder ys : That other female first was his ;

THE SEUYN SAGES. 143

He held hir wele al threty yere,

Than so bifell that corn was dere ;

Tharfore the alder hir forsoke,

And no thing wald he til hir loke.

He fled fra hir in that dere tyme,

And on sere sides soght sho hym.

Thus when the alder hir gan forsake,

The yonger toke hir to his make ; 3730

The yonger rauen hir toke that tyme

For his felow forth with hym.

He yemed hir ful wele always,

Both by nightes and bi dayes.

Fro hir neuer fieghe he walde,

Nowther for hunger ne for calde

Now es the aid rauen cumen ogayn,

And wald haue his fere ful fain.

The aid rauen sais that sho es his,

The yonger sais, " that myne sho ys : 3740

For I haue wond with hir alway,

And left hir nowther night ne day."

He sais sho sal noght part him fra,

Nowther for wele ne for wa,

Til the dome, sir king, be gifen of the,

Whether make that sho sal be/'

" The child said, " Sertainly, sir king, This es the cause of thaire crying. When thou haues said to tham thi will, And gifen the dome, by right and scill, 3750

144 THE SEUYN SAGES.

Whether of tham that hir sal haue, Namare on the than wil thai craue, Ne namare mak noyse ne cri ; Hame thai wil wend hastyly."

" The king toke kownsail of this thing At his barons aide and ying, How he sold deme the rauens twa, Whilk sold hir haue and whilk forga. Than al his barons talde him to, How that tham thoght best to do. 3760

Bi kownsail of barown and knyght The king gaf dome, by reson right; He went byfor tha rauens thre, And stode that thai myght him se. The rauens cried als thai war won : The king spak vnto tham son, And said, " That the female sold ay Dwel with hym, both night and day, That kepid hir fra noyes sere, In that tyme that corn was dere : 3770

And he that put hir than him fra By reson he sal hyr forga ; He lufed hir noght, this es sertayn, That wald with hunger sho had bene slayne."

" When the alder rauen of the twa Herd the king gif the dome swa, He made a cri and rewful mane ; Thareof had meruayl many ane :

THE SEUYN SAGES. 145

On his maner he morned fast, And witli swilk playnt oway he past. 3780

The king herd and saw al this ; In hert he had ful mekil blys. Tha other gan thaire fethers shake, And mekil myrth than gan thai make : Thai toke a flight [and] flow oway. This thoght the king a nobil play. The child he gert bifore hym call, Right thare omang his barons all ; He held him quaynt and wonder wise, And ful wele quit his seruise. 3790

" The king gaf him, thare in that place,

Hys doghter als the couenant was,

And half his kingdom, grete and small,

And efter hym for to haue all.

Now has that childe so mekil thing,

He may be felow with erl and king. " Opon a day he hym bythoght

On his fader that him forth broght,

And on his moder that hym bare.

Than in grete pouert fallen thai ware : 3800

Thai went, for shame, fra thaire cuntr£,

And come and wond in that cet£,

Whare thaire son was lord and kino- ;

Bot thai ne wist noght of that thing ;

Ne he wist noght that thai war thare,

Ne noght he knew of thaire mysfare. vol. ill. it

]4() THE SEUYM SAGES,

Bot als he lay opon a nyght

In a dreme, than thoght him right

That he was warned in visiowne,

His fader and moder was in the town; 3810

It bad he sold tak tham hym till,

And also wirk what war thare will.

" At morn the childe cald seriantes twa, And bad thai sold his erand ga Preuely into the towne, And spir in stretes, vp and downe, Efter a man of strange cuntre, Newly cumen, hys whife and he : — " His name es Gerard Nories son. Wayt priuely whare thai mai won." 3820

When thai him fand he bad tham say, That thai war welkum alway To soiorn in that same cete ; And at the king himself wald se Of their fare and of thaire life, Bath of him and of his wife ; And bad tham ordain alkins thing On the morn to kepe the king ; Mete and drink, bathe glide and fine, — " For my wil es with tham to dine." 3830

" The seriantes went with hert glad, And spird obowt als he tham bad ; Vp and down thai spirred ful fast, So that thai fand tham at the last.

