sone. this knyghte hadde so grete delyte in hauntinge iustynge and
turneynge that all thynge that he myght wynne [et] gete he layde it and
spente it therupon. In that tyme was an emperour named Octauyan, whiche
in rychesse of golde [et] syluer exceded al other kynges and prynces
in so moche that he had a toure full of golde, and ordeyned a knyght
to haue yᵉ kepynge [et] charge therof. This knyghte that so haunted
iustynge [et] other ydell games came to so grete pouerte that he was
dysposed to sel his herytage, [et] called to hym his sone and sayd.
My sone it behoueth me of your counseyll, for necessyte and pouerte
compelleth me to sell myn herytage, or elles for to fynde an other way
by the whiche I maye lyue, for yf I sholde sell myn heritage ye [et]
your systers sholde perysshe. The sone sayde, fader yf ye can fynde
ony other meane without sellynge of the herytage, I sholde be redy to
helpe you. To whome yᵉ fader sayd I am bethought vpon a good counseyll.
Themperour hath a toure full of golde / by nyght tyme lete vs go
thyder with instrumentes and dygge and hewe through the toure, and lete
vs take of the golde as moche as shal suffyse us. Therto answered the
sone [et] sayd, that coūseyl can not be amended, for it is better of
themperoures golde to take to helpe vs than our herytage to sell. They
rose vp bothe in a nyght and went to the toure and with instrumentes
they made there thrugh an hole, and toke as moche golde as they bothe
coude cary away at that tyme. The knyght payed his dettes [et] haunted
ayen iustes as he dyde before tyll all was spēte and consumed. In the
meane whyle the keper of yᵉ tresoure went in to the toure [et] whan he
saw the tresoure stolen, [et] a grete hole made through the wall, he
began to waxe sore aferde [et] went to themperour and shewed how it
was befallen. To whome themperour sayd all angrely, what nedest yᵘ to
shewe that haue I not delyuered to the my tresoure / [et] therfore of
the I wyll aske it. Tho anone as the keper herde that went to the toure
ayen, [et] set afore the hole a grete vessel ful of pytche medled with
other gummes so subtely, that noo man myght come in at that hole but
that he must nedes fall into that vessell, [et] yf he therin fyll he
coude no more come out of it. Not longe after the knyghte had all the
golde consumed and spent [et] went ayen with his sone to the toure to
stele more golde. And as the fader went in fyrste, anone he was fallen
in yᵉ ves_sel_ with pytche to the necke. [et] whan he saw that he was
taken and coude not gete out he sayd to his sone, folow me not, for
yf thou doost thou may not escape to be taken. Than yᵉ sone sayd, god
defende it yᵗ I sholde not helpe you: for yf ye are founden we are
all but dede, [et] yf that ye may not be holpen by me, I shall seke
counseyll how that ye may be delyuered [et] holpen. The fader sayd /
there is none other counseyll, but with thy swerde smyte of myne heed /
and as my body is founde without hede, noo man shall knowe me. [et] so
yᵘ and my dought_er_s may escape [et] auoyde th_i_s wordly shame [et]
dethe. The sone sayde, Fader ye haue gyuen yᵉ best counseyll, For yf
it were so that ony man myght perceyue ony knolege of you, none of vs
sholde escape yᵉ deth [et] therfore it is expedient that your hede be
smyten of. Anone he drewe out his swerde [et] smote of his faders hede
[et] caste it into a pytte. [et] afterwarde hyd it therin and yede and
shewed to his systers all the mater, whiche many dayes after pryuely
bewayled the dethe of theyr fader. After this yᵉ keper of yᵉ tresour
came in to the toure [et] founde a body wᵗout ony hede. whereof he
wondred sore, and shewed it to yᵉ emperour. To whome he sayde, byn̄de
that body at the tayle of an horse [et] so drawe it by al the stretes
of the cyte, [et] dyligently take good hede yf ye here ony crye or
wepynge. wheresoo euer ye here that he is lorde of the house, take all
them [et] wᵗ the body drawe them to the galowes [et] hange them. The
whiche themperours seruauntes fulfylled accordinge to his cōmaūdemēt.
