Chapter I: Part 1

TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE:

Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.

_Chap-Books
and
Folk-Lore Tracts._

_Edited by
G. L. Gomme, F.S.A.
and
H. B. Wheatley, F.S.A._

_First Series._

II.

THE HISTORY

OF

THE SEVEN WISE MASTERS
OF ROME.

PRINTED FROM
THE EDITION OF WYNKYN DE WORDE, 1520,

AND EDITED, WITH AN INTRODUCTION,

BY

GEORGE LAURENCE GOMME, F.S.A.

LONDON:
PRINTED FOR THE VILLON SOCIETY.

1885.

Introduction.

The history of the _Seven Wise Masters_ forms an important epoch in the history of European popular stories, because it affords the most remarkable evidence of the literary descent and origin of stories, as distinct from a traditional descent. Professor Comparetti in his _Researches respecting the Book of Sindibad_, published by the Folk-Lore Society, Mr. Clouston in his _Bakhtyar Nama_ and in his _Book of Sindibad_, two privately printed books, and Mr. Wright in his _Sevyn Sages_, printed by the Percy Society in 1846, have practically exhausted the literary history of this famous collection of stories. Shortly summarised from these three sources the main facts are these. There was an ancient original Indian book of stories which became so popular that it was copied frequently, and thus handed down from one generation to another. From this book two separate groups of texts have descended. To the first belong all the texts in the Eastern languages; to the other belong the _Dolopathos_, the _Historia Septem Sapientum_, the _Erasto_, and other numerous texts of the various European literatures of the Middle Ages. With the Eastern group of texts we have now nothing to do beyond saying that Professor Comparetti has restored, in the scholarly book above mentioned, the form of the original text for the guidance of the modern student. The Western group of texts has a history of its own quite apart from its Eastern origin. It has kept the original framework, but it has varied the setting; and this variation will be found of great interest to the student of popular tradition. Before, however, we come to this part of the subject, let us see the kind of work with which we are dealing. The framework of the romance is as follows: A young prince, falsely accused by the wife of the king, his father, of having attempted to offer her violence, is defended by seven sages, who relate a series of stories to show the deceits of women, the queen at the same time urging the death of the accused prince by the example of stories told by herself. This system of story-telling is practically the same as that adopted in the _Arabian Nights_. Boccaccio adopted this plan in his _Decameron_; Chaucer adopted it in his _Canterbury Tales_.

Among the Eastern texts is a famous one in Hebrew, dating as far back as the first half of the thirteenth century. Under the title of _Historia Septem Sapientum Romæ_, a Latin translation of this was made by Dam Jehans, a monk of the abbey of Haute Selve, in the diocese of Nancy, in the thirteenth century. The earliest printed copy of this version that I have been able to find is one printed at Cologne in 1490, of which I shall say something a little further on.

It was through this Latin version that the work was communicated to nearly all the languages of Western Europe; and in 1520 a translation into English was printed by the famous printer Wynkyn de Worde. A fine copy of this is preserved in the British Museum, and from it is printed the text of the present version. One or two pages are missing from this copy, and the passages are restored from the earliest chap-book version which I have been able to discover—namely, that printed in 1671 at London, and belonging to the British Museum. This chap-book version is nearly identical with the Wynkyn de Worde, with the simple alteration of the spelling to the modern forms. One curious variation, however, illustrating the force of the change of religious opinions at the time of the Reformation, is well worth noting. On page 173 of our text will be found related how the murdered children of the Emperor Lodwyke were found alive singing "of ye moost blessed vyrgyne Mary, aue Maria gracia plena dn̄s tecum," but in the chap-book of 1671 it is said they were singing praises to the Almighty.

Since 1671 many chap-book versions have been issued, and I have succeeded in obtaining a copy still published in Dublin. These later versions are all much deteriorated from the original. Besides the 1671 edition, there are the following: London 1684, 1687, and 1697; Glasgow 1713; London [1750]; Newcastle 1750; London 1780—7 [1785]; Boston 1794; London 1805; Warrington 1815. And I have no doubt that it has been continually reproduced until the present day.

Besides the closeness of the translation of the prose version of Wynkyn de Worde, one curious feature to be noted is the series of illustrations. It is well known that German woodcuts supplied English books with illustrations,[1] and this is a good instance of the practice. In the _Bibliographer_ (vol. ii. p. 70) Mr. W. M. Conway has told the history of the woodcuts of the Lubeck edition of the _Seven Wise Men_. It was first printed in April, 1488, with the name of Claes Leeu, probably a brother of Gerard Leeu. In 1490 appeared another edition printed at Cologne by J. Koelhof de Lubeck, to whom the blocks must have been lent. He returned them to Leeu with the exception of one, which was either retained by him or lost on the journey; and the imperfect set, a new block being made by some other hand to replace the lost one, was employed in the edition printed by Leeu on the 6th November, 1490. One of the cuts (see p. 21) represents the Emperor coming angrily into the chamber of his wife with a drawn sword in his hand and reproaching her with her infidelity. She is seated on a chair on the right, with her hands clasped in an attitude rather of shyness than fear or remorse. One reason for this seems to be discoverable from the fact that along the top of the bed behind, the words _Ave regina coelorum_ can be traced carved in reverse; and it is quite possible that the whole cut, with the exception of the figure of the Emperor, was copied from some print representing the Annunciation.