THE SEUYN SAGES. ]47

When thai had funden that man vnkowth, Thai hailsed him mildely with mowth. " Sir, thai said, withouten leseing, Wele the gretes the yong kyng ; And, sir, he sendes the word with me, That he wil cum and dyne with the, 3840

Tomorn at prime, withowten delay : Tharfore his mete luke ye pumay." " Sertanly, sirs, than said he, The king es ful welkum to me, And swilk gode, sirs, als we haue, Vnto the king w[e] vowche it saue." Vntill his whif he sayd in hy : " Dame, in hert I am sary, That we haue noght al ful plente, To welkum swilk a lord als he." 3850

" The gude wife said, " Sir, greues yow noght : What so vs wantes sal sone be boght, So that he sal be wele at ayse." Vnto the seriantes than sho sais : " Al that we haue, sirs, in al thing, Es redy vnto my lord the king." The seriantes went than hame ogayn, And sayd the king thir sawes sertayn, How that thai had funden the man, And how that he thain answerd than : 3860

Than was the king ful glad in hert, That thai ware hale and in quert.

148 THE SEHYN SAGES.

" On the morn he toke a litel menye, And to his fader than wendes he. He rides right til his fader dore ; Seriantes of mace went him bifore. Right at the dore than down he lyght, And went into the hows ful right. The godeman welkumed fayre the kyng ; Bot of him had he na knawing : 3870

The whife him welkumed als ful rath. The kyng thanked blithly tham bath. The kinges dener wele was grayd ; Thai set trestes and bordes on layd, Thai spred clathes and salt on set, And made redy vnto the mete ; Thai set forth water and to well. Herkens now, how it bifell ! In a gude kape the king gan stand, Als custume was than in that land. 3880

" When thai gaf water vnto the king, The fader saw the sleue down hing ; He stirt tharto and held it vp, For water sold noght tharon drop. The godewife gan bifore him stand, With a towayl to wipe his hand ; She honorde him at al hir myght : And when the king saw this in sight, A squier he gert the towayl take, And to his moder than he spake, 3890

THE SEUYN SAGES. 149

And to his fader in that place :

" Fader, he said, thurgh Goddes grace,

Fulfild es now the crakes crying,

That tald bifore of al this thing,

How that I sold be recher man,

And haue more welth than ye had than ;

And for I sayd it sold so be,

Sir, ye kest me in the se."

" When the fader herd this tale In his hert he had grete bale : 3900

Al tha wordes ful wele he knew. He was so ferd him changed hew ; He wend his son than sold him sla For that he had him serued swa : Bot the kyng kissed tham both in fere, And said, " Bese meri, and mase glide chere For ye sal be in ioy and blis, And nonekins myrthes sal ye mys." The king gaf sone into thaire handes New tenementes and riche landes, 3910

And gold and syluer grete plente : His fader and moder thus helpid he."

Thus, this tale was broght til end ; And Florentine, with wordes hende, And with reuerence and grete honowre, Sayd to his fader the emperowre :

150 THE SEUYN SAGES.

" Fader, on this wise wald ye,

Ogayns the right, haue gert sla me;

And fully haue ye bene my fa.

Dere fader, why do ye swa ? 3920

I trispast namare than did he,

The childe that was kast in the se,

And, if I myght come to honowre,

For to be king or emperowre,

Wene ye that I wald greue yow ?

Nay, sir, that sal ye neuer trow :

Drawen and bren are wald 1 be,

Or I wald greue my fader fre.

And, fader, yowre wife weterly,

Wald haue gert me lig hir by, 3930

Bot I had leuer haue died als sone,

Than that dede to yow haue done."

When the emperoure herd how he sayd, Of that poynt he was noght payde ; And sone he sent efter his whife, That him had made so mekil strife. " Dame, he sayd, es this sothe thing ?" " Ya, sir, sho sayd, by heuyn kyng ! He says soth in this sesovvne ; And I sal say by what resowne : 3940

For he sold do na harm the till, And also, for this sertayne skill, That mi sons sold be na bastardes Bot haue thi landes and be grete lardes.

THE SEUYN SAGES. 151

And, sir, I drede me yit alswa,

That he sold haue the empire the fra,

Hereefter, when thou cums on elde,

And may noght wele thiseluen welde :

Tharfore I wald haue had him dede,

That my bames might be in thi stede ; 3950

And on this wise, sir, haue I soght

To ger him vnto ded be broght."

" A ! dame, said the emperowre,

Thou haues ben a fals gilowre,

And with thi treson done me tene,

That sal now on thiself be sene ;

For thi gandes and thi gilry

I gif this dome that thou sal dy.

Sakles thou wald my son haue slayne ;

Thiself sal haue the same payne. 3960

Thi witchcraft and thi sorceri

Sal thou now ful dere aby.

Thou grantes thiself here al the gilt,

Tharfore es reson thou be spilt.

If thou lifed lenger it war wath,

For ful sone wald thou shend vs bath ;

And sen thou grantes thi werkes wrang,

It nedes no quest on the to gang.