And as they came ayenst the house of the dede knyght, [et] as the
doughters sawe yᵉ body of theyre dede fader, they made a merueylous
grete shryche [et] wept pyteously [et] as ther broder that herd, anone
he wounded hymself greuously in the mouthe with a knyfe, so that grete
plente of bloode came oute of the wounde. The offycers whan the herde
that noyse [et] crye entred in to the house, and demaunded the cause of
theyr noyse [et] clamour. Tho answered the sone that I am thus wounded,
for whan my systers sawe my bloode so habundauntly go oute as ye see,
they began to wepe and crye. And whan the offycers sawe the wounde
they byleued his wordes, [et] so dysceyued went theyr wayes, and hynge
(_sic_) the body of the knyght vpon the galowes where it hynge long
tyme [et] his sone wolde neyther take his body downe frome the galowes,
ne yet bury his hede. yᵉ Empresse sayd vnderstande ye what I haue sayd.
Themperour sayd ye ryght well.
[Illustration]
_The Declaratyon of the Example._
Tho spake thempresse, thus my lorde I fere me it shalbe of you [et] of
your sone. This knyght for loue of his sone was made poore. [et] fyrste
he commytted thefte [et] brake the toure, secondary dyde hymself too be
heded, that his chyldren sholde haue no shame. After yᵉ sone cast his
hede in a dyke, [et] buryed it nether in chyrche nor in chyrcheyerde,
his body he suffred to hange styll vpon the galowes, yf that he coude
not haue taken it downe in the daye he myght wel haue done in yᵉ nyght.
In the same maner ye laboure nyght and day that ye maye promote your
sone to honoure [et] ryches. But without doubte he dayly laboureth for
your confusyon [et] destructyon that he may regne after you in your
empyre. Therfore I aduyse you yᵗ ye do hȳ to be hanged before or he
you destroye. Themperour sayd ye haue shewed me a good example. The
knyghtes sone whan he had smyten of his faders hede wolde not bury it.
Without doute my [son] fader (_sic_) shall not do so by me, but he
communded (_sic_) anone his offycers that they sholde lede hym to the
galowes. [et] they obeyed his cōmaūdement hastely. [et] as they lad
hym thrugh the stretes yᵉ people made grete noyse [et] lamentacyon.
alas alas the onely sone of the emperour is lad ayen towardes yᵉ
galowes / [et] as they thus ladde hym the thyrde mayster named Craton
came rydȳg vpon an hors / [et] as yᵉ chylde sawe hym he bowed downe
his hede to hym as though he had sayd, haue mynde vpon me. The pepole
cryed say_i_ng, O good mayster hast you [et] saue youre dyscyple. He
smote his horse wᵗ spores [et] haysted him to yᵉ palays. And whan he
came before themperoure he honourably salued hym, whiche sayd, thy
comyng hyther shall neuer auayll the / nor it that yᵘ comest for. The
mayster sayd, I hoped in my comynge to haue be welcome [et] haue had
a better rewarde [et] not too haue be rebuked. The emperour sayd / as
ye haue deserued so shal it be to you. To whom he sayd, my lord what
haue I deserued. Themperour sayde, ye haue ryghte well deserued deth,
for why I delyuered to you my sone well spekynge [et] wel manered for
to enfourme and teche, [et] ye haue delyuered hym ayen too me dompe
[et] a rybaude. To whom the mayster sayd / in that ye say he is dompe
yᵗ I commytte to god / for he maketh the dompe to speke [et] the defe
to here. But in that ye saye yᵗ he wolde haue your wyfe enforced that
wolde I gladly knowe yf ony creature haue yᵗ seen, for there is no
malyce aboue yᵉ malyce of a woman / and that shall I proue by a good
example that wȳmen are full of lesȳges [et] decepcōns, [et] yf ye put
to deth your sone for the wordes of your wyfe / it shall happen to
you as it dyd to a noble man of his wyfe [et] of his pye, the whiche
he loued merueylously. To whome themperour sayd, you tell me how that
wymmen are full of malyce [et] lesynges / whiche sayd I wyll not do it
/ but yf ye fyrst calle ayen your sone frome the dethe, [et] then at
youre pleasure I shall shewe thexample. Than themperour anone made the
chylde too be called ayen and put in pryson. Than the mayster began to
say this example in this fourme folowynge.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
_The Example of the Thyrde Mayster._
There was in a cyte a ryche burgeys that had a pye the which he loued
so moche yᵗ euery day he taught her to speke latyn [et] hebrewe. And
whan yᵗ she had lerned perfetly to speke those two langages / all yᵗ
she sawe [et] herde, she shewed [et] tolde to her mayster. This good
man had a fayre yonge wyfe as ye haue / the whiche he loued moche. but
she contrary loued not hym / bycause he myght not furnysshe her of
such pleasures [et] lustes as she desyred to haue. And therfore had
she an other fayre yonge man that she loued aboue her husbōde. And
alwayes as her husbonde was out of the towne about his marchaundyse
[et] other besynesses to do, and she sent for her best beloued yᵗ they
myght togyder make good chere. The pye as she that sawe tolde it to her
mayster, at his home comyng, in such wyse that yᵉ noyse ranne all ouer
the cyte of her aduoutry, wherof her husbōde many tyme brauled [et]
chydde her. She answered hȳ, ye beleue your cursed pye, whiche as longe
as she lyueth shall alwayes make betwix us varyaunce [et] dyscorde.
