Hoccleve's Works. I. :: :: University of Virginia Library

In the Romain actes writen is thus:
Whilom an Emperour in the Citee
Of Roome regned, clept Iereslaus,
Which, his noble estat & hy dignitee
Gouerned wysly; & weddid had he
The doghtir of the kyng of Vngarie,
A fair lady / to euery mannes ye.

2

And for þat beautee in womman, allone
Withouten bontee, is nat commendable,
Shee was ther-to / a vertuous persone,
And specially pitous & merciable
In all hir wirkes / which ful couenable
And pertinent is / vn-to wommanhede:
Mercy causith / good renon̄ fer to sprede.

3

Now in my tale foorth wole I proceede:
As þat this Emperour in his bed lay
Vp-on a nyght / a thoght gan in him breede,
Vn-to the holy land / to take his way;
And on the morwe / left lenger delay,
His wyf and his brothir / he made appeere
Before him / and hem seide in this maneere:

4

“My deere wyf / myn hertes ioie and hele,
Þat thyng þat stablisshid in myn herte is,
I can nat hyde fro thee / ne concele,
Ne nat ne wole / and shortly it is this:
Vn-to the holy lond / I wole ywis;

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And for thy / make I thee principally
Of al thempyre / me absent / ‘lady,’

5

“Bytakynge and committynge vn-to thee,
Of peple and land / the charge special;
And vndir thee / my brothir heer shal be
Steward of it / to rule & gouerne al
That to me and my peple, greet & smal,
Profitable is / by Conseil & assent
Algate of thee / and thyn auysament.

6

“Al-thogh thee thynke / this purpos sodeyn,
Yit be nat heuy / but in gree it take.
With goddes grace / my comynge ageyn
Shal nat be longe to / I, for thy sake,
Wole the shorter abood / there make.
Truste me weel / as blyue as þat I may,
Haaste I me wole / fro thennes away.”

7

To whom / with spirit of humilitee,
She seide / “syn it is your good plesance
To departe hens / & / go to þat Contree,
I take moot algates, in souffrance,
Your wil / and shal, with hertes obeissance,
As treewe as turtle / þat lakkith hir feere
In your absence / I shal be / my lord deere.

8

“fful sore I am agast, & greetly dreede
Þat neuere yee shuln thennes with your lyf
Retorne / almighty god yow saue & speede!”
he [to] hir yaf wordes confortatyf,
And kiste hir / and seide, “farewel, wyf!
Be nat abassht / ne nat dreedith, I preye;”
And foorth he hastith him in his iourneye.

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9

The sorwe of herte / and cheer of heuynesse
Which this good lady at his departynge
Made / the book nat can telle or expresse;
Wherfore / of þat haue I no knowlechynge;
Eek kepe I nat / the belle of sorwe out rynge,
Thogh þat I kneew wel euery circumstance
Of hir wo / & hir heuy contenance.

10

But whan this Emperour was thus agoon,
His brothirs herte was so eleuat
And so prowd / þat by wight ne sette he noon;
Him self forgat he / for his hy estat;
The pore & simple folk / this potestat
Oppressid sore / and dide hem greet duresse;
The riche / he robbid eek of hir richesse.

11

And yit this wikkid man / this Seneschal,
Meeued was werse / and to fulfill it / thoghte;
he dide his might / and his peyne total,
And alle weyes / serchid he & soghte,
And to brynge it aboute he faste wroghte;
Al-thogh he faillid / at preef and assay,
He was knyt vp / with a wommanly nay.

12

He day by day lay / on this Emperice
To make hir vn-to him flesshly consente;
But shee answerde / “it wer ouer greet vice
To me / if I ther-to myn herte bente.
Nay, brothir, nay / god woot, I neuere it mente,

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Ne neuere shal / I truste in goddes grace;
Yee goon wrong / yee mis-chosen han your place.

13

“In al your lyf / yee neuere, ne noon othir,
Shal make me consente to þat synne.
ffor shame, fy / þat yee, my lordes brothir,
And whom þat he right feithful trust hath Inne,
Sholde any swich tale / to me begynne,
Which wer ageyn his / and your honestee,
And myn / þat am his wyf, wel knowen yee.

14

“A treewe wyf / I lyue wole & dye;
his wole I be / to whom þat I am bownde
Whyle he lyueth and I / withouten lye;
Trustith wel / it noon othir shal be fownde.”
But for al this / at euery tyme & stownde
he stired hire / whan he fond hir soul,
Vn-to this deede vicious and foul.

15

And whan shee sy / shee mighte haue no reste,—
Nat wolde he stynte of his iniquitee,—
Shee aftir three / or foure / of the gretteste
Of al thempire sente / and thus spake shee:
“Sires / the cause / þat hath meeued me
ffor yow to sende / is this / as I shal seyn,
Of which / I sore encombred am / certeyn:

16

“yee woot wel / þat my lord the Emperour,
In his absence / hath maad me principal
Of thempire / and his brothir gouernour
And Steward vndir me / for to rule al,
With this addicion / þat he nat shal
Wirke / my Conseil and assent vnhad:
This was my lordes wil / and thus he bad;

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17

“And nathelees / the poore he hath oppressid,
And robbid ryche folk / yee woot, I trowe;
And werse thyng / which shal nat been expressid
As now / he wolde han doon / my self it knowe;
Wherfore / vp-on the feith / which þat ye owe
To my lord / and on his part, I yow charge
Enprisone him / let him nat goon at large;

18

ffettreth him faste” / and they answerden thus:
“Ma dame / he hath doon many a wikkid deede
Syn our lord wente / it wel knowe is to vs.
To your commandement / as we moot neede /
We wole obeie / but withoute dreede
yee muste in this / warrante vs and allowe,
Lest our lord / whan he comth / vs disallowe.”