Thou ert worthy the ded to take,

By rightwis dome, for my son sake." 3970

152 THE SEUYN SAGES.

" The emperoure gert bifor him call His knightes and his menye all, And sayd, " Sir, smertly, for my sake, A grete fire that ye ger make, Hastily, at the townes end, For tharyn sal this whif be brend, With mekyl dole, this day or none, For the tresown that sho has done ; And loke ye spare hyr neuer a dele, For sho has serued it fid vvele." 3980

The barons war al of ane asent, That sho sold haue that same iugement ; And al the knyghtes fast gan cri : " Do to ded that fals lady, That with hir wichecraft and hir rede, Wald haue gert the childe be ded !"

Sone thai made, onane right, A faire fire brinand ful bright ; Than thai tok that fayr lady : — Yt helpid hyr noght to ask mercy, — 3990

Thai band hir fast bath fote and hand, That sho myght nowther rise ne stand. Hir fete thai fest vnto hir swyre, And lete hir flye in myddes the fire ; Thus was the ladies ending day, And thus was sho quit hir joinay.

THE SEUYN SAGES. 153

The childe lifed with grete hon6wre,

And efter his fader was emperoure,

And led his life with werkes wise,

And ended seyn in Goddes seruyse. 4000

Thus-gate endes al this thing.

Jesu grante vs his blessyng !

AMEN.

OCTOUIAN IMPERATOR.

OCTOUIAN IMPERATOR.

J esu, that was with spere y-stoyuge, And for vs hard and sore y swounge, Glady both old and younge

With wytte honest, That wylled a whyle ster her tounge,

And herkeny gest !

But fele men be of swyche manere, Goodnesse when hy scholden here, Hy n'ylled naght lesste with her ere

To lerny wyt ; 10

But, as a swyn, with lowryng chere

All gronne he syyte.

158 OCTOUIAN IMPERATOR.

And fele of hem casted a cry Of thyng that fallyd to rybasdy, That noon of hem that sytte hym by

May haue no lest. God schylde all this company

Fram swych a gest,

And yeue vs grace goodnesse to lere

Of ham that before vs were, 20

Crystendom how they gonne arere

Tho hyt began ! Of oon the best ye mowne a-here

That hyght Ottouyan.

Ottouyan was emperour

Of all Rome and the honour ;

Of chyualrye he hadde the flour

That any man wyste : Here of a nobyll conquerour

Ye mowyth lyste. 30

Emperour lie was yerys fyve,

Ayen hys foon, with fyght and stryfe ;

In all that tyme he hadde noo wyfe

To getyn hym an eyr. Hys barouns seyde, that swyche lyf

Was not favr.

OCTOUIAN IMPERATOR. 159

They seyde : " Syr, the Kyng of Fraunce

Myght abate all thys daunce :

He hath a dowghter hatte Floraunce

As whyte as flour : 40

To wedde her make purueaunce,

Syr emperour.

" Dagabers ys the kyngys name ; Wyde sprynged hys ryche fame : Ther ys no kyng yn Cristindame

So war, ne so wys." The emperour with barouns yn-same

Rood to Parys,

And preyde the kyng with mylde chere,

Yf that hyt hys wyll were, 50

To yeue hym hys dowghter dere

To emperesse : The kyng hym grauntede hys prayere,

And gan hym kesse.

No man may telle yn tale

The peple that was at that bredale :

Of kyngys, dukes, and prynces fale,

Erlles and baroun, In Parys was y-feld ech a sale

Into all the toun. 60

160 OCTOUIAN IMFERATOK.

The holy pope Seynt Clement Weddede hem with good entent, And prayede God deuoutement,

Allmyghty kyng, That clene lyyf togeder hem sent

And also good endynge.

Ther myghth men here menstralcye, Trompys, taborus, and cornettys crye, Roowte, gyterne, lute, and sawtrye,

Fydelys, and othyr mo : 70

In Parys gret melodye

They maden tho.

Fourty dayes hy helden feste,

Ryche, ryall, and oneste ;

Ther ne was noon so symple a gest

In all the toim, That hy ne hadde, lest and mest,

Grete foyson.

And after mete the lordys wyse,

Eueryche yn dywers queyntyse, 80

To daunce went, by ryght asyse,

The Frensch thoght telle, Tn euery strete of Parys

Tyll curfu-belle.

OCTOITIAN 1MPERATOR. 1 ( ) \

And at the forty dayes ende, Hye token leue for to wende, Ech lord, to hys owene kende,

Of Crystendome. The emperour and Florence hende

Wenten to Rome, 90

And louede well, with hert trewe,

Nyght and day ylych newe ;

And that ryght sore began to rewe

The oolde emperesse : Sche made hem sone chongen hewe,

Thorgh here wikkednesse.