And he sayd the pye can not lye, for that she seeth [et] hereth that
she telleth me, and therfore I beleue her more than you. It fortuned
that the good man went in to ferre coūtrees to do his marchaūdyse, [et]
as sone as was gone his wyfe sent for her frende [et] loue to solace
[et] make good chere wᵗ hȳ. but he durst not come by day lyght. but
abode to yᵉ euenynge leste that he sholde be seen [et] marked of yᵉ
peple. And as yᵉ nyght was comen / he knocked at yᵉ gate: [et] she was
redy [et] opened it [et] sayd, Go in frely for n̄o man shall see you.
[et] he sayd I fere me yᵗ the cursed pye shall accuse vs, for by her
is comen grete sclaundre vpon vs through out all the cyte. Entre in
she sayd boldely and fere not. And as he sholde passe through yᵉ halle
where the pye was in her cage, she herd hym say thyse wordes. O my
moste beloued I fere me gretely of yᵉ pye that she shal bewraye vs. And
as the wyfe herde that she sayde, Be styll foole. it is derke she may
not se you. Then̄e yᵉ py that herynge sayde, If I se the not I here
thy voyce, [et] thou doost wrong to my mayster, for yᵘ slepest with
my maystresse, and whan̄e my mayster cometh I shall tell hym. The
yonge man herynge that sayd, Tolde I not you yᵗ the pye sholde dyscouer
vs. And yᵉ wyfe sayd fere not for this nyght we shall be auenged vpon
the pye. And entred in to yᵉ chamber [et] slepte togyder that nyght.
About mydnyghte the wyfe arose, [et] called to her a mayden and sayde /
fetche me a ladder [et] set vp too yᵉ rofe of yᵉ house yᵗ I may wreke
me on the pye. The mayde dyde so and they bothe went vp [et] made an
hole through the coueryng of yᵉ house ryght ouer the pye / and there
thrugh caste sande clay stones [et] water vpon the pye, somoch that the
poore pye was nere dede [et] on the morne the yonge man went erly out
at a backe dore. And whan the good man was comen home as his custume
was he went [et] vysyted his pye and sayd to her, O pye my welbeloued
byrde / say me howe yᵘ haste fared the whiles that I haue been out. She
sayd, mayster I shall tel you tydynges that I haue herde. your wyfe as
sone as ye were gone by the nyght tyme she lete a man come i_n_ and as
I that herde I tolde hym yᵗ I wolde shewe it to you at your comynge
home / that not withstondynge she lad hym in to your chamber, [et]
slepte with hȳ al nyght. ye demaunded me also howe yᵗ I haue done in
your absence. And I saye you of a trouth that I was neuer so nygh my
deth as I was that same nyght wᵗ snowe hayle [et] rayne yᵗ fyll vpon
my body, so longe durȳge that I was almoste left for dede. The wyfe
whā she herde that sayd too her husbonde, Syr ye byleue your pye now
may ye here what she sayth / she cōplaynyth yᵗ in yᵉ same nyght there
fyll so moche snowe hayle [et] rayne vpon her yᵗ she was almost dede,
[et] yet ther was none of thē al that same nyght, for ther was not
in a yere a fayrer ne a clerer nyght than it was [et] therfore from
hensforth byleue her not. Tho went yᵉ good man to his neyghbours [et]
demaūded of them yf yᵗ nyght were ony tempest or rayne. They answered
yᵗ some of them had waked all yᵉ nyght, [et] in all yᵗ yere they had
not sene a fayrer nyght. Tho we_n_t he to his house [et] sayd to his
wyfe, I haue foūden you in yᵉ trouth for yᵉ nyght was fayr [et] clere
as I vndersto_n_de of your neyghbours. ye may now knowe of a trouth
sayd she yᵗ py is a lyer. wᵗ her lesȳges she hath sowen [et] made