19

“What, Sires,” quod shee / “doutith yow right noght;
ffor if my lord kneew / as mochil as I,
That he hath doon / sholde be deere boght.
Þat I yow charge / wole I stande by.”
They made anoon areest on his body,
And in-to prison / they him threew & caste,
And fettred him in yren bondes faste,

20

Wher he abood / til þat word comen was,
How þat the Emperour was hoom comynge.
Thanne he thus thoghte / “how shal I doon / allas,
Now knowe shal my lord, by enquerynge,
The verray cause of myn enprisonynge,

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Wherthurgh, his grace / I vttirly shal leese,
Or per cas / my lyf / I ne shal nat cheese;

21

“In feith if I may / it shal nat be so.”
A messager / as blyue ordeyned he,
And made him / to the Emperice go,
And byseeche hir / of hir hy[e] bontee,
Syn shee had ay been of hir grace free,
Þat shee so mochil grace / wolde him do,
As come / and speke a word with him or two.

22

Vn-to the dore / of his prison / shee cam;
Withouten danger / shee ther-to obeide:
“What is your wil,” quod shee / “lo, heer I am.”
He lookid pitously // and meekly preide,
“O gracious lady / reewe on me,” he seide;
“If þat my lord me fynde heer in prison,
My deeth wole it been, & confusion.

23

“My gentil lady / what shal yow profyte
To do me of a mescheuous deeth sterue?
If þat I lyue may / wole I me qwyte
Treewely to yow / and your thank disserue.
What yow list me commande / I wole obserue,
And do as humblely as any man
Þat in this world lyneth / do may or can.”

24

And shee anoon right, meeued of pitee,
Seide / “if [þat] I wiste þat of thy folie
Thow stynte woldest, & amende thee
Hens-foorth / and thee vn-to vertu applie,
My grace wolde I nat to thee denye.”
He seide and swoor / al þat he cowde swere,
Amende he wolde / and wel aftir him bere.

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25

O noble lady / symple and Innocent,
Trustynge vp-on his ooth and his promesse,
fful wo is me / for thy wo consequent!
Often happith / wommannes tendrenesse
Torneth hir vn-to harm / and to duresse:
This Emperice fond it so by preef,
Whom þat forsworn man / greet harm dide, & greef.

26

This man shee took out of the prison hous,
And made him bathid been, and fresshly shaue,
And dide him clothe in clothes precious,
And a fressh Courser / eek shee made him haue,
And seide, “now, brothir / so god yow saue!
Takith your hors / and ryde foorth with me
Toward my lord” / and foorth with hir rood he.

27

And as they riden / right in the hy way
Ny a fforeste / an hert before hem ran:
Ther nas but “ryde on, ryde / and hay, dogge, hay!”
Euery man dooth his peyne / in what he can,
The hert to suë / ther leftë no man
With this good lady / sauf this wikkid wight,
This Steward / which brak al þat he had hight.

28

Par auenture / men wole han meruaill,
That damoisele / with hir had shee noon:
No force of þat / the book withouten faill
Makith no mynde / as mochil as of oon;
This chaunce shoop / many a yeer agoon;
That tyme par cas / was no swich array
As þat in sundry Contrees is this day.

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29

Whan this knyght sy / ther was noon but they two,
To themperice / he seide in this maneere:
“It is ago fern / syn I spak yow to
Of loue / come on now, my lady deere,
With me / in-to this priuee foreste heere,
That y of yow / may haue my talent!
Now shal be doon / þat I longe haue ment.”

30

“What, fool / took I thee nat out of prison,
No lenger hens / than yistirday,” quod shee,
In trust and hope / of thy correccion,
As thow swoor / and behightest vn-to me;
And now to thy folie and nycetee
Retourne woldest thow / nay, doutelees
It shal nat be / stynte and holde thy pees!

31

“Ther neuere shal man / do with me þat deede,
Sauf my lord themperour / which þat of right
Licenced is ther-to / o, god forbeede,
Þat by myn honestee / sette I so light!
Peyne thee nat ther-to / for in thy might
Shal it nat be / thy wil for to perfourme;
By no way wole I me ther-to confourme.”

32

And he answerde / and spak vnreuerently:
“But if þat thow / consente wilt to me
In this foreste / as swythe right wole y
Hange thee by thyn heer / vp-on a tree,
Wher no wight shal thee fynde / and so,” quod he,
Of wikkid deeth / thow sterue shalt & die;
Truste on noon help at al, ne remedie.”

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33

“By thy manaces / sette I nat a myte,”
Shee seide / “of hem haue I no dreede at al.
Thogh thow me thretne / myn heed of to smyte,
And do me what torment thow canst / I shal
Thee werne ay þat / this for answer final
Take if thee list / for, to þat poynt me dryue,
Thow neuere shalt / whyles I am on lyue.

34

“Thow woost wel / in effect / thus seide I eer.”
He strypid hir anoon / left al delay,
Vn-to hir smok / and heng hir by hir heer
Vp-on an ook / and by hir, hir palfray
He stonde leet / and foorth on deuel way
Rood this tirant / this man malicious,
This cruel-herted man enuenymous.

35

And whan he had his felawshipe atake,
He bleew and blustred / and made heuy cheere;
And a strong lesyng / he gan to hem make;
He seide, “allas / þat I nere on my beere,
So wo is me / for þat my lordes feere,
My lady, is me reft / by force of men.”
God yeue him sorwe // and all swiche [Amen]!