The emperour, yn the feist yere, That hy togydere weren yn fere, Vppon Florence, that lady dere,

He gette and wan 10O

Two man-chylderyn, fayyr of chere,

As whytte as swan.

The holy pope Seynt Clement

Crystened hem yn on atent :

By de emperours commaundement

He cleped hem dan, That 00 chylde was named Florent, And that other Octouyan. vol. III. L

*

162 OCTOUIAN IMPERATOH.

Tho was all Rome gladde and blyde,

And thangede God many a syde. *10

The emperour, couthde no man kythe

His ioye and blysse ; But of hys modyr ye mowe lythe

A greet falnesse.

Sche seyde : " Sone, syr emperoure, Thow dost thyself greet dyshonoure, That thou louyst so, par amoure,

Thy yonge wyyf : Sche hathd a by-leman yn boure,

A full foule kaytyf. 12°

" I wyll, sone, that thou hyt wyte

The kokes knaue, that turneth the spyte,

Vpon thy wyfe he hath begete

On of tho two : I wyll myn heed be of y-smyte,

Bote hyt be soo.

" For thou ne seghe neuer no woman, Seth de world ferst began, But sche hadde a by-leman

That myghth conceyue 13°

Two chylderen, that ony lyyf telle kan,

That ys alyue."—

OCTOUIAN IMPERATOR. l6S

Seyde the emperour, " Dame, that ys leesse, And therfore, moder, hold your pees ! Many on swyche before vs was

In Crystendome : Ye schall rewe a sory rees

Yf hyt out-come."-—

" Do," spakke hys modyr wordys fell, —

And swar by hym that made heuen and helle, 140

That no man gan hyt hyr telle,

Lowe nor hye, — " Myself hyt sawe ham togedere dwelle

Both with my nye ;

" And, sone, thyself hyt schall y-se."

Than seyde the emperoure : " Yf hyt so be,

Ne hadde neuer woman schuch schame as sche,

In Rome ner in Fraunce." — With that hys modyr agayn gan te

To fayr Floraunce ; 150

And made her game and greet solas : But sche was traytour as was Judas. Sche seyth a boy lothly of face,

A quysteroun ; To hym sche toke the ryght pas,

With a full tresoun,

164 OCTOUTAN IMPERATOR.

And seyde : " Hark, thou cokes knaue, Of me thy warsoun thou schalt haue, With that thou do that Y the craue

In pryuyte." — 160

" Madame, he seyde, so God me saue,

What schall hyt be ?"—

" Thow most, sche seyde, for alle chaunce, Slepe by the quene Floraunce : Hyt ys my sonys ordynaunce

Octouyan ; Well rychelych he wyll the auaunce,

And make th£ a man.

" But loke, boy, that thou her ne take, Wharfore the lady myghth awake ! 170

Good bourde therof we schull make,

Soone, al so sket." — The boy hyt dorst not forsake,

And here beheet.

But when the lady was aslepe, Into hyr bedde the boy gan crepe. Thus browght sche her treson to hepe

Or that sche owt-come : Therfor many on gan wepe

After yn Rome. 180

OCTOUIAN IMPERATOR. 1 65

When that sche myght out-breke,

To her sone sche gan to reke,

And seyde : "Now myght thou be awreke

Of thy foon : They lyy th yn chamber faste y-steke,

Sty lie as ston."

The emperour tho, anoon ryght, With lanternes and with torches lyght, And with hym many a doughty knyght,

He gen vp-breke 390

The dore : tho was the boy aflyght,

And dorst not speke.

He prayed God, with softe steuene, To saue hym for hys namys seuene. The emperice mette yn sweuene

An ern com fly, And bar her to chylderen euen

Vp to the sky ;

And wylde lyberdes, and many a lyoun To-droghgh her body vp and doun. 200

Sche awakede and segh with a fachoun

Her lord stonde, And with hym many a bold baroun

Of Rome londe.

166 OCTOUIAN IMPERATOR.

Sche ne therst speke a word for fere.

The emperour hente by de here

The knaue, and smot atwo hys swere ;

And also warm He drew that hedde, with lowryng chere,

Into the lady barm : 210

And seyde : " Pley the with that ball !

I prey, God yeue the euell fall :

Thou scholdyst be honged or hewe small,

Be iugement." — Hys modyr seyde, " With ryght sche schall

Be all for-brent."

The emperour tho het yn haste Me schold here ynto prison kaste, Odyr wymmen by her to chaste

That were wyues. 220

Anoon hy was y-take well faste

And brought yn gyues.