discorde betwix vs, [et] ouer that I am diffamed thrugh yᵉ cite by her
fals lesy_n_gs. than yᵉ burgeys we_n_t to yᵉ pye [et] sayd wherfore
haste yᵘ made lyes [et] fals tales betwix me [et] my wyfe. Is this yᵉ
thāke that I haue for yᵉ mete that I was wont to gyue yᵉ wᵗ myn owne
hōdes euery day [et] haste also therby my wyfe brought in to grete
dyffamacyon thrugh al the towne. The pye answered, god knoweth yᵗ I
can not lye for that I sawe [et] herde yᵗ haue I shewed to you. Than
sayd he, yᵘ lyest. Haste thou not sayd vnto me that in yᵉ same nyghte
was hayle [et] snowe [et] rayne that yᵘ haddest nerehōnde loste thy
lyfe whiche is false. And therfore from hensforth yᵘ shalt make no mo
lesynges ne dyscorde betwix me and my wyfe / [et] toke yᵉ pye and brake
her necke. As the wyfe sawe that she was ryght glad [et] sayd now haue
ye done well, now maye we all our lyue dayes lyue in reste [et] peas.
And whan he had slayne yᵉ pye, he loked vp [et] sawe in the top of yᵉ
house a laddre [et] a vessel wᵗ water, sand [et] stones. and as he that
behelde, he perceyued the falshede of his wyfe, and cryed with a loude
voyce, Woo be too me that for my wyues wordes I haue my pye slayne
and all my solace and ioye loste. yᵉ why (_sic_) the in all thynges
sayd to me trouthe. And as he had thus doone anone for sorowe lefte
his marchaundyse and all his house and went to wardes the holy londe,
and neuer retorned ayen towardes his wyfe. Than̄e the mayster sayd
to themperour, Syr haue ye vnderstande what I haue sayd. he answered
ryght well. the mayster sayd, was not yᵗ a false [et] cursed wyfe yᵗ
so by her lesynges caused yᵉ pye for to be slayne. The emperour sayd,
In trouthe she was full of falsenesse. I forthynke gretly the pye, the
whiche for her true saynge lost her lyfe. Verely I say to you yᵗ ye
haue tolde me a fayr exa_m_ple therfore th[i]s day my sone shal not
dy. Tho sayd the master, Syr yf ye do so ye do wysely, [et] I thāke
you that ye haue spared your sone, this day for my wyll, and to god I
commende you.
[Illustration]
_The Fourth Complaynte of the Empresse._
Whan thempresse herde that yᵉ chylde was not yet dede, she made grete
noyse [et] cryenges in such wyse that she was herde thrugh the palays
[et] sayd, Woo be to me that euer I was made Empresse, wolde god I had
dyed whan I was broughte in too thyse partyes. whan the emperour herde
yᵉ noyse [et] crye that she made, he entred in to the chamber, [et]
conforted her as moche as he myght [et] demaunded the cause of her
lamentacyon / whiche sayd, O myn owne lorde haue no wonder though that
I be in this grete sorowe and agony for I am your wyfe, [et] in your
company by your sone I am shamed as ye sawe me lately all be bled [et]
scratched. [et] ye haue promysed me that he sholde therfor be hanged /
[et] yet he lyueth. Wherfore sholde I not sorow. Themperour answered be
content [et] pleased / and I shall do iustyse vpon my sone to morowe.
But in that I forbare hym yesterday was at the meuyng of one of the
maysters by an example. Than sayd she, Haue ye forboren to do iustyce
for one worde, were it soo for all the worlde ye sholde not let to do
iustyce / [et] ye saye for the example of one mayster ye haue lefte
it. I fere me it shall happen with you [et] wᵗ youre maysters as vpon
a tyme it fortuned too an Emperoure with his seuen wyse maysters. The
empeperoure (_sic_) sayde I praye you tell me that example. She sayd.