Both these editions, that by J. Koelhof de Lubeck and that printed by Gerard Leeu on 6th November, 1490, are in the library of the British Museum, the latter under the title of _Historia de Calumnia Novercali_. This book has a preface not contained in the other edition, and it formed the subject of a communication to the _Gentleman's Magazine_ for 1767, p. 541, in a letter signed T. From this letter it would appear that later editions were issued. The preface quoted in the letter is the same as the preface in the British Museum copy, but the words of the latter are much more contracted than the writer in the _Gentleman's Magazine_ indicates was the case with his copy. This letter is, I think, worth reproducing, as it conveys some useful information. It is as follows:—

"I lately met with a mutilated copy of a book, which to me, at least, appears a curiosity. It bears for its title, _Historia de Calumnia Novercali_: an history now commonly sold at stalls for the entertainment of English children, under the title of _The History of the Seven Wise Masters_; with which last-mentioned book mine agrees as to the substance and order of the tales, but differs considerably from it in the form and manner of relating them.

"It is printed in sixteens, in the common Gothic character of the time (the beginning, as I judge, of the 16th century), an _English_ or _black_ face approaching to a _Roman_, on a _pica_ body, and with many abbreviations, and is ornamented with wooden cuts of the size of the pages, which, considering their age, are by no means contemptible.

"The preface runs thus:—

"'Compositâ pridem _Calumniæ Novercalis Historia_ quæ _Septem Sapientum_ dicitur, pulchro quidem argumento, pulchris etiam ac memoratu dignis tractata exemplis, in utramq: partem & defensionis & condemnationis sive vera sive ficta sit, nihil ad te attinere puto mi _Gerarde_: magis autem quid doceat adverte, intelligimus ex ea & qui sint malarum mulierum, & pravorum liberorum, & zelotyporum itemq: delirorum senum aliarumq: personarum mores atq: fortunæ variâ ratione, ut quid caveri quidve eligi oporteat agnoscamus. Cum autam nominum quorundam ratio temporibus satis respondere visa non esset, & textus nimium fluxus minimeq: cohærens videretur non indignum judicavi quo tibi morem gererem id postulanti, paululum mutatis verbis obmissisq: nominibus ne legentem offendant, re ipsa integra servata, hanc narationem efferre; ne quid inventori laudis aut inventioni veritatis detractum esse videatur: imposito potius nomine _Calumniæ Novercalis_ qualis & Phædræ fuit is Hyppolitum; et simili quoq: genere uxoris Putipharis in Joseph Hebræum; & senum illorum in Susannam; ut eo nomine historia hæc majorem notitiam gratiamq: apud lectores sit habitura.'

"From hence it appears that this book is an alteration and improvement of a more ancient work, intitled _Historia Septem_ _Sapientum_, and, as the particulars here said to be altered are retained unaltered in the English translation, it should seem that the English history is translated from a performance of a more early date than this."

The woodcuts of the Wynkyn de Worde are not identical with the Cologne edition, but copies, having been decidedly improved. All these are reproduced in facsimile in the present edition. Owing to the missing pages, one or two of these illustrations are not given in the British Museum copy. The Cologne edition contains a frontispiece plate, one after the first two as printed on pages 4 and 8 of our text, and two printed at the end of the book, making four in all, which are not contained in the British Museum copy of the Wynkyn de Worde.

We will now consider the stories given in this version of the _Seven Wise Masters_. Although the framework, as I have pointed out, is ancient, the setting has been altered. The stories that suited Eastern fancy did not suit Western; and accordingly we have a considerable variation. In order to have the stories clearly before us, the following analysis will be found useful:—

(1.) _The first example of the Empress._—In the garden of a Roman burgess was a tree famed for its cure of all diseases—the burgess one day discovered a "fair young imp"—this was planted and put under the care of the gardener—the young tree did not flourish—the burgess commanded the branches of the overshading old tree to be cut down to the ground—the young tree then did not flourish—the burgess commanded the old tree to be cut down to the ground—the young tree died.

(2.) _The example of the first Master._—A knight had one son—also a greyhound and a falcon—the knight went to a tourney—a serpent in the hall attacked the child—the falcon roused the attention of the greyhound—the greyhound fought the serpent and killed it—the greyhound, wounded, went and laid down by the cradle of the child, which became covered with his blood—the nurses coming in thought the child was killed by the greyhound—they tell their mistress, who tells the knight—the knight kills the greyhound—he afterwards discovers his error and repents.

(3.) _The second example of the Empress._—An Emperor had a forest in which was a boar that destroyed all men going through the forest—the Emperor proclaimed that whoever should slay the boar should marry his daughter—a shepherd by stratagem slew the boar, and married the daughter.

(4.) _The example of the second Master._—In a city there was an ancient knight who had married a young wife—there was a law or custom in that city that whoever was found in the streets after the ringing of a certain bell should be put in the pillory—the wife had a paramour, and every night she went to her lover. One night the husband woke and missed his wife, and on her return would not let her in—she went to the well and pretended to drown herself—the husband came out of the house to help his wife out of the well—she then ran into the house and locked the doors, and her husband being found in the streets by the watch, was taken to prison and on the morrow put in the pillory.