36

O false lyer / o thow cofre and cheste
Of vnclennesse / o stynkynge Aduoutour
In wil, seye I / and willy to inceste;
O false man to god / and thow traitour
To thy lord and brothir, the Emperour;
O enemy to wyfly chastitee,
And in thy wirkes ful of crueltee;

149

37

O cursid feendly wrecche / why hast thow
Deceyued & betrayed Innocence?
What wilt thow seye / & how wilt thow looke, how,
Whan thow comest / to thy Lordes presence,
And art opposid by his excellence,
How þat it with his lady hath betid[de]?
I am seur / þat the trouthe shal been [hidde].

38

ffor as wel as þat to thy conpaignie
Thow lyedist / whan thow hem ouertook /
As lowde wilt thow / vn-to thy lord lye,
I woot wel / and with bolde face and look.
Nathelees / of this tretith nat the book;
Wherforë to my talë wole I go,
Of this lady / and foorth tell of hir wo.

39

Whan þat shee so had hanged dayes three,
By þat forestë / rood ther on huntynge
An Erl / þat was of a strangë contree;
Beforn whos howndes was a fox rennynge,
And they aftir it blyuë folewynge;
And as þat they ran / they hadden a sent
Of the lady / and thidir be they went;

40

And there as shee heeng / they stood at a bay.
This Erl, of þat meruaillynge him greetly,
Thidir him hyeth / in al þat he may;
And whan he hire / there hangynge sy,
He seidë / “womman / what art thow, & why
Hangest thow in this wyse vp-on the tree?”
“A strange womman / sire, am I” / quod shee,

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41

“Of fer[re] parties / how in-to this place
I cam / god woot” / shee wolde by no way
Deskeuere what shee was / ne what fallace
Was doon to hire / cloos she kepte hire ay,
And tolde nat o word of hire affray.
Than axed hire the Erl / “whos hors is this
Þat by thee standith?” // quod shee, “myn it is;”

42

Wherby the Erl anoon right vndirstood
Þat it noon othir wyse mighte be,
But shee sum gentil womman was of blood;
And in his herte / routhe of hire had he,
And seide to hire / “if it lyke thee,
Vn-to my wil / thee confourme and enclyne /
Deliure wole I thee / out of thy pyne.

43

“Lo, this I meene / this is myn entente;
A yong doghtir / haue I in soothfastnesse,
Of which I wolde / if þat thee list assente,
Thow tooke on thee to be gouerneresse,
And teche hire / as longith to a Maistresse
Þat Lordes children han in gouernaill;
And wel wole I thee qwyte thy trauaill;

44

“Myn entente is þat / and othir right noon.”
“Sire,” quod shee / gladly wole I obeye
To yow in þat” / and shee was take anoon
Doun fro the tree / & shortly for to seye,
With him to his Castel / shee rood hir weye;
And of the chyld / shee tooke the gouernance,
Which torned hire aftir to greet nusance.

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45

Shee with this yong chyld in the Chambre lay
Euery nyght / wher lay therl and the Contesse,
Betwixt whos beddes brente a lampe alway;
And wel beloued / for hire hy goodnesse,
Of euery wight was / bothe more and lesse,
This Emperice / til vp-on a nyght,
Giltlees, hir good loos / refte a wikkid wight.

46

Ther was a Styward / in this Erles hous,
Þat to hire ofte had spoke of flesshly loue;
To whom seide ay this lady gracious,
“Maad haue I an avow to god aboue,
Loueres alle / fro myn herte shoue,
Sauf oonly him / whom, of goddes precept,
To Loue / I holde am / and þat shal be kept.

47

“I truste in god / myn herte shal nat change
ffro þat, whil my lyf shal soiourne in me.”
“O / wilt thow so / wilt thow make it so strange;
Wilt thow noon othir wyse do,” quod he.
“Þat I seid haue / I wole holde,” quod shee.
And whan he sy / noon othir remedie,
He wroothly wente / out of hir conpaignie.

48

And fro thens foorth / conpassid in his wit,
How to be venged / vp-on hire, & wroken.
And on a nyght / vnhappyly shoop it,
Left was the Erles Chambre dore vnstoken;
To which he com / and fond it was nat loken,

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And theefly in staal / this wikkid persone,
Where as he fond hem slepynge euerychone.

49

And he espyde / by the lampes light,
The bed / where as þat lay the Emperice
With therles doghtir / and as blyue right
This feendly man his purposid malice
Thoghte for to fulfill and accomplice;
And so he dide / a long knyf he out drow,
And ther-with-al / the mayden chyld he slow.

50

Hir throte with þat knyf / on two he kutte;
And as this Emperice / lay slepynge,
In-to hire hand / this bloody knyf he putte,
ffor men sholde haue noon othir demynge,
But shee had gilty been / of this murdrynge.
And whan þat he / had wroght this cursidnesse,
Anoon out of the Chambre / he gan him dresse.

51

The Contesse aftir / of hir sleep awakid,
To themperices bed gan caste hir look,
And sy the bloody knyf in hire hond nakid,
And for the fere / shee tremblid and qwook
And rogged on hir lord / and him awook,
Preyynge him / to the bed he looke wolde,
And there a meruaillous thyng / seen he sholde.

52

Whan he was wel awakid of his sleep,
He lookid ther-to / as shee him besoghte,
And it byheeld / and of it took good keep,
And of þat meschief / him sore forthoghte
Demynge þat this cursid deede wroghte
This Emperice / as þat it was ful lyk
To been / and vp he threew an heuy syk,

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53

And hire awook / and thus to hire he cryde,
“Womman! what is þat in thyn hand I see?
What hast thow doon, womman? for him þat dyde,
What wikkid spirit / hath trauaillid thee?”
And as soone / as þat adawid was shee,
The knyf fil out of hire hond in the bed[de],
And shee byheeld the clothes al bybled[de] /

54

And the chyld deed ; “Allas!” shee cryde, “allas!
How may this be / god woot al / I noot how;
I am nat pryuee to this heuy cas;
The gilt is nat myn / I the chyld nat slow.”
To which spak the contesse / “what seist thow?
Excuse the nat / thow maist nat seyn nay;
The knyf al bloody / in thyn hand I say.”