To what entent sholde I laboure in vayne / for yesterdaye I shewed you
a good example and it auayled not. for whatsomeuer I shewe for youre
honoure and proufyte that the maysters of your sone torne vp and downe
to your destructyon, as in this present example I shall clerely shewe
you. To whome themperour sayd O my best beloued lady tell me that
example, that by the same I maye the better beware / for though that I
respyted my sones lyfe for one daye / I shal not therfore gyue hym his
lyfe / for that is dyfferred / it is not therfore auferred. And she
saide, gladly I shall shewe it for your proufyte. and began to tell it
as here after foloweth.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
_The Fourthe Example of the Empresse._
Somtyme was in the cyte of rome seuen wyse maysters by whome all yᵉ
empyre was gouerned [et] ruled. And themperour that than was dyde no
thynge or attempte wᵗout the counseyll of them, as they vnderstode
that themperour was to them soo inclyned, yᵗ without theym he sholde
ordeyne or doo noo thynge. in yᵉ meane tyme they made by theyr arte
and connȳg yᵗ themperour sholde clerely se as longe as he was in his
palays but anone as he was out of his palays, he was made blynde /
[et] that dyde they to the ente_n_t yᵗ they myght the more frely
intromytte themself of all thynges that apperteyned to themperour, by
yᵉ whiche they gate [et] wanne too theym grete profyte [et] lucre of
goodes. [et] after that they had made [et] wroughte that experyment,
they coude neuer chaunge it ne fordo it, afterwarde, but themperour
abode styl blȳd many yeres. Then the vii maysters made [et] ordeyned
throughout thempyre, that yf ony man had dremed a dreme he sholde
come vnto them wᵗ a florene of golde or of syluer, [et] they sholde
expowne [et] declare vnto them the Interpretacyon of theyr dremes
wherby [et] by other vniuste meanes they obteyned moche more substaunce
[et] money of yᵉ people than themperour dyde. Soo vpon a tyme whan he
sate at the table wᵗ the empresse he began to syghe [et] sorowe in
hymselfe. and whan she perceyued that she enquyred dylygently of hym
yᵉ cause of his heuynesse [et] doloure. Themperour sayde / sholde not
that to me be heuy [et] sorowfull yᵗ I so longe haue been blynde [et]
out of my palays / [et] of yᵗ can haue or fynde no remedy. To whome
spake thempresse [et] sayd, my lorde here my counseyll [et] it shall
neuer repent you yf ye do therafter. In your courte ye haue vii wyse
maysters by whome ye [et] all yᵉ empyre is gouerned yf ye nowe beholde
[et] marke this in your mȳde / ye shall fynde that they are yᵉ cause
of your blyndnesse [et] dysease. [et] yf it be so they are worthy too
dye a shamefull deth. Therfore take hede to my coūseyl and aduyse.
Sende ye for them [et] shewe vnto them youre dysease [et] infyrmyte,
[et] threte them on payne of theyr lyues, yᵗ they sholde fynde a remedy
to make you hole of your syknesse [et] blyndnes. This coūseyl pleased
the emperour well. [et] anone sent for yᵉ maysters And whā they were
come, themperour anone shewed vnto the_m_ his infyrmyte [et] blyndenes.
[et] charge them vpon payne [of] deth / yᵗ they sholde seke a rememedy
(_sic_) [et] make hym hole therof. Tho answered they, Ye desyre of
vs a thi_n_ge that is dyffusyfe [et] harde for vs to do thus shortly
but gyue vs respyte [et] dayes [et] in yᵉ tenth day we shall gyue you
answere. Themperour was therwith well content [et] pleased. Then yᵉ
seuen wyse maysters went to counseyll, how they myght yᵗ best chaunge
[et] alter / [et] that in noo maner coude they fynde yᵉ meane howe they
myght put awaye yᵉ blyndnes from the Emperour. Wherfore they were all
ryght sorowfull. [et] sayde amonge them self, wᵗoute we fynde a remedye
we are all but dede men. Soo went they from thens thrugh out al thēpyre
[et] sought yf they coude fynde ony remedy or coūseyll therfore. It
hapned them vpon a tyme goynge thrugh a cyte, [et] in yᵉ myddes therof
they founde chyldren playnge. [et] a[f]ter them came a man wᵗ a talente
or florene of golde [et] sayd to them, Good maysters this nyght I haue
dremed a dreme, thenterpretacyon therof I wolde fayne knowe. Wherfore
I pray you shewe me what it sygnyfyeth [et] take this golde to you.