(5.) _The third complaint of the Empress._—There was in Rome a knight that had two daughters and one son—the knight, by hunting and tournaments, spent all his substance. There was an emperor at that time who had a tower full of gold—the knight and his son agreed to steal some of the gold—the keeper of the tower put a vessel full of pitch that the robber might fall in—the second time the knight and his son went the knight fell into the pitch—the son cut off the father's head and hid it, that the body should not be recognized—the daughters of the knight made a great outcry on seeing their father's body dragged through the streets—the son then wounded himself, and the officers believed his story that it was on account of his wound that his sisters made lamentations.

(6.) _The example of the third Master._—There was a rich burgess that had a "pie" which he loved and taught to speak—his wife had a lover who visited her in the absence of the burgess—the pie threatened to tell the burgess—the wife imitated rain and hail and snow on the bird's cage and nearly killed her—when the burgess returned the pie told him that his wife's lover had stayed all night with her, and that the hail, rain, and snow that night had nearly killed him—the master hearing that the night had been quite fine, killed the bird, thinking it had told lies—he afterwards found out the truth.

(7.) _The fourth example of the Empress._—There were once seven wise masters who governed Rome under an Emperor, who by their artifices they made blind whenever he left the palace—the Emperor, on pain of death, desired the seven wise masters to cure him—the masters discover a child who shewed the meaning of dreams—they brought him to the Emperor—the child discovered in the Emperor's bedchamber a well which had seven springs—the child commanded the wise masters to be killed, one at a time, and thrown into the well—the well and springs vanished.

(8.) _The example of the fourth Master._—There was an old knight who married a young wife—the wife wished to have a lover, but on the persuasion of her mother tried the knight three times: 1st, by cutting down a favourite tree—2nd, by killing a favourite hound—3rd, by destroying everything on the table at a banquet. The two first the knight forgave, the third time he brought a barber who opened veins in the wife's arms—the wife thereupon said she would be content with her husband.

(9.) _The fifth example of the Empress._—There reigned in Rome an Emperor who was covetous and loved gold above all things.—In the city was a wise master who made a tower, and in it as many images as there were provinces governed by Rome, and when there was any rebellion or dispute in these distant provinces the images rang a bell, and so informed the people. The kings of these provinces consulted together how best to defeat Rome. Four knights undertook to get the images and tower destroyed if they could have four tons of gold—they took this and went to Rome—and represented themselves as soothsayers, and pretended to discover by dreams quantities of gold which they had previously hidden—they obtained permission of the Emperor to dig under the tower for more gold—undermined the tower and rode away—the counsellors of the Emperor put him to death for betraying the image to their enemies.

(10.) _The example of the fifth Master._—There was a famous physician named Ypocras—he had a nephew named Galienus, who in time excelled Ypocras—the king of Ungary sent for Ypocras to cure his son—Ypocras sent Galienus instead—Galienus on seeing the sick child said to the queen that the king was not its father, and demanded to know who was—the queen told him the truth and Galienus cured the child. Ypocras on hearing from Galienus that he had cured the child killed him by craft—Ypocras was taken grievously sick, and his scholars and disciples were unable to heal him—He knew that for the death of Galienus he was made sick—confessed from envy he had slain him, and died.

(11.) _The sixth example of the Empress._—There was a king marvellously deformed in his visage so that women hated and abhorred him—the king desired his steward to bring a fair and beauteous woman, and promised a large sum of money to the woman—the steward from covetousness insisted on his own wife going to the king and thus obtaining the money—the king found out that the steward had undone his own wife, banished him on pain of death and kept the wife. The king assembled a great army to conquer Rome, but by the stratagems of seven wise masters there was defeated with great slaughter and killed.

(12.) _The example of the sixth Master._—There was an emperor of Rome who had three knights whom he loved above all others. There was also in the city an ancient knight who had a fair young wife—this wife would sit at her window looking into the street and sing. The three knights at different times passed her window and fell in love with her—they each offered her a hundred florins—she consented to receive them, promising to send for them on a suitable opportunity. She told her husband, and suggested that when the knights came he should kill them and keep the hundred florins—the husband consented and killed each of the knights—the wife got her brother to dispose of the first body, and by telling him the corpse had come back again, of the other two—the husband afterwards quarrelled with his wife and struck her—she in revenge told how he had murdered the three knights—they were both drawn at a horse's tail and hanged.

(13.) _The seventh example of the Empress._—A king loved his wife above all things and locked her up alwayes in a strong castle and kept the keys himself. A knight in distant parts dreamed of a fair queen whose love he would win—the queen dreamt the same night of the knight—the knight travelled about till he came to the queen's tower, and knew her for the lady of his dream.—He entered the king's service—fought bravely, was made the king's steward, and gained permission of the king to build a place adjoining the castle—He built a secret passage to the queen's rooms—gained her love—she gave him a ring the king had given her—the king saw the ring on the knight's hand and demanded of the queen the ring he had given her—she showed it to the king having previously got it back from the knight—the knight asked the king to be present at a banquet at which would be his lady love—presented the queen to the king as a lady of his own country—the king after the banquet went to the queen's rooms, found her there, and thought he had been mistaken a second time—the knight asked the king to be present at his wedding and to give the bride away—the king gave the queen to the knight and saw them sail away from the city—went back to the castle and found out how he had been deceived.