55

And thus / vn-to hir lord / shee cryde anoon:
“Slee this cursid feend / þat our chyld hath slayn!
Lat hire no lengere [now] on lyue goon!
Þat y neuere had hire seen / wolde I ful fayn,
But or shee heer cam / þat shee had be flayn!
ffor so greet wo / cam neuere to myn herte:
Slee hire as blyue / lat nat hire asterte!”

56

Al-thogh þat shee were in this cas vengeable,
ffor causes two / me thynkith it smal vice,
Shee was in þat in partie excusable:
Oon is / shee wende / þat the Emperice
Hire chyld had slayn of purposid malice;
And so it seemed / as by liklyhede,
Al be it / þat nat were it so in dede.

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57

Þat othir cause / as woot euery man:
In [al] the world / so louynge tendrenesse
Is noon / as is the loue of a womman
To hir chyld namëly / & as I gesse,
To hire housbonde also / where-of / witnesse
We weddid men may bere / if þat vs lyke,
And so byhoueth / a thank vs to pyke.

58

Now foorth / how the erl to themperice him hadde,
And how þat he gouerned þat mateere,
Herkneth / with heuy cheere & wordes sadde,
To hire he spak / and seide in this maneere:
“Womman / with my swerd / slee wolde I thee heere,
Sauf for awe of god / at whos reuerence
Þat deede wole I putte in abstinence.

59

“Thow haue shalt for me noon harm at al;
But who-so trustith on the curtesie
Of thee / ful soone he deceyued be shal.
Whan þat thow were / on a tree hangid hye,
Where as thow likly haddest been to dye,
Thow woost wel / ther-from I deliured thee,
And with my Doghtres deeth / thow qwit hast me!

60

“Vnkynde womman / walke on foorth thy way;
Hye thee hens / and neuere see my face;
ffor it þat I / heere-aftir thee see may,—
Outhir in this / or eny othir place
Of my lordshipe /—thow noon othir grace
Shalt han / but die a deeth ful villenous,
Thow wikkid womman, fals and traiterous!

61

This Innocent lady / no word ageyn
Spak / for shee spoken had ynow beforn,

155

Excusynge hire / but, al was in veyn;
ffor whan þat shee had al y-seyd and sworn,
Shee with the Erl and his wyf / was doun born;
And sikirly / where as þat no credence
May been had / wysdam conseillith silence.

62

What leeue þat shee took / ne woot I nat,
Or þat shee fro þat place was y-went;—
The booke maketh no mencion of that;—
But hire palfray / shee hire self hath hent,
And so foorth roode toward the orient.
O Emperice / our lord god gye thee,
ffor yit thee folwith more aduersitee.

63

As shee rood, on hir right hand / shee espyde
A galwe tree / to which men a theef ledde,
Hanged to been / and to hire horses syde
The spore gooth / shee faste hire thidir spedde,
ffor verray routhe hir thoghte hire herte bledde,
And to the Officers / meekly shee preide
In this wyse / and right thus shee to hem seide:

64

“Sires, if yow list / this mannes lyf saue
I reedy am / to yeue yow good meede.”
“We wole wel,” quod they / “what shul we haue?
What lykith yow / for his lyf vs to beede?
Paieth therfore wel / and yee shul speede.”
They of the paiement / accordid were;
Shee paide / and this man / foorth shee took with here.

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65

“Be to me treewe” / now quod shee, “my freend,
Syn fro thy deeth / deliured haue y thee.”
“Yis, certes, lady / elles to the feend,
Body and soule bytake y,” seide he;
“Noon othir wolde I / for al cristientee,
Been vn-to yow” / and foorth shee rood hir way,
And on his foot / this man hire folwith ay,

66

Til þat they drow / vn-to a Citee ny,
Whidir beforn / shee bad him for to go
And take hire In / so þat shee honestly
Mighte Inned been / and he dide right so,
And taried nat his lady longe fro,
But ageyn hire / as blyue right this man,
To brynge hire thidir / faste wente & ran.

67

Shee cam in-to hir In / and abood there
Dayes dyuerse / for hire ese and reste;
And in the Citee / fame wydewhere
Sprang / how a lady / the womanlyeste
Of cheere / port / shap / and eek the faireste
That any wight beholde mighte or see,
Was come / and Inned hire in the Citee.

68

Many a lusty man / in loues art
Expert and sotil / drow hem to hire In,
Weenynge han geten þat / of which no part

157

They gete kowde / for noon art ne gyn.
To thententes corrupt / þat they were In,
Shee wolde for no thyng / bowe & enclyne;
Hire hertes Castel / kowde they nat myne.

69

As fer as the boundes of honestee
Requeren / shee made hem disport and cheere;
But passynge it / for al hir sotiltee,
ffor profre of meede / ne for faire preyeere,
Shee change nolde hir vertuous maneere;
The lessons þat they in Ouyde had red,
Halp hem right noght / they wenten thens vnsped.

70

O. yee þat seyn / wommen be variant,
And can nat sad been / if they been assaillid:
Yee been ful vnkonnynge and ignorant,
And of the soothe / foule yee han faillid;
Constance is vn-to wommanhode entaillid;
Out of þat fee / they nat be dryue may;
Swich hir nature is / thogh sum men seyn nay,

71

They stidefast been / as fer as y woot,
But it be / wher they take han a purpos
Þat naght is / which, be it neuere so hoot,
They change / lest it hurte mighte hir loos,
And keepen it secree / couert & cloos,
Vnexecut / thogh of hem nat a fewe
The reuers doon / what / the feend is a shrewe.