That herde one of yᵉ chyldren yᵗ played amonge yᵉ other [et] sayd too
hy_m_, gyue me yᵉ golde [et] not them, [et] I shall expowne thy dreme.
The man sayde, I dremed this nyghte yᵗ in the myddes of myn orchyerde
was a grete sprynge of water, wherof came many smal spry_n_ges yᵗ al
myn orchyerde was full [et] overflowen wᵗ water. The chylde sayd, take
a spade [et] dygge in yᵉ same place there as ye thought that yᵉ water
outsprange, [et] there shall ye fynde an horde of golde so grete that
ye [et] all your chylderne & lynage shall be for euer ryche. The man
dyde as yᵉ chylde had shewed hym [et] found ye tresoure accordynge to
hys wordes. Tho went yᵉ ma_n_ to yᵉ chylde [et] offred hym a pounde
weyght of yᵉ golde yᵗ he had founde for yᵉ interpretacyon of his dreme
[et] he wold none receyue but cōmytted hym to yᵉ prayers of yᵉ man.
The vii. maysters whan they herde yᵉ chylde so wysely expowne yᵉ
dreme, they sayd to hym, gode chylde what is your name he answered [et]
sayde I called Merlyne. Then sayd yᵉ maysters, we se clerely grete
wysedome in you, we shal shewe vnto you a grete mater, [et] of yᵗ we
wolde gladly yᵗ ye coude fynde a remedy. The chylde sayd, shewe me
your mater. And they sayd themperour of rome as longe as he is in his
palays he hath his syght clere wᵗout ony impedymēt and as sone as he
is gone out of his palays he is soo blȳde yᵗ he may not se. Yf ye can
now det_er_myne yᵉ cause herof [et] fy_n_de a remedy yᵗ he may be eased
[et] haue h[i]s syght ayen ye shall haue grete rewardes [et] honoures
of thēperour. The chylde sayd, I know yᵉ cause as wel of his blȳdhede
as of yᵉ remedy. They sayd to hy_m_, Come wᵗ vs to themperour [et] ye
shal be rewarded so largely yᵗ ye shall be pleased. To whome yᵉ chylde
sayd, I am redy to go wᵗ you. And whan they came wᵗ yᵉ chylde before
themperour they sayd to hy_m_. Lorde loo here this childe yᵗ we haue
brought afore you yᵉ which shal fulfyll your desyre as touchȳge the
cause of your blȳdenes as yᵉ recouerȳge of your syghte. Themperour
sayd, Good maysters woll ye take it vpon you [et] abyde therby that
yᵉ chylde shall do wᵗ me. They all sayd ye, for we be experte in his
wysedome. Themperour torned hymself towardes yᵉ chylde and sayde, wyll
ye vndertake to tell me the cause of my blindnesse [et] the remedye.
The chylde answered [et] sayd, my lorde the emperour lede me in to
your bedchamber, [et] there I shal shewe you what is to be done And as
he was therin broughte he sayd to yᵉ seruaūtes, take of yᵉ clothes of
the bedde, [et] all thapparayle, [et] ye shall se wonders. And as yᵗ
was done they sawe a well smokyng yᵗ had vii sprȳges or floodes, the
whiche whan thēperour sawe meruayled gretly. yᵉ chyld sayd ye se this
wel [et] wᵗout it be quēched ye shal neuer haue your sygt. thēperour
sayd, how may yᵗ be. yᵉ chyld sayd, but by one way. Themperour sayde,
Shewe vs than the meane, [et] yf it be possyble to me it shall be done,
yᵗ I maye recouer ayen my syght as well wᵗout as wᵗin. To whome the
chylde sayd my lorde yᵉ vii. sprynges of this well are thyse vii. wyse
maysters, yᵉ whiche you [et] your Empyre hythertoo haue trayterously
gouerned [et] haue you made blȳde as ye be wᵗoute your palays yᵗ they
youre subgettes by extorcyon myght plucke [et] pyll, ye not seynge, but
nowe they knowe not yᵉ remedy. Here ye nowe my counseyll. [et] this
well shal be quenched [et] extyncte. do stryke of yᵉ fyrste maysters
hede [et] anone ye shall yᵉ fyrste sprynge quenched. [et] so by ordre
one after an other, tyll yᵗ they are all beheded, [et] anone all the
sprynges wᵗ the well shall be vanysshed and gone awaye / [et] ye
shall haue ayen your syght as ye had afore. And as this was done [et]
fulfylled / the well with the vii. sprynges were vanysshed. And as
themperour had his syghte ayen he made the chylde a grete lorde [et]
gaue hy_m_ grete habundaūce of goodes. After that spake thempresse,
my lorde haue ye this example well perceyued that I haue tolde you.