(14.) _The example of the seventh Master._—A knight had a fair young wife whom he tenderly loved—one day she cut her hand and the sight of her blood killed her husband—she bewailed his death greatly—would not leave the grave—her friends made a little house close by where she might stay and get food. When a trespasser against the law was hanged the sheriff was obliged to watch all night by the gallows, and if the body was stolen the sheriff had to lose his land and his life. It happened soon after that a man was hanged, and the sheriff watched by the gallows—he saw the little house, asked permission to enter to warm himself—the sheriff went back to the gallows and found the body stolen—told the lady, who advised him, if he would marry her, to take up her dead husband and hang him on the gallows in place of the thief—when the body was dug up, the sheriff said he could not hang her husband up as he was, the thief having lost two front teeth, his ears, and was otherwise mutilated—the lady mutilated her husband in a corresponding manner—she reminded the sheriff of his promise to marry her—he refused, and killed her.

(15.) _The example of Dioclesian, the King's son._—A knight had one son, who was sent away to learn, and returned well favoured—as they sat at table a nightingale sang—the son interpreted the song to mean that he should become great and be waited upon by his father and mother—the knight was angered, and cast his son into the sea—the son swam to land, from which he was rescued by a ship—the shipmen sold him to a duke—the duke took him into favour—the king of the country (Egypt) summoned his council to tell him why ravens followed him wherever he went, and promised to give his daughter to him who would interpret the event—the child, who went with the duke, interpreted the event, and the ravens left the country—the king thereupon took the child, Alexander, to live with him—before marrying his daughter, Alexander asked leave to visit the court of Titus—leave was granted, and he went and was much loved—there came also the son of the King of France, Lodwyke—the two, Lodwyke and Alexander, were much alike—the emperor had a daughter whom Lodwyke fell in love with—Alexander used to attend her—she fell in love with him—he, however, allowed Lodwyke to attend her in his stead—he assisted Lodwyke in his suit—presented gifts to her three times on behalf of Lodwyke—finally she consented to receive Lodwyke—the knights found out the intrigue, and sought to slay Lodwyke, but Alexander defended his friend—letters came to tell Alexander of the death of the King of Egypt—Alexander went to Egypt—Lodwyke at parting gave him a ring—Guydo, son of the King of Spain, then came to the court—he found out Lodwyke with the emperor's daughter, and told the emperor—a day of battle between Lodwyke and Guydo was appointed—Lodwyke was afraid to meet him, and by advice of the emperor's daughter got the day of battle adjourned, and went to Alexander—Alexander was going to be married to his betrothed—being so like Lodwyke he agreed to take his place, and Lodwyke was to take Alexander's place at the wedding, and to put a naked sword between him and Alexander's wife on the night of their marriage—Alexander went, as Lodwyke, and defeated and slew Guydo—Lodwyke, as Alexander, married his betrothed and kept the compact of putting a sword between them—when Alexander returned his wife, annoyed at him not loving her the first night, would not accept his embraces—she grew to love a knight, and by poison made Alexander a leper—he was driven from Egypt—he travelled to Lodwyke's court (who had succeeded Titus on the throne)—he made himself known to Lodwyke—Lodwyke asked his master to cure his friend—they could not do so—the only cure was revealed to Alexander in a dream—it was for Lodwyke to kill his two sons and wash his body with the blood of them—Lodwyke does this, and his wife afterwards agrees to it—Alexander is restored—the sons come to life again—Lodwyke assists Alexander in the recovery of Egypt—after a time he resolved to see his father and mother—he goes to them without revealing himself—they wait upon him—he then reveals himself to them, forgave them, and took them, honoured, to Egypt.

* * * * *

Of these fifteen stories only three are the same as those given in the _Book of Sindibad_, as published by Professor Comparetti—namely, No. 2, the example of the first Master, which is told by the fifth Master in the Sindibad version; No. 6, the example of the third Master, which is told by the first Master of the Sindibad version; and No. 11, the sixth example of the Empress, which is told by the fourth Master of the Sindibad version. No. 3, the second example of the Empress, may perhaps be a variant of the fifth example of the Empress in the Sindibad version. The remaining stories then might, _prima facie_, be considered of Western origin; and perhaps genuine Folk-Tales thus early enshrined in literature. No. 4 is to be found in Peter Alfonsi's _Disciplina Clericalis_ and in the Decameron. And Mr. Wright, in his Introduction to The _Seuyn Sages_ (Percy Society), p. liii. says he heard the same story told traditionally in an English country town of a townsman who had a scolding unruly wife. No. 5 is a variant of the legend of Rhampsinitus, king of Egypt, as told by Herodotus; and a similar legend is given in Pausanias, lib. ix. c. 37. No. 7 contains some of the incidents of Merlin's story told by the Chroniclers. No. 10, the example of the fifth Master, is something like Campbell's "Fearachur Leigh," No. xlvii. of his _Highland Stories_ (vol. ii. p. 161). No. 13 bears an analogy to the plot of the _Miles Gloriosus_ of Plautus. Upon the entire question of the occurrence elsewhere of these stories I would refer to Mr. Clouston's _Book of Sindibad_ privately printed in 1884.

There are one or two curious words and expressions which may be of use to the philologist, but the reader will find that the language used is mainly that of the present day with a different spelling. Some of the difficulties of this style have been obviated by the insertion, where necessary, of letters left out in contracted words, and these insertions are printed in italics to distinguish them from the original.

¶ Here begynneth thystorye of yᵉ vii. Wyse Maysters
of rome conteynynge ryghe (_sic_) fayre [et] ryght
ioyous narracōns, [et] to yᵉ reder ryght delectable.