72

Let al this passe / ther cam to the port
Of this Citee / a ship with marchandyse
Charged / where-of hir man made report
To his lady / shee bad him in al wyse
Go thidir, and see / and him wel auyse

158

What thyng ther-in was / & word hoom hire brynge,
Withoute any delay or taryynge.

73

He thidir wente / & clothes precious,
Amonges othir thynges / there he fond;
fful ryche was the stuf, and plenteuous,
Of the ship / and the maistir, by the hond
he took / and seide / “ga we to the lond,
[Vn]To my ladyes In / shee wolde bye,
If þat yow list / sum of your marchandie.”

74

“I wole gladly” / seide the Shipman;
And to the ladyes In / they bothe two
Goon / but before dressith him hir man,
And reported hire / as him oghte do,
What he had in the ship seen / and ther-to,
That the Shipman was comen / he hir tolde,
Axynge hire / if shee with him speke wolde.

75

“Yis,” quod shee / “let him in come, I the preye.”
He entred / and vn-to him thus spak shee:
“Sire / yee han in your ship heere, y seye,
Dyuerse precious clothes / and if yee
Wolden some of hem brynge hidir to me,
As þat we mighte accorde, wolde y paye
In honde / and nat your paiement delaye.”

76

“Ma dame, I grante,” he seide / and took his leeue;
And with him / hir seruant to the ship wente,
To whom / the shipman by the way gan meeue:
“ffreend, I am set / on a certein entente,
Vn-to the whiche / if þat thow wilt assente,
And do thy deuer / and my Conseil hyde,
That thow me kneew / thow blisse shalt the tyde.

159

77

“O, may I truste / may I truste in thee?
Thow helpe me maist / and no wight but thow.
If thow wilt so / in this necessitee,
Gold and siluer wole I thee yeue ynow.”
“Yis,” quod this seruant, “that I make avow
To god / if þat it in my power lye,
Myn help to thee / ne wole y nat denye.

78

“If thow heere-aftir / fynde þat I gabbe,
Of my promesse / thanne dokke me;
I neuere was yit / of my tonge a labbe;
Þat thyng / þat me told is in priuetee,
Keepe I can wel / be in noon aweertee,
But anoon to me telle out al thy gole,
ffor treewe and trusty / be to thee y wole.”

79

“Grant mercy,” seide the Shipman; “I-wis,
Now feele I confort / now dar y bywreye
To thee myn hertes secree / which is this:
Swich excellence of beautee is, y seye,
In thy lady / þat but if thow purueye
ffor me / þat y hir loue may obteene,
fful shorte shuln my dayes been / y weene.”

80

Quod this seruant / “looke how y may profyte
In this, let see / and me sette in the way
How y shal do / and so shal y me qwyte,
Þat y thy thank / disserue shal for ay;
Al shal be doon right to thyn owne pay;
Telle on / how wilt thow þat I me gouerne.”
The Shipman seide / “and þat I wole as yerne:

160

81

“On my behalue / to thy lady weende,
And to hire seye / þat in no maneere,
Clothes out of my ship may I hire seende;
If hir good lust be, in my ship appeere,
Shee shal seen what hir list / with ful good cheere;
But out of my ship / wole y nothyng selle:
Right euene thus / vn-to hir seye and telle;

82

“But of o thyng / thow must thee wel auyse,—
Good heede ther-of take / and nat ne faill,—
Be thow wel waar / in al maneere wyse
Þat the wynd thanne / be good, hens to saill;
Al þat thow doost elles / may nat auaill;
ffor lede hire hoom / wole y to my contree:
Lo, this is al / þat y desire of thee.”

83

fful sooth is seid / the fals and coueitous
Been soone accordid / allas! this onhede
Synful shal be / wikkid and treecherous.
O / Emperice / god the gye and lede!
Thow haast, or this, had trouble greet & drede,
And yit a sharp storm is vn-to thee shape;
But, thankid be god / al thow shalt eschape.

84

Now to purpos / than seide this seruant
To the Shipman / “come of, yeue me meede,
ffor heere y swere / and make couenaunt,
This shal be doon / haue there-of no dreede.”
He had[de], y not what / the deuel him speede
ffor his labour / to be doon in this caas;
And to his lady / dressith he his paas.

161

85

He tolde hire / how the Shipman wolde naght
Deliure clothes / out of his vessel;
But if it lykid hire / to bye[n] aght /
Thidir shee muste come / and he ful wel
With hire wolde do / shee kneew no del
Of the treson / purposid twixt hem two,
And seide / “in goddes name / it shal be do;

86

“I reedy am to go / whan þat y shal,
Syn þat thow seist / it may noon othir be,
But outhir moot y goon / or leuen al.
Let vs go thidir as swythe,” quod shee.
“A / nay, madame / it may nat be” / seide he,
“Swich occupacioun hath he this day,
That he vn-to yow / nat entende may.

87

“Ma dame / vs muste abyden his leisir;
There-on I wole awayte bysyly;
And whan tyme is / yee shuln han your pleisir.
Often vp-on him awayte moot y,
To wite and knowe / wel and redily,
The tyme / whan we shal vs thidir dresse:
Ma dame / for yow / this best is, y gesse.”

88

This humble lamb / this lady Innocent,
Of al this treson no notice hauynge,
Seide / “as þat thow doost / holde y me content.”
Thus hir seruant delayed hir goynge
Til þat the wynd wel stood / the ship to brynge
Out of the port / and thidir he hir spedde,
And þat in haaste, he to the ship hire ledde.