[et] he sayd ye in the best wyse. ye haue recyted a good and a ryall
example. Than sayd she, In the same wyse your vii. wyse maysters
intende too doo with you, by theyre false narracyons, that your sone
may reygne vpon you / that god forbede.
_The Declaratyon of the Example._
This welle is youre sone wherof oute flowen seuen sprynges, that
sygnefye the seuen wyse maysters the whiche soone ye maye not destroye
withoute the vii. maysters be made feble [et] broughte too noughte
that done this well that is your sone wᵗ all his cauyllacyons [et]
wyles shal not scape / but lete hym be hanged fyrste leste that he
haue helpe of his maysters / [et] forth after co[n]sequently yᵉ vii.
maysters. And so ye shall gouerne [et] guyde your empyre in reste [et]
peas. Themperour anone cōmaunded his seruauntes to lede his so_n_ to
the galowes / whiche they were lothe to do. So was there than a grete
multytude of people gadred with grete noyse [et] bewaylynge so that the
noyse came to yᵉ eres of yᵉ fourth mayster named Malquydrac. yᵉ whiche
lepte vpon his hors / [et] hasted hym to yᵉ palays. So mette wᵗ hym
his dyscyple [et] dyde reuerence to hy_m_ / [et] recommaunded hym vnto
hym / [et] whan he came before themperour [et] had done his obeysaunce
[et] reuere_n_ce as apperteyned. Themperour answered [et] sayde. Lytell
thanke haue ye olde cursed caytyfe for yᵉ techȳge of my sone for I
delyuered you my sone well spekȳge [et] in all thynge ryght vertuous.
And ye haue sent hym a fole dompe / [et] a rybaude / for he wolde haue
belayne wᵗ force my wyfe / [et] therfore all ye with him togyder shall
be hanged. Tho sayd yᵉ mayster, My lorde I haue not that deserued of
you. god knoweth why your sone speketh not. in shorte tyme ye shal
perceyue other thȳges. but yᵉ tyme is not yet comen. But in yᵗ ye say
he wolde haue oppressed your wyfe, yᵗ is not gospel ne proued, ne for
one sy_n_guler p[er]sone ye shold not iuge to deth your sone. yf now
for yᵉ wordes of your wyfe ye iuge your sone to dye, it wil be wors to
you than to an olde man of his wyfe. [et] that I shall proue. Too whome
themperour sayd, Thynke ye to doo with me ye olde dotarde, as somtyme
seuen wyse men dyde to an emperour. Therto sayd yᵉ mayster The offence
or trespace of one or yet of twenty, may not founde to the rebuke
[et] blame of all other, for ouer al the worlde there bee bothe good
[et] euyll. But one thynge of a trouth I shall shewe you. that euyll
shall come to you yf ye this daye do your sone to deth for the wordes
of your wyfe. the whiche I wolde shewe by a notable example. Than
sayd the emperoure woll ye that recyte for our lernynge. The mayster
sayde, Yf ye wyll calle ayen your sone, [et] kepe hym tyll I haue made
recytacyon of the example. [et] than what someuer ye shal thi_n_ke best
to done with hym, doo it. I shall reherce this example or elles not.
The emperour cōmaunded that he sholde be called ayen and desyred the
mayster to say as here after ensueth or foloweth.
[Illustration]
_The Example of the Fourthe Mayster._