A morn the emperoure yn ire Sente aboute in hys empyre After many a ryche syre,

To deme her dome. The folk tho com fram eche a schyre

Ryght ynto Rome.

OCTOUIAN IMPERATOR. 167

For sche was founde with the dede

Me ne leuede noght that sche sede. 230

The justyce het men schold her led©

Out of the cyt£, And brenne anon to smale glede

Hem all thre.

A noon a fyer ther was y-beet, And a tonne amydde y-set, And Floraunce was dyder y-feet,

And her two sonys : For dool of hem many a tere leet

All the barouns. 240

Ther was many a wepyng eye,

And greet sorwe of ham that hyt sye,

And cryde both fer and nye :

" Alas, thys chaunce ! To day gyltles deth schall dye

Fayre Floraunce,

And her two sonys withoutyn gylt. Abyyd, syr emperour, yf thou wylt !" — With that anoon hys herte was mylt,

And cryde, " Pees ! 250

Thys day schall sche noght be spylt,

Withowte lees.

168 OCTOUIAN IMPERATOR.

« I am emperour, and sche ys my wyfe : I may yeue her lyme and lyfe. 1 n'old for kyngdomes fyyf

I se her y-brent." — Tho seyde hys modyr : " Alas, cayteyf,

Now art thou schent.

" Thy mysbegeten chylderen two,

They schull the werke mochell wo : 260

I pray God hyt befalle so,

Thorgh hys grace !"— The emperour het the lady do

Lede owt of place ;

And commaundede barouns thre

Her to lede owt of countre

To the wyldest forest that myght be

Of Crystendome : That sche neuer ne schuld y-se

The bourgh of Rome. 27°

Thys sorwe the lady, that ylke day, Men her sette on a palfi ay ; And yn her barm before her lay

Hyr yonge sonys, That schuld wende yn her way

Forth with the barouns.

OCTOUIAN IMPERATOR. I69

Ten pound of floryns clere

Tlie emperour toke hys worldlyche fere.

The pope with wepyng cheer,

That men schuld whyte, 280

Heng the chylderen names aboute her swere,

In bylles y-wryte.

They ryden forth to a wylde forest, — There was many a wylde best, — Fram Rome-londe, as seyd the gest,

An hundred myle. Hy ne therst her brynge forder est

For grete peryle,

But turnede agayn to the emperour,

And lefte the lady yn dolour. 290

Many a man bad our Sauyour

Her help at nede, The old emperice, the fyle traytour,

Euele to spede.

As the lady rood be an hylle,

Under a roche sche sey a welle ;

A stounde sche thoghte her to dwelle ;

Adoun sche lyghte. Now harkened of an aunter that felle

Tho a noon ryght ! 300

170 OCTOUIAN IMPERATOR.

Her chylderen sche doughte ther to bathe ; Sche sat adoun hem to vnswade. For greet sorouwe, and for scathe,

Handys gan wrynge, And fyll aslepe, swyde rade,

In her sorouwyng.

The chylderyn wer full fawe of reste, And leye and swokyn of her brest. With that com out of the west

A female ape, 31°

And chyld Florentyn, also prest,

He toke yn rape ;

And thoghte hym bere, as fast as hy may, To the stede ther hyr whelpys lay. A knyght hadde honted all that day

In that forest, And segh the ape com in the way

A grysly best,

And bar that chylde yn pelle y-wounde.

Anon he lyght adoun to grounde, 320

The ape to yeue a grysly wounde

Whyt hys swerd : The ape of hym that ylke stounde

Was noght aferd.

OCTOUIAN IMPERATOR. 171

Sche layde adoun that chyld stylle, And to the knyght sche gan to skylle. The knyght smoot with good wylle

Strokes of thre, And the ape hym boot full ylle

Thorgh the sparlyre. 330

The knyght, for anguyssche and for smert, Tho faught as egre man of hert, And to the ape anoon he gert

Well many rappys : The ape thorgh clodys and also hys schert

Brayde of hys pappys.

Tho myght men se fyght with rape

Betwene the knyght and the ape :

N other of hem myght fram other ascape,

For besy of fyght ; 340

Bot, as the schrewe began to gape,

Hys swerd hath pyght

Into the mouth ryght euene tho, And karf the hert ryght euene atwo ; And, whan to deth he hadde y-do

That best so wylde, He tok vp, and gan to go,

That fayyr chylde ;

360

172 OCTOUIAN IMPERATOR.

And loop yn haste on hys palfray,

And thoghte to wende the ryght way 350

To Dannysco a grey abey,

Ther leches wore, For to hele, yf that he may,

Hys woundes sore.

As he rood be a wodes schawe

He seghe ther many a wylde outlavve.