162

89

Whan shee withyn the Shipbord entred was,
Vp gooth the sail / to the top of the mast.
Hire man, of purpos / lefte on londe / allas.
Quod Shee / “nat was y waar of this forcast;”
And ther-with-al / out to weepe shee brast,
And seide, “what treson / doost thow, Shipman,
To me?” “nay,” quod he, “no treson / womman,

90

“Nat meene I, but thus / lo / thus wole I do,
fflesshly the knowe / and aftir wedde thee.”
“A vow,” quod shee / “maad haue I god vn-to,
Þat neuere so / shal ther man do to me,
ffor thyng in this world / outake oonly he
To whom y am y-bownden to / and knyt;
The labour is in vein / to speke of it.”

91

“Keepe in thy wordes / womman, I thee rede,”
Quod he / “considere and thynke wel, þat thow
Of thy lyf standist in peril and drede,
ffor in middes of the See been we now.
To me conforme / it shal be for thy prow,
Elles in-to the See wole I thee caste;
Truste me wel / so wole y do as faste.”

92

“Now wel,” quod shee / “syn y may nat asterte
My deeth / but y your entente fulfille,
Al-thogh it be greetly ageyn myn herte:
Yit rather than þat yee me sle or kille,
Wole y assente / so it be your wille,
In the ende of the ship / for to ordeyne
An honest place / and pryuee / for vs tweyne.

163

93

“It is nat / as I hope / your entente
In open sighte of folk / do with me so:
Hard were it make me / ther-to consente,
ffor þat / a greet encrees were of my wo;
Yit leuer were it me / my lyf forgo.
A pryuee place, as I seide / purueye
ffor vs / þat folk see nat / how we foleye.”

94

He in the ship / where as was his plesance,
A place ordeyned / curtyned aboute,
In-to the which / with heuy contenance,
Whyles he speek with his meynee withoute,
Shee entred hath / and anoon gan to loute
To god / right on hir knees she hir prayeere
Made / as I to yow shal rehercen heere:

95

“O god, our Lord, Ihesu, our Saueour,
Þat fro my youthe / haast kept me to this day,
Curteys Ihesu / me keepe now this hour
ffrom al pollucion / so þat y may,
With herte cleene / in this woful affray,
My soule yilde to thy deitee;
Mercyful lord / of this byseeche y thee!”

96

Nat endid was hire orison vnnethes,
But swich a tempest / aroos in the See,
Þat the ship brast / and there took hire dethes
They þat ther in weren / the hool meynee,
Sauf oonly this maistir shipman / and shee:
By oon of the bordes / shee faste hire heeld,
Which from hire deeth was hire deffense & sheeld,

164

97

And broghte hire vp / vn-to the land saufly.
To an othir bord / this maister shipman
Eek claf / and was sauf / this fil wondirly:
Many maistries our lord god do can;
And þat this lady, this noble womman
Was sauf / this maistir shipman kneew no deel,
Ne shee / þat he fortuned had so weel.

98

Of this shipman / speke y no more as now;
But this lady / vn-to a Nonnerie
Þat was but there faste by / hir drow,
Wher the ladyes / of hir conpaignie
Were ful glad, & of hir genterie
Receyued hire / al thogh þat no notice
They hadde / of hire estat of Emperice.

99

And there abood shee / a long tymes space
In holy lyf / and vertuous clennesse;
Vn-to whom god yaf / and shoop swich a grace,
Þat shee kowde hele folk of hir seeknesse,
What so it were / and thidir gan hem dresse
ffrom euery part / and euery Contree,
They þat felten any infirmitee.

100

Than shoop it / he þat to the Emperour
Was brothir / which this lady on a tree
By hire heer vp heeng / þat cursid traitour,
Mirour of malice and iniquitee,
As foul a leepre was / as mighte be:
Lo, thogh god him / to wreke a whyle abyde,
The fals and wikkid, qwytith he sum tyde.

165

101

The knyght eek which the Erles doghtir slow—
The Emperice & shee / bothe sleepynge,
As I before told haue / vn-to yow—
Was blynd and deef / and also the tremblynge
Of palesie / sore gan him wrynge:
No force how sore / swich a wreeche smerte,
That to wommen / so cruel is of herte.

102

The theef / which to the maistir of the ship
Betrayed themperice, his lady, als
ffrom harm ne greef / kowde nat make a skip—
God sheelde he sholde / he þat was so fals
To hire / þat from the roop[e] kepte his hals—
Potagre and gowty / & halt he was eek,
And was in othir sundry wyse seek.

103

The Shipman had also the franesie,
Þat with this Emperice / hadde ment
ffulfillid his foul lust of aduoutrie,
Which was in him / ful hoot and ful feruent:
See how all hem / þat to this Innocent,
This noble lady / had y-doon greuance,
Our lord god qwitte / with strooke of vengeance.

104

Yee men, whos vsage is, wommen to greeue,
And falsely deceyue hem and bytraye,
No wondir is / thogh yee mis happe & cheeue:
God qwyte yow wole / and your wages paye
In swich[e] wyse / þat it yow shal affraye.
Let goddes wreches hens-foorth yow miroure,
ffor, but if yee do / yee shul bye it soure.

166

105

Now to the Emperour, tornë wole y,
Which, whan he herde / þat in an Abbeye
Of Nonnes / was a womman so holy,
And ther-to so konnynge, he herd[e] seye,
That voide kowde shee / and dryue aweye
Seeknesses all / of what kynde or nature
They weren / and hem hele wel & cure,

106

Right thus vn-to his brothir seide he tho:
“To this holy womman / best is þat we,
As faste as we may make vs reedy, go,
Syn, so good / and so gracious is shee,
Þat of thy leepre / shee may cure thee.”
This was assentid / they hem haaste & hye
In what they may / vn-to þat Nonnerie.

