without wyfe [et] chylde. His frendes came to hym many tymes [et]
counseyled and exhorted him that he sholde take a wyfe. The knyght thus
counseyled [et] styred by his frendes soo oftymes that at the laste he
agreed too theym. And they gaue hym to wyfe the doughter of the prouost
of rome that ryche was [et] ryght fayre, whome whan he had seene anone
he was made blynde [et] taken in her loue, [et] began to loue her
meruaylously wel and whan they had ben a certayne space togyder [et]
had no fruyte ne chylde. Upon a tyme in a mornynge it happened that
she went to the chyrche where she met wᵗ her moder, [et] saluted her
as it behoued. My dere doughter sayd the moder how pleaseth you your
maryage [et] your husbonde: she sayd ryght euyll, for ye haue gyuen to
me an olde lame man / me in al thȳges dyspleasynge. I wolde ye had that
same tyme buryed me, for I had leuer lye [et] ete with a swyne than
with hym, and therfore I may no longer thus endure, but I must loue
another. Tho sayd yᵉ moder, god forbede that My dere doughter howe
longe tyme I haue be with your fader [et] yet hytherto I neuer medled
me with suche folysshenes. The doughter sayde, moder it is noo meruayle
for ye bothe in your youth met togyder, [et] the one toke solace of the
other, [et] I may receyue of hym noo maner of solace corporall for he
is colde / [et] vpon yᵉ bed he lyeth as styll as a stone, or as a thyng
immouable: The moder answered, yf ye wyll loue another say me what he
is. The doughter sayd a preest I wyl loue. to whome yᵉ moder sayd it
were better to you [et] lesse syn to loue a knyght or a squyer than a
preest. [et] the doughter sayde, If I shold loue a knyght or a gentel
squyer in shorte tyme he wolde be wery of me, [et] after yᵗ he wolde
do me shame [et] tell it ouer all, [et] so it is not of the preest,
for he wyll holde and kepe his owne honoure [et] counseyll as well
as mȳn, And also spyrytuell men be more true to theyr loues than the
seculer men. The mod_er_ sayd, Here my counseyll [et] it shall be good
for you. Olde folkes are wylly [et] fell, tempte your husbonde fyrst
[et] yf ye scape hym wᵗout doynge ony harme or smytȳge, than loue the
preest. The dought_er_ sayd I maye not so longe abyde. The moder sayd
vpon my blessynge abyde tyll ye haue proued hym. The doughter sayde
vpon your blessynge I wyll abyde so longe, tyll I haue attempted hy_m_
but fyrst say me how that I shal proue hym. The moder sayde, He hath in
his orchyerde a tree whiche he loueth moche. do yᵗ to be smyten downe
whyles he is oute at hontynge. [et] ayenst his comynge make hym there
a fyre, [et] yf he forgyue it you thā maye surely loue the preest. As
she had herde the coūseyl of her moder she went to her house. To whom
her husbonde sayd, Where haue ye ben so longe. She answered I haue ben
in the chyrche where as I met wᵗ my moder [et] wᵗ her a lytell I haue
talked [et] comyned, [et] so began proprely for to dyssymyle. After
mydday yᵉ knighte rode out for to hu_n_te. Then she thynkȳge vpon yᵉ
counseyll of her moder went to the gardyner [et] sayde to hy_m_. Cut
downe this yonge tree newly planted that I may make a fyre therof to
warme my lorde withal at his comynge from huntȳge, for it is a grete
wynd [et] a ryght sharpe colde. The gardyner sayde, Madame yᵗ wyll
I not do, for my lorde loueth better that tre than he dothe all yᵉ
other trees neuertheles I shal wel helpe you to gadre wood ynough
for to make withall a good fyre but in onywyse this I wyl not hewe
downe. She herde that, [et] boldly she toke yᵉ axe from yᵉ gardyner
[et] hewed downe the tree her selfe [et] made yᵉ gardyner wᵗ other to
bere it home. At euyn whan yᵉ lorde came from huntynge he was sore a
colde The lady lete make a grete fyre, [et] went [et] met wᵗ hym, [et]
set hym on a stole afore the fyre to warme. And as he a lytell whyle
had sytten he perceyued yᵉ odoure of the fyre. [et] called to hym yᵉ
gardyner [et] sayd, I fele by this odour yᵗ my newe plante brenneth