Awey fro hem he wold a-drawe,

Yf that he myght : Be hys harneys they hyt [sawe],

That he was a knyght.

The maystyr anon aftyr hym sende ; Yong men hym fette, with bowes bent, And broght hym her maystyr hende.

He heet yn haste, Yf he hadde ony tresour to spende,

Adoun hyt caste.

The knyght answerede wordes mylde : « I haue no tresour but thys chylde ; I wan hyt of a best full wylde,

A female ape, And thus, syr, my body sche fyylde,

And foule hath schape."

370

OCTOUIAN 1MPERATOR. 173

The outlawe seyde, " Be my fay, Both thys chylde and thy palfray, Thou most here lete thys ylke day

To owre spendyng, And wend thyself forth thy wey,

And sey no thyng."

The knyght was glad to skape so,

As euery man ys from hys foo. 380

The mayster lette x. men and mo

That ylke day, To wende and selle that chylde hem fro,

And that palfray.

The yong man went to the see-stronde, And segh ther many schypys stonde, And marchauntes, of vncouth londe,

To bey ware ; But ther ne chepede fre ne bonnde

All her chafare. 390

Sone was that palfray sold, And the florins therfor y-told : With that ther com a palmer old

In a sklaueyne, And bad for that chyld so bold

Well many floreyne.

174 OCTAUIAN IMPERATOR.

I-born he was yn Seyn Denys, And was a bowchyer of Parys ; Of that craft he bare the prys,

Forsode to seyn, 400

And was y-cleped be name, Y wys,

Clement Vyleyne.

The bocher was a man of myght, Of Parys fellest with to fyght : Thawgh he were boystous of syght

He hadde gret strength : The Frensch seyd he was of heghth

Ten foot of length.

And when he hadde that chylde y-boghth Home to Parys he hyt broghth, 410

And tok hyt hys wyf, and hyr besowght

That chylde to fede ; And seyd, he hadde agayn her wroght

A synfull dede :

And told her how he hyt wan In Marsyle, vpon a woman, And sche hym hyt betake gan

Homward that chyld. The good wyf answerede than

Word full mylde : 420

OGTOUIAN IMPERATOR. 175

u Tliat chylde ys wellcome to me ; Yyf me half part for charyt& !'W " Gladly, dame, than seyd he,

Be Seynt Denys \" — Now chylde Florent leet we be

Dwelle yn Parys,

And forth yn our tale telle

Of the lady that slepe at the welle.

Ther were many bestys felle

In that forest ; 430

And on ther com doun of an hylle

A grysly best,

A greet y-whelpyd lyonesse, And lyynge seygh the emperesse, And her sone gan clep and kesse

Abowte her swere. He that wyll harkene dystresse

Now he may here !

The tygre gan hyt awey take :

With that the lady gan awake : 440

Greet sorow therfor sche gan make,

And rufull cry : " For thy swete sonys sake

Now help Mary !"

176 OCTOUTAN IMPERATOR.

Anoon sche leep on her palfray ; The tygre sche suede all that day. A gryyp com fle to take hyr pray

In that forest, Too bere what sche wynne may

Horn to her nest. 450

Both the chyld and the lyoun

Vp yn hys clawys bar the gryffoun,

Ther that n'as nother feld ne toun,

In the see an yle. At the last he lyght adoun

To reste a whyle.

And tho aground was the lyoun Well softe he leyde the chyld adoun ; To yeue batayle to the gryfoun

He gan to flynge, 460

And breyde away with hard roun

The grypes wynge.

Tho thys wyng was from y-bore I woot hys flyght was all y-lore. The lyoun sone hym hadde to-tore,

Al so sket ; And whanne he was an-hungred sore,

Of hym he eet.

OCTOUIAN 1MPERATOR. 177

The tygre aftyr thys batayle,

Whelpede sone for hyr trauayle. 470

Nowe mowe ye here greet merueyle,

How God man helpys ? The chyld sok forth, withoute fayle,

Among the whelpys.

The tygre louede more tho

That chylde than her whelpys two :

Hyt ys well fern men seyden so,

That bestyn kyng Hys kynde may he noght forgo,

For no lykyng : 480

A chyld that ys of kynges blood, A lyoun ne struys hyt for no good : Therfor hyt louede with mylde mood

The lyonesse, And whan sche by hym sat other stood,

Sche gan hym kysse.

Now of the lyoun wyll we rest, And forder telle yn owr geste, How the lady rood yn the forest

Hyr sones to seke : 490

But scho ne herd, est ne west,

Of hem no speche.

VOL. III. M

178 OCTOUIAN IMPERATOR.

Toward toun sche wald ryde, But sche ne wyste be wat syde : Colyeres taughte her that tyde

To oo cyte, Graundyght men clepyd hyt fer and wyde

In Crystiante.