107

Knowen vn-to thabbesse & hir Couent
How þat the Emperour / was ny comynge,
Ageyn him in procession / arn they went,
His seruice ful deuoutly syngynge,
And dide al / þat was to swich cas longynge.
And whan he in thabbeye was alight,
Thus of thabbesse / he axid anoon right:

108

“Is ther any swich womman in this hous,
As folkes hele can of hir seeknesse?
Men seyn, heere is a womman merueillous:
Shal it be fownden soo” / he seide, “Abbesse?”
And shee answerde / “Sire, in soothfastnesse
A good womman / dwellynge is / with vs heere,
Which in vertu / we knowen noon hir peere.”

167

109

She dide hir come anoon / to his presence;
But with hir veil / hir face hid had shee,
To been vnknowe / and dide him reuerence,
As longid vn-to his hy Dignitee.
And right as blyue / of hire axid he,
“Can yee my brothir / of his maladie
Of leepre, cure, and of meselrie?

110

“If þat yee can / now tell on, y yow preye,
ffor your labour / ful wel qwyte wole y.”
But or þat shee / aght wolde answere & seye,
She caste hir look about[en] / and there sy
The Emperoures brothir stande by,
Þat leepre was / and eek tho othir three
Þat had hir doon so greet aduersitee,

111

That is to seyn / the knyght, theef, and shipman;
And thanne shee spak / and seide in this wyse:
“Sire / noon þat is heere, y cure can;
I may nat take vp-on me þat empryse—
Ther-to may nat my konnynge souffyse—
But if þat they / an open shrifte make
Of hire offenses dirke & synnes blake.”

112

To his brothir / than spak this Emperour:
“Among all vs / thee openly confesse;
Spare nat to deskeuere thyn errour,
Syn þat thow ther-by / maist, of thy seeknesse
Cured be / telle out al thy wikkidnesse;
Be nat abassht / it manly is to synne,

humanum est: peccare, &c

But feendly is / longe lye ther-ynne.”

168

113

ffor forme / a confession made he,
Swich as it was / but how the Emperice,
his lordes wyf / he heeng vp-on a tree
By hire heer / tolde he nat / þat cursid vice,
ffor torne it sholde him / in-to preiudice
And harm also / deskeuere kepte he noght,
Yit aftirward / he ther-to was y-broght.

114

Whan þat his lewde shrifte was y-do,
“Sire,” quod shee / “laboure y sholde in veyn,
If aght I leide / your brothir vn-to,
ffor he maad haath / noon hool[e] shrifte, ne pleyn.”
This Emperour vn-to him spak ageyn:
“Woost thow nat weel / thow art a foul mesel?
Telle out, let see / shryue thee cleene and wel,

115

“Or truste me weel / for þat encheson
Thow voide shalt / out of my conpaignie.”
“O Lord” he seide / “but if your pardon
Yee me promette / I dar nat specifie
O word of my gilt / I yow mercy crye.”
Quod themperour / “what, haast thow agilt me?”
“Certes, right greeuously / my lord,” seide he.

116

“Now,” quod the Emperour / “and haast thow so?”
And of the Emperice / he thoghte nat,
But weenynge / shee many a day ago,
Deed had been / seide / “what offense is that?
Be nat aferd / but tell on plein & plat,
ffor what so þat it be / y foryeue al;
Truste wel / þat y seye, y holde shal.”

169

117

Ther-with, al was his brothir herted weel:
Al how the Emperice had he betrayed,
Before hem all / he tolde out euerydeel;
Where-of / the Emperour was sore affrayed.
His brothres reward / had nat been vnpayed,
Nad promesse of the Emperour him bownde
To pardon / for which wo was him þat stownde;

118

Almoost he was / out of him self certeyn;—
So seith the book / and þat was no meruaill.
What lord is þat / if swich a word sodeyn
To him cam of his wyf / whos gouernaill
Was hires lyk / but ny to sholde him faill
his wit and his good disposicion
ffor the sodeyn woful impression?

119

ffor falle anoon sholde in his remembrance
Hir vertuous manere and wommanhede,
hir beautee / shap / good cheere & daliance:
Al this considered / withouten drede,
Out of the weye of ioie / him wolde lede,
The mis / of so vertuous a persone;
And yit nt for þat encheson allone:

120

But also the vnkyndely treson
Of his brothir / þat him to him had qwit
So falsely / me thynkith by reson
Stike right ny / vn-to his herte oghte it,
And causen him / ful many an heuy fit;
But nathelees / wit axith, & prudence,
Al thyng þat fallith / take in pacience.

170

121

Now to my purpos / themperour tho spak
To his brothir / and thus he to him seide:
“Thow cursid wrecche / thow demoniak!
Þat our lord god / which for vs alle deide,
The strook of his vengeance / vp-on thee leide,
No wondir is / had y this beforn wist,
Thy body sholde han the grownd swept & kist;

122

“And ther-to eek / as sharp[e] punisshement
As þat dyuyse ther kowde any wight,
Thow sholdest han y-preeued by the sent;
But holde wole y / þat y thee haue hight.”
And thanne confesse him / began the knyght
Þat the Erles doghtir slow / “as shee sleep,”—
lo, thus he seide / takith now good keep—

123

“Notice noon,” seide he, “ne knowlechynge
haue y of þat lady / ne who it is,
But as my lord the Erl rood on huntynge
In a foreste ones / wel woot y this,
A fair lady he fond hangynge Iwis
On a tree by hire heer / and of pitee
And routhe meeued / hire adoun took he,

124

“And to his Castel / with him hire he ladde,
And the charge / bytook to hire, and cure,
To keepe a yong Doghtir / which þat he hadde,
Hire to teche and to lerne norture.
But to me shoop ther / a mis-auenture;
I bisyed me / to haue by hire leyn;
And al my labour / ydil was and veyn.