in the fyre. The gardiner sayde, Lorde it is trewe, my lady your wyfe
hath felled it down. The knyght sayd to her god forbede that my plante
sholde be cut downe by you. She answered anone [et] sayd, Lorde I haue
done it knowyng the weder colde [et] you also colde. [et] therfore I
haue ordeyned this fyre for your cōforte. As the knyght yᵗ herde he
loked angrely vpon her [et] sayd, O cursed woman, how werest yᵘ so
hardy to hewe downe so gentyl a yonge tre yᵉ whiche yᵘ knowest wel yᵗ
I loued aboue al other trees As she that herde she began to wepe [et]
excuse her selfe [et] sayd My lorde I haue done it for your good [et]
prouffyte, [et] ye take it so greuously. [et] began to cry wo wo be
to me. Anone as yᵉ knyght sawe ye wepȳge [et] teeres of his wyfe [et]
herde her cause he was meued wᵗ mercy saynge to her, Cesse of your
wepȳg, [et] beware how yᵗ ye ony more angre or trouble me in ony thȳge
/ that I loue. The next daye erly in the mornȳge / she went ayen to
the chyrchewarde, [et] met wᵗ her moder comȳge ayenst her. [et] they
salued eche other. Than yᵉ doughter sayd to her moder, O dere moder I
wyll loue the preest, for I haue attempted my lorde as ye coūseyled
me / but all for nought, for he anone forgaue it whan he sawe me a
lytell wepe. Tho sayd yᵉ moder, though olde men one tyme forgyue / they
double the payn vpon an other tyme. [et] therfore I counseyll you yᵗ
ye an other tyme attempte hym. Tho sayde the doughter I maye no lenger
abyde, for I suffer so moche payn for the loue of yᵉ preest, that wᵗ
my tonge I canne not tell, therfore ye shall perdone me I wyll noo
more folowe or do after your counseyll. than sayde the moder, for the
loue that the chylde sholde haue vnto the moder attempte hym yet ones.
[et] for your faders blessynge / and thenne yf ye goo quyte wᵗout ony
harme or betinge, loue the preest in the name of god. tho answered yᵉ
doughter, it is to me a grete payn so long tyme to abyde. neuertheles
for yᵉ blessyng of my fader I shal ons atēpte hym. but say me how I
shall begyn. the moder sayd I vnderstande yᵗ he hath a lytell hoūde yᵗ
he loueth wel [et] yᵗ kepith his bed. cast yᵉ hoūd wᵗ so grete might
afore his face that it dy [et] yf ye scape wᵗout a strype or that he
forgyue it lyghtely, in the name of god than loue the preest. Than sayd
the doughter, I shall in all thynge doo after your coūseyll, for there
is noo doughter lyuynge to day yᵗ wolde more gladly haue yᵉ blessynge
of the fader [et] the moder than I. And so she bad her moder fare well
/ [et] went to her house ayen / [et] that day wᵗ grete importunyte [et]
trouble of herte she brought too the nyght. [et] whan the nyghte was
comen, she cōmaunded the bed to be couered wᵗ pupure [et] wᵗ clothe
of golde the whyles the knyght sate by the fyre. And whan the bed was
thus made redy. the lytell hounde as he was accustomed lepte on the
bedde [et] she toke hym by the hynder legges, [et] wᵗ a wood [et] a
malycyous herte she cast it ayenst the wall yᵗ it lay styll dede. Whan
the good olde knyght that sawe / he was merueylously angry. [et] sayd
wᵗ a loude voyce too his wyfe, O worste [et] most cruell of all wycked
wymmen how coudest yᵘ fynde in thyn herte that lytell gentyll hounde
to sle, yᵗ I so moche loued. Lorde sayd she haue ye not sene how the
hounde wᵗ his foule fete hath our bed that is soo precyously couered
with ryche clothes made foule comynge out of the myre: And the knyghte
sayde wᵗ moche anger, knewe ye not yᵗ I loued moche better that lytell
hounde than the bed. Whan she herde that, anone she began pytyously
to wepe [et] sayd woo be to me that I was borne for all thynge that I
doo for the best it is all tourned in to the worste. The knyght wolde
not suffre the wepynge and weymentynge of his wyfe. but for that yᵗ
he loued her soo moche he sayd to her leue or cesse your wepȳge for
I forgyue you it all togyder. And I counseyll you that ye beware how
that ye dysplease me from hens forth / [et] they went toogyder to bed.
