The seuin Seages Translatit out of prois in Scottis meter be Iohne Rolland in Dalkeith, with ane Moralitie efter euerie Doctouris Tale, and siclike efter the Emprice Tale, togidder with ane louing and laude to euerie Doctour efter his awin Tale, & ane Exclamation and outcrying vpon the Empreouris wife efter hir fals contrusit Tale ... Edited, with introduction, notes, and glossary, by Geo. F. Black |
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 | The seuin Seages |  |
The first Tale of the Emprice is of the gude tre that grew in the Burges Gardine, and for the Imp that grew besyde it he gart cut the greit tre.
In Romes Toun remanit ane riche BurgesQuhilk had at welth all mirth and merines
With fair biggings, quhilk was baith braid & hie
With gay gardings, yat was plesand to se
Of alkin flouris he had thairin ane part
That was to get about in euerie art.
To tell thair Names I neid not now tak tome
Few was siclyke, sa plesand in all Rome.
In this Gardine thair grew ane Nobill trie
Quhilk euerie ȝeir brocht furth frute gude plētie
Sine by all this the frute that on it grew
Was sa done sweit, and of sa greit vertew.
Quhat man that had ony sair Maladie,
As is Liper, Exces or Popplecie.
Sa sone as he of this frute gat ane taist,
Of all seiknes he wald be haill in haist.
And sa it chancit vpon ane haly day,
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His Orisouns, and behalding this trie
Ane gay ȝoung Imp behynd it quyetlie
He saw growand, quhilk was proper and fair,
Incontinent he callit the Gairdnair.
He said gude freind se ȝe be wonder sure,
And of this Imp daylie that ȝe tak cure,
For I beleue to haue ane better tre
Of that ȝoung plant, and better be sic thre
Nor is the auld, quhilk I can not auance
That pith Inlaikis, sap, sapour and substance.
Howbeit this tre be far growin it abone,
The Gairdnar said, Maister it sall be done.
Within [thir] few dayis to schaw the for certane
To se this plant the Burges come agane,
Quhilk as he thocht, was not half sa plesand
As it was quhen, the first day he it fand.
To the Gairdnar he said how can this be
My tender plant, appeiris not to me
Half sa plesand, as it was the last day.
He said Maister, now tak tent quhat I say
Na wonder is, this auld tre is far mair
And fra the ȝoung takis all substance and air.
Be the ressoun the branches ar so braid,
Sa the ȝoung plant is sa vnliklie maid.
For gif this plant gat the substance and air
That this tre gettis, belyue it wald grow mair,
Nor is the auld, for eild almaist is deid.
The Burges said thairof I wait remeid,
Cut doun the bewis and branches of the auld.
Quod he Maister, I sall do as ȝe haue tauld.
And sa he did, syne efter in schort space
To se the plant, agane come the Burges,
And saw richt weill, that the same tender plant
Sum neidfull thing it did Inlaik and want.
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My tender plant it dois misthriue I wis.
Schaw me the caus thairof without lesing,
He said Maister, I suppois of ane thing,
That is the hicht of this greit growand tre
Haldis away the Sone as thinkis me.
Quhilk geuis life, and nurisching but dout
To alkin thing that euer grew thairout.
And als the rane it may not cum it neir
Quhilk nurischis also sum time of ȝeir.
Thir twa wanting, thair is na tre can thriue
The Burges said, that sall we mend beliue.
Cut the auld clene, and quite doun be the rute,
For I suppone we sall get better frute,
Of this ȝoung tre, nor of the auld was had.
The Gairdnar did as his Maister him bad,
Cuttit the auld, and leit the ȝoung tre stand still,
Sa he obeyit his Maisters minde and will.
Efter schort time as this was done and wrocht,
Baith auld and ȝoūg perischt and come to nocht
Quhairof greit harme and dule come to the pure
For quha was seik, of thair helth thay war sure
Hauand recours vnto that Nobill trie
Quhilk to cut doun, it was ane greit pietie.
And quhen the pure persauit it was cut doun,
Thay curst waryit, with mony malesoun.
That ony way thairto gaue thair counsell,
Or helpit thairto, thay quite condampnit to hell
For quhy the pure of all Infirmiteis
War ay weill curit of all thair Maladeis.
Quod scho my Lord now haue ȝe vnderstand
Quhat I haue said, quod he that I warrand.
Quod scho the Mairch heirof I sall declair
The quhilk pertenis to ȝour vnsonsie Air.
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