Bothe erles and barouns bolde,

Burgeyys, ladyys gon hyr beholde : 500

Many mannys herte began to colde

That wyste her greef, Whan sche hem with tonge tolde

Of here myschef.

Ryght at the meyrys of the cyte, Sche toke her in to dwelle and be. Ther sche blefede monethes thre,

Forsode to say ; Many a juwell ther solde sche,

And her palfray. 5 !•

In a day sche yede be the se-stronnde, And ther sche fond many schyppys stonde, And oon was of the Holy-lond,

Pylgremys to lede Ther Jesus for vs, Y vntherstonde,

Hys blood gan blede.

OCTOUIAN IMPERATOR. 179

The lady stood clothyd yn palle, And seygh that folk to schyppe falle. A schypman yn the lond gan calle,

" Com, brodyr and eem, 520

Ther God was bore yn asse-stalle

In Bedlem,

" And ther God deyde on the rode, And boghte vs alle with hys blode ! " The lady sayde with mylde mode,

" I woll fare To Jerusalem, ouer the flood,

And wonye dare."

At all the cyte sche tok her leue :

Well worschypfully they hyt her yeue. 530

To schype sche went er hyt wer eue

And forth gan fare : No man ne may tell yn bok breue

The lady care.

The wynd gan blowe swyde schylle Neyghe dayes, that hem lykede ylle : . To God hy cryde loude and sty lie

For that tempest ; A wast ylond they dryuen tylle,

Fer yn the est. 540

180 OCTOUIAN IMPERATOR.

Ryght as God Almyghty wold Hy ryuede yn a wel good hold. For bys loue that Judas sold,

Lesteneth a stound Of the chyld that Y er of tolde

How hyt was y-founde !

Ten schypmen to londe yede

To se the yle yn lengthe and brede,

And fette water as hem was nede

The roche an-ondyr ; But of a syghthe they hadde greet drede,

And was no wonder.

A tygre they seye ther yn her than, And a man chyld, whyt as swan, Sok of her as of a woman

That wher hys dame. The lyonesse after ham ran

To don hem schame.

The maryners awey gonne skylle, And left her barellys lygge stylle, And yorne awey, with good wylle,

Well hastyly ; And lor that hy cryden schylle

Men asked why.

550

560

OCTOUIAN IMPERATOK. 181

" We segh, they seyden, a wonder happe ; A manchyld swoke a lyones pappe, And neygh to dede we gan drappe

Wythowt lesyng." Tho gan Florence her handys clappe

For that tydyng. 570

" That ys my chyld, sche seyde tho ; To londe, maystyr, lette me go ; I ne wyll spare, for well ne wo,

My chyld to saue. I segh the lyoun bere me fro

That lytyll knaue."

For gret yeftys that she gan bede,

To londe the schypmen gonne her lede 5

The ryghte way wher that they yede

They gonne kenne. 580

The lady wente, withowten drede,

To the tygre denne,

And toke her chyld fram the lyonesse : Anon sche folowde the emperesse. Her sone sche gan cleppe and kesse,

And was full fayn, And went forth with ioye and blysse

To schyppe agayn.

182 OCTOUIAN IMPERATOR.

And whan the lady was fram the brym

The lyonesse aftyr began to swymme, 590

And on the schyp sche gan to clym

And wold y-wende. The schypmen wher stoute and grym

That schyp to thefende,

And ofte her pelte ynto the see.

The lady bad hem lat be,

" For oo peny Y woll yeue thre,

Yf sche thoth mys." The maystyr was of herte fire,

And grauntede thys. 600

A sprette ouyr the bord they caste ; The lyoun com to schyp yn haste, And be the chyld sche ley thon chaste

As sche were tame. They that wer ere than agaste

Tho hadde game.

And whan that chyld wepte other cryde,

The lyonesse was hym besyde ;

Onther her wombe sche wold hym hyde,

And yaf hym sowke, 6l©

As sche that bere hym fer and wyde

Fourty woke.

OCTOUIAN IMPERATOR. 183

Good wynd and whedyr God bem sente : Hy drogh vp seylle and forth they wente. The seuende day har schyp lente

At Japhet, And euery pylgrym to the monument e

Hys wey geth.

In Jerusalem sche gan dwelle,

And made clothes of gold and pelle, 620

And Crystyne marchauntys hy myght selie

That sche gan werche ; All vestementys that felle

To holy cherche.

Her sone bygan to the and thryue, And wax the fayryste chylde on lyue. Tho he was passed yeres fyue.