Somtyme in yᵉ Cyte of Rome was an Emperour named Poncianus a man of grete wysdome. He toke to his wyfe a kynges doughter that fayre [et] goodly was, and to all people gracyous [et] to her husbonde ryght dere, and cōceyued of hym and bare hym a sone named Dyoclesian. The chylde grewe [et] of all people was beloued. And whan he was of the aege of seuen yeres, his moder thempresse fyll sore seke / felynge herselfe that she myghte not lyue: sent after her lorde themperour a messenger that he sholde come without taryenge yf euer he wolde see her on lyue. And whan he was comen she sayd vnto hym, O my lorde of this īfyrmyte may I not escape. Wherfore I humbly requyre you of a lytell petycyon before my deth. He answered, Desyre what ye wyll, for I shall nothynge denye you. Then sayd she, After my deth ye shall take an other wyfe as it behoueth. I aske [et] pray you yᵗ she upon my son̄ haue no gouernaūor power, but yᵗ he be kepte and nourysshed fer from her, [et] yᵗ he may gete to hym connynge and wysdome. The Emperour sayd, My moste dere wyfe, your petycyon in all thynges shall be fulfylled [et] perfourmed. This sayd she torned her towardes the wall and yaue vp the goost [et] dyed. Many dayés after yᵉ Emperour bewáyled [et] morned her deth, [et] longe tyme after her buryenge he shewed his heuynes [et] sorowe, [et] wold ī no wyse mary or be ioyful.

How the Emperoure to the seuen wyse maysters commytted and delyuered his sone to lerne.

Upon a tyme as the emperour laye in his bed he bethought hym inwardly vpon his sone, sayenge in his herte, I haue only but one sone yᵉ whiche shall be myn heyre. It is good whyles he is yonge that he be sette to lerne connynge and wysdome by the whyche he maye after my dethe gouerne [et] rule the empyre. Erly whan he was rysen vp from his bedde, he lete to be called afore hym his lordes of his counseyll and of them toke aduyse what best therin was to done. And they answerd, Lorde, in Rome are vii wyse maysters they excelle and excede all other men in cunnynge [et] lettrature, lete them be sent for and delyuer to them your sone to nourysshe [et] to lerne. That vnderstandynge the emperour sent his letters sealed with his seale to yᵉ vii. maysters that they incontinent sholde come to hym without delay. And they anone came before themperour. and he demaū yf they knewe wherfore yᵗ he had sente for them. They answered the cause ne your wyll we knowe not / but yf please you to shewe vs your mynde [et] entent we ben redy to fulfyll it to the vttermoste of our powers. To whome yᵉ noble Emperour sayde, I haue but one sone the which I shal delyuer vnto you to nourysshe and to teche. so that by your doctryne [et] wysdome he maye the more wysly guyde and gouerne yᵉ empyre after my decesse.

¶ The fyrste mayster named Pantyllas sayde, Lorde delyuer too me your sone [et] I shall teche hym as moche connȳge wᵗin vii. yere as I and all my felowes can. Then spake the seconde mayster that named was Lentulus, Syr of longe tyme I haue serued you, [et] hytherto I haue had no maner reward. I demaunde nothyng elles of you but that ye delyuer me your sone to lerne and gouerne. and I shall make hym as connynge within vi. yere as I [et] all my felowes be. The thyrde mayster sayd that had to name Craton, My lorde many tymes haue I ben with you vpon the se in peryll of my lyfe / [et] of you haue I had no maner of rewarde, yf that I myghte for my rewarde obteyne that ye wolde wouchesauf to commytte your sone vnder my rule [et] gouernaunce, I sholde enfourme hym as moche within v. yere. yf his wit therto wyll attayne as I and my felowes can. Tho stode vp the fourth mayster that to name had Malquydrac ryght lene of body [et] sayd, My lorde calle to your remembraunce how that I and al my predecessours haue serued emperours [et] haue receyued no maner of rewarde. Wherfore I shal aske none other thȳge but yᵗ ye wyll delyuer me your sone to enfourme [et] teche / [et] I shall make hym to take asmoche scyence [et] wysdome within foure yere as I and al my felowes haue lerned in all our lyues. Than spake yᵉ fyfth mayster yᵗ was called Joseph, lorde I am old [et] many tyms I am called to your coūseyl / [et] yᵗ my coūseyll ye knowe well hath auayled [et] p_er_fyted you [et] yet I folowe yᵉ same. But I desyre no more saue to delyuer me your sone [et] I shal enstructe [et] enfourme hȳ in as moche conynge [et] scyence that he wᵗin iii yere shal profyte [et] wyte as moche as I [et] alle my felowes. tho came forth the syxte mayster that was named Cleophas whiche sayd lyke the other p_ro_mysynge to lerne [et] enfourme yᵉ chylde in alle theyr connynges wᵗn two yere. The seuenth muyster (_sic_) rose vp [et] sayd, which also desyred the chylde [et] promysed for to lerne hym wᵗin one yere n̄ scyences and wysdome of them all. As all this was done. Than the Emperour sayde my trusty frendes I am moche bounden to thanke you all, and euery of you, for that eueryche of you haue so effectuelly desyred my sone to nouryssh [et] lerne. If I sholde now commytte hym to one and not to an other / therof sholde come yᵉ descencyon [et] varyaunce amonges you. Therfore to you al [et] euery of you I commyt my sone to nourysshe and to teche. The maysters heryng this wᵗ. grete thankȳges gyuynge to the Emperoure toke [et] receyued his sone, and ladde hym towardes the courte of Rome. ¶ Upon the waye spake Craton to his felowes, If we this chylde sholde lerne within the Cyte of Rome there is so grete resorte [et] concourse of people that it sholde hynder [et] lette hym in his lernynge [et] fantasyenge. I wote a fayre place withoute rome thre myle ryght pleasaunte [et] delectable: there lete vs do make a. iiii square cha_m_ber of stone [et] put hȳ therin [et] vpō yᵉ walles of yᵉ syde lete vs paȳte [et] wryte yᵉ .vii. artes lyberales, so yᵗ yᵉ chylde al times may se [et] beholde therin his doctrine as wel as in his boke [et] th_i_s aduyse [et] counseyll pleased theym all. and was done accordynge in euery poynte. The maysters dylygently euery daye durynge .vii. yere taught [et] lettred the chylde. whiche maysters determyned amonge themselfe and sayde / It is good yᵗ we examen our dyscyple how he is spedde in connynge [et] scyence. They al accorded to the same. Tho sayd mayster Pancyllas / howe shall we proue hym. Craton sayde, Lete euery of vs as he slepeth put vnder euery corner of his bed an olyue leue, and than we shall knowe yf he perceyued or felte ony thynge or not, this done he wakynge gretely marueyllynge lyftynge vp his eyen towarde yᵉ rofe of the chamber feruently. The maysters seynge yᵗ sayd. Wherfore lyft ye vp your eyen so sharply. He answered it is no merueyll, for in my slepe I saw the vppermost parte of the chamber inclyned towarde the erthe, or vnder me it was lyfte vp. This hery_n_ge yᵉ maysters sayd amonge themselfe, Yf this childe may lyue he shal be a man of grete connȳge [et] fame.