171

125

“ffor any craft / þat euere kowde y do,
To me shee wolde assente by no way;
I kowde in no wyse / brynge hire ther-to;
hire answere was euere oon / & that was ‘nay,’
Which was nothyng / vn-to my lust and pay;
Wherfore meued was y, nat a lyte,
But ful greetly / and hire y thoghte qwyte,

126

“And in hir bed / as shee lay on a nyght,
This yonge maide / and shee sleepynge faste,
I kilde the chyld / and ther-with, foorth-right
The bloody knyf / in-to the hand y thraste
Of the lady / for þat men sholde caste
And suppose / how þat no wight but shee
Mighte of this slaghtre and murdre gilty be,

127

“And thens / my lord maade hire voyde anoon;
But wher shee becam / am y nat priuee;
God woot / þat knowleche / haue y ther-of noon.”
Than spak the theef / “y noot whom meene yee,
But a lady of excellent beautee
Allone and soul / cam by the way rydynge,
Whan for my gilt / y led was to hangynge;

128

“And whan þat this lady benigne & good,
Had hir look toward me cast, and espyed
ffrom a-fer / in what mescheef þat y stood,
hire herte anoon / of pitee was applyed,
Me to socoure and helpe / and hath hire hyed
Vn-to the place / wher deed sholde y be,
And payde for my lyf / and saued me;

172

129

“And aftirward, I, as a fals traitour
Ageyn hir gentillesse and hy bontee,
To a shipman / which was a foul lecchour,
Betrayed hire / and to his Contree
him shoop lede hire / this man delauee,
And fer in-to the See y saw hem saill;
But what fil aftir / woot y nat sanz faill.”

130

“Swich a fair lady, certein y receyued
In-to my ship” / seide the Shipman tho,
“And thoghte haue hire deffoulid & deceyued
Amiddes the See / but shee preide so
To god / þat my desyr was y put fro;
I mighte nat acheeue my purpoos.
Whan shee had preid / an hidous storm aroos,

131

“And shortly / of this for to speke and telle,
The wynd ful sore / in the sail bleew & haf,
And the wawes began to bolne & swelle,
And our taklynge brast / and the ship claf
In two / of seurtee loste y ny the staf;
Vndir the watir / wenten euerychone;
My self except / knowe I no sauf persone.

132

“By a bord of the ship, heeld y me faste;
And as þat my fortune shoop þat tyde,
The wawes me sauf vp-on the land caste.”
This Emperice list no lengere hyde
What þat shee was / but spak / and sumdel cryde
On hy / and to hem seide in this maneere:
“Now been yee cleene shryuen / freendes deere;

173

133

“Now shul yee all haue of me medecyne.”
Shee dide hire art / & helid euery wight
Of his seeknesse / & voidid al his pyne;
And from hire heed / shee hath hir veil y-plight,
And hem hir face shewid anoon right.
And as swythe / as the Emperour hir sy,
Þat shee his wyf was / kneew he verraily;

134

And withoutë delay / to hire he sterte,
And hire embraced in his armes tweyne,
And kiste hire often / with vnfeyned herte;
But fro weepynge / he kowde him nat restreyne,
Thogh it nat causid were of greef & peyne,
But of the inward ioie which þat stownde
He took, by-cause he had his wyfe y-fownde.

135

O / many a wrecche is in this lond, y weene /
Þat thogh his wyf lengere had been him fro,
No kus / but if it had been of the spleene,
Shee sholde han had / & forthermore also,
ffyndynge of hire / had been to him but wo,
ffor him wolde han thoght þat swich a fyndynge,
To los sholde han him torned, and harmynge.

136

No force of þat / my tale I now thus eende:
Hoom vn-to his Paleys this Emperour
And his good lady themperice weende,
And lyueden in ioie and hy honour
Til þat the tyme of deeth cam, and his hour,
Which þat no wight eschue may, ne flee;
And whan god list / also dye shul we.

Explicit fabula de quadam Imperatrice Romana.

174

1

My freend, aftir, I trowe, a wike or two
That this tale endid was / hoom to me cam,
And seide / “Thomas / hastow almoost do?
To see thy werk / hidir comen y am.”
My tale anoon y fette / and he it nam
In-to his hand / and it al ouersy;
And aftirward / he seide thus therby:

2

“Thomas, it is wel vn-to my lykyng;
But is ther aght þat thow purposist seye
More on this tale?” “nay, my freend / no thyng.”
“Thomas / heere is a greet substance aweye:
Where is the moralizynge / y yow preye,
Bycome heere-of / was ther noon in the book
Out of the which / þat thow this tale took?”

3

“No certes, freend / ther-in ne was ther noon.”
“Sikirly, Thomas / there-of I meruaill;
Hoom wole y walke / and retourne anoon;
Nat spare wole y / for so smal trauaill,
And looke in my book / there y shal nat faill
To fynde it / of þat tale it is parcel,
ffor y seen haue it ofte / & knowe it wel.”

4

He cam ther-with / and it vn-to me redde,
Leuynge it with me / & hoom wente ageyn;
And to this moralyzynge I me spedde,
In prose wrytynge it / hoomly and pleyn,
ffor he conseillid me / do so / certeyn;
And lo / in this wyse and maneere it seith,
Which to þat tale is good be knyt, in feith:

[_]

The prose moralization has been omitted.