He was y-sette To lerne gramer that wyll dyscryue

The Donet. 630

And wher the chyld yede vp other doun, Wyth hym went the tame lyoun. The gret lordys of renoun

Thold the kyng, Whych a woman yn the touu

Was whonyng.

184 0CT0U1AN 1MPERATOE.

And what a chyld sche hath y-broght, And whych workes that sche wroght, And the lyoun forsok hym noght

With hym to be. 640

The kyng answered, with word and thoght,

He wold her se.

Amorn Florence, withowten wene, Was broght before kyng and quene. The kynges baner ther schold bene,

Rychely y-wroght ; To maken hyt the lady schene

Forsok hyt noght.

In the quene chamber sche woneth dore

Neghe yere and sumdell more ; 650

The quene maydenes sche hadde to lore

More and lasse : But sche ne told no man her sore

The emperesse.

Neghe yere tho sche hadde there y-dwelled, Her sone was fyftene wynter eld ; Stowtlyche to bere spere and scheld,

In feld to fyght. The kyng that pryns beheld,

And made hym knyght. — 660

8

OCTOUIAN IMPERATOK. 185

Now reste we here a lytyll wyght, And forther telle, as hyt ys ryght, How that oder chylde was dyght

That dwellede yn Fraunce. He wax a man of mochell myght,

As seyth the romaunce.

The bocher yede to hys wyf,

" Dame, he seyde, so mot Y thryf,

Florent ys x. yere old and fyyf,

And heghe y-woxe : 670

Forsoth he schall my mystyr dryue

Of ken and oxe ;

" For ydell hyne for to fede, Thereto hadde we lytyll nede : Ech man behoued to do some dede

For hys sustynaunce. He schall tweye oxen to feyre lede

For all chaunce :

" And myn other sone Bonefey

With hym schall wende the ryght wey." 680

That wyf therst not say nay,

For wordes ylle, But grauntede well that ylke day

Her lordes wylle.

186 OCTOUIAN IMPERATOR.

Amorwe the bestys were forth broght, And Florentyn hy wher betoght. Clement seyde, " Boy, selle hem noght

For no eggenges, Of wat men they be boght,

Than sexty schyllynges : 690

" And yf thou hem sellest lasse, As Y mote here matyns or masse, Or thou eft fro my handys passe,

Y haue y-ment, I woll vpon thy body tasse

Well many a dent."

That chyld answerede and seyde, " Nay" The bestys thay dryue forth yn the way. Ayens ham com that ylke day

A stowt squyere, 700

And bar vpon hys ryght hond gay

A fayr spreuere.

Tho seyde that chyld Florentyn :

" God wold that sparhauk were myn !"

The squyer seyd : " Be Seynt Martyn,

Bocherys sone, For tho two oxen be he thyn

Thys faucone."

OCTOUIAN IMPERATOR* 187

Florent seyde : " Syr, wylt thou so ?

Tak me, and haue hem bothe two." 710

Tho made hys broder moch wo,

And sorfull cry. The bestes were dryue hem fro

Ryght hastyly.

Florent of thys hawk hadde prys : Hys brother seyde, he was vnwyys, And seyde : " Florent, be Seynt Denys,

We schull be schent !" Thus chydynge thorgh Parys

The chylderyn went, 720

That hyt herde Clementes wyf How the chylderen held stryf. Sche seyd : " Florent, leue lyf,

Telle me why ye chyde." Florent told her also blyf

How hyt betydde ;

And how he hadde the hauk y-boght, For the bestys hym were betoghth. That wyf gan thenke yn her thoght

The merchauntyse, 730

Of cherles kynde was he noght

For hys gentryse.

188 OCTOUIAN IMPERATOR.

Clement com horn from bocherye, And herd the hauk on perche crye : In hys hert he thoghte vylenye

Swych cry to here. He askede hys wyf ryght hastylye,

"Ho broghte hym there ?"

Sche seyde : " Syr, Y wylle tU telle,

Oo word Y the legge n'elle, 740

But, for hys loue that made heuene and helle,

Now be noght wroghth : Florent for the hauk gan selle

Thyn oxen both."

In a rage Clement hent a staf,

And Florent fele strokes he yaf,

And seyde, " Boy, tellest thou noght sef

My craft to lere, To selle motoun, bakoun, and beef

As flesch-hewere ?" 750

" Yys, seyde the chylde, syr, at your wylle." For hym that wyf gan crye schylle. Clement abated hys hert ylle,

And lefte hys cheste : To sowpy at table they wente tylle,

Lest and mest.

OCTOUIAN IMPERATOR. 189

Tho Clement hadde y-yete a fyn, And gladede hys hert