How the Emperour by the coūseyll of yᵉ grete pry_n_ces [et] lordes of his Empyre wedded an other wyfe.

The prynces and grete lordes of the Empyre in the meane tyme came to the Emperour [et] sayd, My lorde ye haue only but one sone, it is possyble yᵗ he myght happen to dye. And therfore it were profytable that ye sholde wedde an other wyfe to engendre and make mo chyldren to thentente that the Empyre of Rome be not lefte without heyre. Also ye are so myghty that yf it sholde happen you to gete many chyldren ye may promote [et] auaunce them all to grete dygnytees and lordshyppes. Therupon answerde themperour, It is your counseyll that I shall take an other wyfe, than seke me one yᵗ is gracyous / pure vyrgyne fayre and gentyll borne, [et] than shall I folowe your counseyll and aduyse. They went [et] sought and serched many kyngdomes and londes [et] at the laste they founde the kynges doughter of Castyle that ryght fayre was [et] beateuouse, [et] her they gaue the Emperour to wyf. She behad her so well that anone in her loue he was taken so sore that he forgate and put in oblyuyon all the heuynesse [et] sorowe of his herte that he had taken for yᵉ deth of his fyrste wyfe. And they lyued longe togyder wᵗout chyldren. And as Thempresse sawe yᵗ she myght not cõceyue for she herde yᵗ themperour had a sone wᵗ seuen wyse maysters to lerne [et] nourysshe to yᵉ behouffe [and] p[ro]fyte of Thempyre, she thought in herself [et] wysshed his deth. And from yᵗ houre forth she ymagyned how she myght conspyre his deth. It hapned on a nyght as yᵉ Emperour lay in his bed, he sayd to thempresse, My [most dear and best beloved wife, I shall now open to you the secrets of my heart, for under the sun there is no creature that I love so well as you and therefore trust in my love.

[Then said the fair Empress: if it be so as you say, I require of you, a little boon or petition. Desire what you will, said the Emperor and all that to me is possible, I shall fulfil, and give it to you. Then said the Empress, my dear Lord, you know I have no child yet by you conceived for which I am sore pensive and heave; but Fame that never conceals it self long to true joy, hath delivered this happy truth to me; that ye have one Son only the which is sent to the seven Wise Masters to be taught and governed, and him I hold and require for my own son: wherefore I beseech ye send for him that I may see him and have consolation of his presence, as though he were mine own. Hereupon answered the Emperor it is sixteen years past since I saw him, your will shall be fulfilled. Incontinent the Emperor sent unto the seven wise Masters a Letter sealed with his secret Sign, that upon pain of death they should bring his son in the feast of Penticost following.

[How the seven Wise Masters after the sight of the
Emperor's letter would first observe the course and
divine for shewing of the Firmament, and Planets,
whether it were good to obey his commandment or not.