Upon yᵉ morowe she rose vp erly [et] went to the chyrche where as she
found her moder / to whome whan she hadde done reuerence as it behoued,
She sayd, moder now wyll I loue yᵉ preste, for I haue now attempted
the seconde tyme my husbonde [et] all thynges he suffred. The moder
sayde, O my dere doughter there is noo cruelte or falshede aboue the
cruelte of olde folkes. [et] therfore I coūseyll you yᵗ ye yet ones
proue hym. To whom the doughter answered, Moder ye laboure in vayne.
for yf ye wyst what [et] how moche payne yᵗ I suffer for yᵉ prestes
loue ye sholde rather helpe me yf ye loued me. The moder sayd, Here me
doughter this one tyme, [et] I shal neuer let you more. Thȳke howe yᵗ
ye haue souked mylke of my brestes: [et] the grete payne that I suffred
for you at your byrth. By thyse paynes my dere doughter I desyre of
[et] I charge you yᵗ ye denye me not this good petycyon. [et] I promyse
to god I shall no more let nor hȳder you of your entente: but rather
helpe you therto. / Tho answered yᵉ doughter, it is to me a grete
payne to absteyne me [et] forbere my selfe, so longe from the loue of
the preest. neuerthelesse for yᵉ grete charges that ye haue layde too
me, and also for yᵗ ye haue made a vowe no more for to lette me, but
to further me, tell me how I shall attempte hy_m_, [et] I shal ones
yet put it in aduenture. The moder sayd, I know well that on sondaye
next comyng he entendeth to haue vs all to dyner [et] there shall be
your fader [et] I and all your frendes [et] al yᵉ best of the cyte.
And whan ye are set in your place [et] all the metes are brought [et]
serued vpon the table / faste one of the keyes preuely yᵗ hangeth at
your gyrdell in the table clothe [et] than fayne to haue forgoten your
knyfe and say thyse wordes openly. Se what a shorte wytte that I am
of, I haue forgoten my knyf in my chambre / [et] ryse vp hastely [et]
go. [et] yᵉ cloth wᵗ al the metes ye shall caste down [et] ouerthrowe
vpon the grounde. And yf ye scape wᵗout payn I make a vowe to god I
shall neuer let you after. The doughter sayde yᵗ shall I gladly doo
[et] so toke her leue [et] departyd. The feste daye came yᵗ all as the
moder sayd were boden. The seruaūtes made redy [et] couered yᵉ table.
All were set at yᵉ table. [et] the doughter sate ouer ayenste her
lorde. And whan the table was well serued wᵗ metes [et] other thynges
as therto belonged / yᵉ lady of the house sayd with an high voyce, se
how forgeteful I am of mynd I haue lefte my knyfe in my chamber yᵉ
whiche I muste fetche / [et] rose hastely vp and drewe yᵉ clothe with
all the mete that was vpon it with her. a_n_d all the golde vessels
[et] saltes lay vpon yᵉ groūde. The knyght vexed sore angrye in his
herte, but for shame he dyssymyled afore his gestes, [et] cōmaūded
on other clene clothe [et] other metes to be brought [et] wᵗ Joy and
myrth he solyted [et] meued his gestes to ete and make good chere. so
that by hy_m_ they were all gladed. The feste or dyner done they gaue
all thankȳges to yᵉ knyght [et] toke theyr leue [et] departed euery man
towardes his owne house. Upon yᵉ nexte day in the mornȳge yᵉ knyghte
arose erly [et] went to the chyrche [et] herde a masse the which ended
went to a barbour [et] sayd too hym, Mayster are ye experte in blode
letynge in what vayne yᵗ I wyll desyre you. He sayde, syr I am experte
in what vayne yᵗ ye can name in mannes body. The knyghte sayd, I am
well contente come on wᵗ me. [et] whan he was comen to his house he
entred in to his chamber where his wyfe laye in bed [et] sayd to her
Ryse vp shortely. Than sayd she, what shall I do vp thus erly it is
not yet nyne the clocke. The knyght sayd, ye muste ryse vp, for ye
muste be letten blode on both your armes. she sayd, I was neuer laten
blode / [et] shall I nowe blede. Tho sayd yᵉ knyght, that is trouth,
[et] therfor ye are a fole. For thȳke ye not yᵗ ye hewe fyrst downe my
tree, [et] an other tyme ye kylled my lytell hoūde [et] yesterday ye
shamed me afore all our frendes [et] parentes. [et] the fourth is yf
I sholde suffer you thus too go forthe ye sholde me for euer confoūde
[et] shame. the cause herof I consyder yᵗ ye haue euyll [et] wylde
blode wᵗin your body, [et] therfore I wyll that yᵗ corrupte blode shall
be drawen out that ye from hensforth shal no more put me to shame [et]
angre, and lete to be made a grete fyre. and she stode and cryed and
helde vp her hondes towardes the heuen and sayde, My lorde forgyue me
this t[r]espace[2] / and haue pyte vpon me at this tyme, and I shal
neuer more offende you. The knyghte sayd pray for no mercy, for by
the mercy that god hath wroughte, without that thou holdest oute thyn
arme strayte I shall sone haue thyn herte blood. and he sayd also to
the barbour, smyte harde [et] make a depe hole in her arme, or elles
I shall gyue you a grete strype. Than smote yᵉ barbour so sore that
the bloode came habundaūtly out. and the knyght wolde not suffer hym
to staunche it vnto the tyme that she chaunged coloure in her vysage.