[And when the Masters by the letter had understood the Emperors will in the night they went and beheld the stars in the Firmament, whether it would be expedient to bring the child to the Emperor or not? and they saw clearly in the stars, that if they should lead the child in that time assigned, at the first word he should speak he should die an evil death: wherefore they were all very sorry; and as they beheld another star, they saw, that if they delivered not the child at the day aforesaid, they should lose their heads. Then said one of them of two evils the least is to be chosen: it is better that all we die, than that the child should lose his life: therefore that we may save the childs life let us go to the Emperor. And as they were thus sorrowful, the child came down from his chamber, and seeing his Masters so heavy, he demanded the cause of their heaviness: whereunto they answered: Sir, we have received your Fathers Letters that upon pain of death, now this high feast of Penticost we shall lead you to your countrey, whereupon we have beholden the firmament, wherein we clearly find, that if we (within the time prefixed) present you to your father, at the first word that ye shall pronounce out of your mouth ye shall be to the most vilest death condemned. Then said the child, I must also behold the Firmament with the stars: and so he did; and found clear in a little star, that if he could abstain from speaking seven dayes, he should be preserved and save his life. And after he had seen this, he call'd his Masters and shewed them the star, and said Behold my dear Masters, I see perfectly in the star, that if I abstain myself seven daies, I shall save my life. Ye are now seven Masters, the wisest of all the world, it is an easie thing for you, every of you for me one day to answer and with your wise answer every of you his day, my life may save and keep; and in the eighth day I shall speak my self, and save my life and all you from peril. As the Masters did behold that certain star, they thought with themselves that the child had said truth, saying, Almighty God be thanked, that the wisdom and cunning of our Disciple exceedeth us all. Then said the first master Pantillus, Lord, I shall speak for you the first day, and save your life. And Lentulus, the second master said I shall for you the second day answer; and so consequently every of them promised to answer for himself his day; and this said, they cloathed the child in purple, leaped on horseback with a fair company and hasted with the child to the Emperor.

[How the Emperor rode to meet his son coming from study with Joy, Solemnity and Triumph.]

Whan themperour perceyued yᵗ his sone was comynge upon yᵉ waye, he rode with grete joye to mete hym. The maysters vnderstandyng the comynge of themperour sayd to the chylde, It is best that we departe, [et] in the meane whyle we maye p_ro_uyde how we may saue your lyfe. The chylde sayd it pleaseth me well that ye so doo, but haue mynde of me in tyme of my necessyte. As they that herde, they toke theyr leue and departed towardes yᵉ Cyte. The chylde came after accompanyed ryght honourably. And as he and his fader themperour were mette, for joye [et] gladnesse he toke hym about the necke [et] kyssed hym and sayd, My dere sone how is it with you / is it (_sic_) longe sythen that I sawe you. He bowed downe his hede and answerd no thynge. The fader had grete wonder why that he spake not and thought in himselfe that his maysters had hym so enformed that he rydynge sholde not speke. And whan they were comen to the palays and were descended from theyr horses, The fader toke his sone by the honde [et] lad hym in to the hall and set hym next hym [et] behelde him and sayde, Say me how it is with your maysters, [et] how they haue enformed you, for now it is many yeres syth I saw you. He enclyned downe his hede [et] gaue none answere. The fader sayd, wherfore speke ye not to me. And whan thempresse herde that themperours sone was comen she was ryght joyous and glad, [et] sayd I wyl goo to se hym. She apparaylled her with ryche vesture [et] atyre, [et] toke with her two of her gentylwymen [et] went there as yᵉ emperour was syttȳge wᵗ his sone she sette her downe by yᵉ chylde. [et] she sayd to themperour is this your sone yᵗ hath ben nourysshed wᵗ yᵉ seuen wyse maysters. [et] he sayd / it is my sone / but he speketh not. She sayd, Delyuer to me your sone, [et] if euer he spake I shall do hym speke. Tho sayd themperour ryse [et] go wᵗ her. The sone dyde reuere_n_ce to yᵉ fader, as thoughe he sayd I am redy too accōplysshe your wyll, [et] went wᵗ her.

Howe thempresse ladde Dioclesyan themperours sone
with her in her chamber for to make good chere wᵗ
hym the whiche he withstode.

Thempresse lad hym wᵗ her in to her chamber [et] commaunded all other to auoyde [et] set hym by her afore her bedde, [et] sayd, O my best beloued dyoclesyan, I haue moche of your persone [et] beaute herde, but now I am glad yᵗ I may se you wᵗ myn eyen that my herte coueyteth [et] loueth, for I haue caused your fader to sende for you / that I haue solace [et] joy of your persone. Wherfore I wᵗout faute gyue you knowledge that I for your loue vnto this daye haue kepte my vyrgynyte. Speke to me [et] lete vs goo bed togyder. But he gaue her no worde to answer. She seynge that sayd to hym, O good dyoclesyan haue the half of my soule wherfore speke ye not to me / or at yᵉ leest shewe me some token of loue / what shall I do, speke to me. I am redy to fulfyll and perfourme your wyll. [et] whan she had thus sayd she embraced hy_m_ [et] wold haue kyssed hys mouth [et] he torned his vysage from her, [et] in no wyse wolde cōsent. Tho sayd she ayen to hy_m_, O sone wherfore do ye thus wᵗ me: beholde there is none yᵗ may se vs lete vs togyder slepe / [et] than shall ye well p_er_ceyue yᵗ for your loue I haue kept my vyrgynyte, and he torned his vysage frome her. She seynge yᵗ he was of her ashamed shewed vnto hym her naked body and brestes and sayde, beholde my sone what body I haue att your wylle, gyue me youre consent or elles it shall be herde for me to passe with my ryght mȳde. He neyther wᵗ sygne ne wᵗ countenaūce of vysage shewed her ony maner of loue, but as much as he coude w_ith_drewe hy_m_ from her, whā she sawe yᵗ she sayd, O my moste swete sone yf it please you not to cōsent to me ne yet speke, haply for some resonable cause, Lo here is paper pen [et] ynke yf ye wyl not speke wᵗ your mouth than wryte your wyl yᵗ I ony tyme herafter may trust in your loue or not. The chylde wrote as hereafter folowed, O lady god forbede yᵗ I sholde defoule my faders orcheyerde, yf I shulde defoul it: I wote not what fruyte I shold haue of it. I knowe wel one thȳge yᵗ I sholde syn̄ in yᵉ syghte of god [et] I sholde ren in yᵉ maledictyon of my fader, [et] therfore from hensforth prouoke or styre me no more therto / Whan she had yᵗ cedule seen [et] red she brake it wᵗ her teth: [et] tare or rent her clothes wᵗ her nayles to her nauyll. [et] her vysage al to scratched, it was al blody, [et] cast from her al yᵉ ornamētes of her hede [et] cryed wᵗ a loude voyce: come hither my lords [et] help me afore yᵗ ths rude [et] euyll body shame [et] rauyssh me.

Howe Thempresse complayned to themperour of the shame to her done by his sone.

The Emperour was in his halle and herde the crye [et] noyse of thempresse. he hastely ranne towardes his chambre [et] his knyghtes and other of his seruauntes folowed hym after for to see what there was to [be] done. Tho beganne thempresse to crye and to speke to themperour thus, O my lorde haue pyte and compassyon vpon me, beholde this yonge man is not your sone, but yᵉ foulest rybaude [et] harlot yᵗ euer was borne, [et] a defouler of wymmen, for as ye knowe wel I lad and brought hym with me in to my chamber, [et] sholde haue exhorted and caused hym to haue spokē. I haue done asmoche therto as I can or may. [et] whyles I with my wordes exhorted and meued hym for to haue spoken, he hath endeuoyred hymself with me to haue synned. [et] by cause I wolde not to hym consēte, but withstode as moche as I myght for to flee the shame, he my vysage had made all blody, [et] my vesture and ornamentes of my heed broken [et] all to torne, as ye may openly se: And yf ye had not so sone comen vnto my callynge / he had accomplysshed in me his mooste foule and worste wyll. whan themperoure this sawe and herd, fulfylled wᵗ grete malyce [et] woodnesse / commaunded his seruauntes that they sholde lede hym to the galowes [et] hange hym. And after his lordes herde that sayde / Lorde ye haue no moo but this sone only. It is not good yᵗ ye thus lyghtely putt hym to deth / the lawe is put and ordeyned for transgressours [et] mysdoers, and yf it be so that he must edeye, lete hym by yᵉ lawe dye leest that it be sayd yᵗ themperour in his grete furour and Ire without lawe and Justyce he hath put his only sone to dethe. As themperour this herde commaunded him to be put in pryson vnto the tyme that iugement were gyuen ayenst hym. And whan thempresse vnderstode that the chylde was not put to dethe / she cryed [et] weped bytterly [et] wold haue no reste. whan the nyght was comen the Emperour entred in to his chamber to go to bed. and founde his wyfe wepynge [et] sorowyng. To whome he sayde, O my mooste dere lady / for what cause are ye thus sorowfull. She answered, Knowe ye not how yᵗ your cursed sone hath me thus moche shame done [et] offended / and ye haue commaunded hym too be hanged and yet he lyued / [et] your worde is not performed ne my shame is not wroken. Tomorowe sayde themperour he shall dye by yᵉ lawe. Then sayd she, shalle he so longe lyue. Then̄e myght it happen to you as it dyd vpon a burgeys of Rome of whome an example is sayd. The Emperoure sayd, I praye you shewe me that example. That shall I doo gladly sayd the Empresse.

_The Fyrst Example of the Empresse._

[In the city of Rome was a Burgess which had a fair Garden, wherein he had a noble Tree, the which every year brought forth fruit of good vertue for whosoever eat thereof that were sick of any manner of sickness or leprosie he should soon be whole and receive his sight. It happened on a day, as the Burgess went into his garden to visit the Tree, he espied under the Tree a fair young Imp, and called to him the Gardiner and said: my friend, of this young Imp I give thee charge for I trust of that to plant a better Tree than this is. The Gardiner said: I shall it gladly do. Another time the Burgess came again into his garden to visit the young Plant, and it appeared unto him that it grew not so much as it should do, and he said to the Gardiner: how may this be and he said, it is no wonder, for this great Tree hath so great arms and branches, that the air may not come to the root of the young tree, then said the Burgess, cut and hew off the arms and the boughs, that the air may come thereto. The Gardiner did as he commanded. The Burgess came again another time to see the young plant, and thought that it grew never the better and said to the Gardiner, what is it that letteth this plant not to grow now: and he said, I suppose the height of the Old Tree letteth the Sun, that the rain may not come thereto, and therefore it cannot grow. Then said the Master unto him, hew down that tree to the ground, for I hope of this Plant to have a better than ever] this was. The gardyner heryng his mayster obeyed hym, [et] hewe downe the tree. And as this was done yᵗ yonge plant all holy perysshed and came to nought. wherof came grete harme, for whan yᵉ poore [et] the seke people perceyued yᵗ the tree was so destroyed they cursed all them that were of counseyll [et] helpers therto / by the whiche they all afore tyme were heled [et] cured of theyr infyrmytees [et] maladyes. Then sayd the Empresse vnderstande ye what I haue sayd. Yes ryghte well. Than sayd she, I shall declare to you what I haue sayde.

_The Declaratyon of the Example._