And as this was done the knyght had to be stopped or staūche yᵗ vayne.
[et] bad yᵉ barbour smyte the vayne vpon yᵉ other arme. Then̄e cryed
she wᵗ a loude voyce, My swete husbonde haue compassyon vpon me for now
I deye. The knyght answered, my wyfe ye sholde haue afore thought on
th[i]s or that ye haue done to me thyse thre euyll tournes or despytes.
Then̄e she helde out her left arme. [et] yᵉ barbour smote therin an
hole yᵗ the blood came out ryght hudgely. [et] suffred her to blede
vnto the tyme that the coloure in her vysage chaunged [et] that she
swouned / Than sayd the knyght, now bynde that arme [et] staūche it.
[et] sayd to her now goo to bed, [et] studye and thynke hensforth how
ye may amende your self or elles I shall draw yᵉ bloode of your herte.
And as this was done he gaue the barbour his rewarde and he wente ayen
vnto his own house. and the wyfe vnder yᵉ handes of hir maydens nyghe
deed was ladde to hyr bedde [et] bad one of hir handmaydens go to hyr
moder in all haste [et] say that she come speke with me afore I deye.
The moder whan she harde yᵗ she was gladde of yᵉ correctyon of hir
doughter [et] hastely came to hyr / the doughter whȳ she herd hyr moder
sayd to hir, O my moste swete moder I am almoste dede, for I haue so
moche blode bled, yᵗ I byleue yᵗ I shal not scape yᵉ deth. Tho answered
yᵉ moder / sayd I not too you that olde men are ryght cruell [et] fell,
wyll ye nowe loue the preste. Whiche sayd, The deuyll may the preest
confounde [et] shame. I wyl neuer loue other but my husbonde. Than
sayde the mayster to themperour, Lorde haue ye vnderstande me. And he
answered ryght well, for amonges all other yᵗ euer I haue herde this
was the best example. Thre euyll dedes she dyde vnto her husbonde [et]
I doute not but yf she had done yᵉ fourth she sholde haue shamed hym
for euer. Than sayd yᵉ mayster therfore I counseyll you yᵗ ye beware of
your wyfe leste that it happen worse to you. for why yf ye doo to deth
your onely sone for her wordes, ye shall be deceyued in yᵉ ende, [et]
for euer ye shal forthynke it. The Emperour sayd truly mayster this day
my sone shal not dye. The mayster sayd My lorde I thanke you yᵗ ye for
min example and my sake this day haue spared your sone.
_The Fyfth Complaynte of the Empresse._
The empresse herȳg yᵗ the chylde was not yet dede apparayled [et]
clothed her in her vesture or clothȳge. [et] lete to be ordeyned her
waynes [et] cartes / as thoughe she wolde haue gone to her fadʳ home
in her coūtre for to haue cōplayned of yᵉ grete shame yᵗ was done vnto
her [et] coude haue no remedy herof. The seruaūtes seynge yᵗ went [et]
shewed it to themperour yᵗ thempresse was goyng in to her countree.
Whan he yᵗ perceyued he went to her saynge, whither are ye goynge, I
hoped yᵗ ye had loued me so moche yᵗ in all yᵉ worlde ye sholde haue
sought no solace but wᵗ me. To yᵗ she sayd, That is true. [et] therfore
I go from you, for I had leuer here of your deth, than to see you
dye, wᵗoute doute ye delyte soo moche to here thyse maysters, yᵗ it
shall happen vpon you as it dyde to Octauian themperour yᵉ whiche wes
so coueytous that ye noble men of the empyre buryed hym quycke [et]
fylled his mouth wᵗ molten golde. Themperour sayd, Dere wyf do not
that another tyme yᵉ blame to you or to me myght be layde. Than sayd
the empresse, truly yᵉ blame is yours for haue ye not promysed me many
tymes that your sone sholde dye, [et] yet he lyueth, [et] therfore from
hensforth I wyll no more byleue you. Then sayd themperour. It becometh
not a kynge euery cause lyghtly too dyscusse, wᵗout aduyse [et]
specyally vpon his sone, vpon whome it is not behoueful lyghtly to gyue
jugement and therfore I say [et] pray you that ye wyll tell me somwhat
by the whiche I may myselfe gouerne, for it is vtter destruccōn of a
kynge wᵗout aduyse [et] vndescretly to gyue jugement. She answered [et]
sayde, I wyll gladly tell you a notable example, so that from hensforth
ye shall not be coueytous or desyrous to here yᵉ maysters. And began to
saye in this forme.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
_The Fyfth Example of the Empresse._