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 thrid Taill of the Emprice. |
 | The seuin Seages |  |
The thrid Taill of the Emprice.
The Emprice hard how all the mater ȝeid
And how the Childe was not ȝit put to deid
For verie sturt in hir minde was richt wo
It was maist lik hir hart to brist in two.
To hir Chalmer than scho past sone within,
And thair began to skart and rife hir skin.
And cryit aloude that euer I was borne,
Into my Cude, sen I had bene forlorne.
I being Childe to ane sa greit a King,
That I suld thoill, and suffer sic ane thing,
As of ȝone Deuill, and ane rank Renigald,
Me to deforce, sa oppinlie he wald,
To my greit schame, and warldlie dishonour,
I being Quene vnto the Empreour:
And can heirof get na mendis nor remeid,
I pray to God gif I war fairlie deid.
Sa this was schawin vnto the Empreour,
How his Lady was in sic displesour.
Into all haist to hir Chalmer he went,
And said Lady, I pray ȝow not lament,
Sa Inwardlie, for it becūmis ȝow nocht,
Tak not sa far nouther in minde nor thocht.
Scho said my Lord, the lufe I aw to ȝow
Makis me mair sturt, in hart mair sorowfow
Nor displesour of ȝone dum Deuillis deid,
Thairfoir gude lord sa greit God mot me speid
The Inwart lufe that I vnto ȝow beir,
Sa causis me remaine still with ȝow heir:
or ellis I had to my Father departit,
To my countrie, war not I am sa hartit
To ȝour behufe and plesure nicht and day,
That is the caus I will not pas my way.
For gif I did, than ane caus it wald be,
Of greit discord, and Inanimitie:
Betuix my Father and ȝow for euer moir,
This is the caus I will not pas thairfoir.
For weill I wait he wald reuenge my querrell,
And to conqueis, put all this Realme in perrell.
For my Father he is ane puissant Prence
Of diuers Realmes, and of greit Reuerence.
Wist he trewlie of my great displesour,
I wait he wald Incres sa in rankour,
That this countrie for that suld sair repent
That is the caus fra him I me absent,
For ȝour plesour, and ȝit ȝe will not trow,
That I wald do sic plesure vnto ȝow.
The Empreour said, Madame be weil inclind
Lat sic malice remoue out of ȝour mind,
For sa lang time as God will len me life
I think neuer to faill to ȝow my wife.
My Lord said scho, I pray God ȝe leif lang,
Howbeit that I thus leif in threip and thrang.
Bot I dreid sair, and heuilie I feir,
That it chance ȝow that chācit this hinder ȝeir
Of ane greit Knicht, and of his Sone alone,
Efter the time that his Father was gone,
Throw suddand chance departit to the deid
Zit his awin Sone wald not burie his heid.
The Empreour said, that was ane felloun feid
The Sone wald not burie the Fatheris heid.
That exempill I pray ȝow to me schaw
Scho said my Lord will ȝe tak tent and knaw
It sall do ȝow greit gude I tak on hand,
Quod he schaw furth, and lat me vnderstand.
Sa scho began with all expeditioun,
As scho best culd to say furth hir Sermon.
And how the Childe was not ȝit put to deid
For verie sturt in hir minde was richt wo
It was maist lik hir hart to brist in two.
To hir Chalmer than scho past sone within,
And thair began to skart and rife hir skin.
And cryit aloude that euer I was borne,
Into my Cude, sen I had bene forlorne.
I being Childe to ane sa greit a King,
That I suld thoill, and suffer sic ane thing,
As of ȝone Deuill, and ane rank Renigald,
Me to deforce, sa oppinlie he wald,
To my greit schame, and warldlie dishonour,
I being Quene vnto the Empreour:
And can heirof get na mendis nor remeid,
I pray to God gif I war fairlie deid.
Sa this was schawin vnto the Empreour,
How his Lady was in sic displesour.
Into all haist to hir Chalmer he went,
And said Lady, I pray ȝow not lament,
Sa Inwardlie, for it becūmis ȝow nocht,
Tak not sa far nouther in minde nor thocht.
Scho said my Lord, the lufe I aw to ȝow
Makis me mair sturt, in hart mair sorowfow
Nor displesour of ȝone dum Deuillis deid,
Thairfoir gude lord sa greit God mot me speid
92
Sa causis me remaine still with ȝow heir:
or ellis I had to my Father departit,
To my countrie, war not I am sa hartit
To ȝour behufe and plesure nicht and day,
That is the caus I will not pas my way.
For gif I did, than ane caus it wald be,
Of greit discord, and Inanimitie:
Betuix my Father and ȝow for euer moir,
This is the caus I will not pas thairfoir.
For weill I wait he wald reuenge my querrell,
And to conqueis, put all this Realme in perrell.
For my Father he is ane puissant Prence
Of diuers Realmes, and of greit Reuerence.
Wist he trewlie of my great displesour,
I wait he wald Incres sa in rankour,
That this countrie for that suld sair repent
That is the caus fra him I me absent,
For ȝour plesour, and ȝit ȝe will not trow,
That I wald do sic plesure vnto ȝow.
The Empreour said, Madame be weil inclind
Lat sic malice remoue out of ȝour mind,
For sa lang time as God will len me life
I think neuer to faill to ȝow my wife.
My Lord said scho, I pray God ȝe leif lang,
Howbeit that I thus leif in threip and thrang.
Bot I dreid sair, and heuilie I feir,
That it chance ȝow that chācit this hinder ȝeir
Of ane greit Knicht, and of his Sone alone,
Efter the time that his Father was gone,
Throw suddand chance departit to the deid
Zit his awin Sone wald not burie his heid.
The Empreour said, that was ane felloun feid
The Sone wald not burie the Fatheris heid.
That exempill I pray ȝow to me schaw
Scho said my Lord will ȝe tak tent and knaw
93
Quod he schaw furth, and lat me vnderstand.
Sa scho began with all expeditioun,
As scho best culd to say furth hir Sermon.
In this Cietie that how is callit Rome,
Quhilk in yai dayis was heid of cristindome
Thair dwelt ane Knicht, the suith ȝow for to say
Had bot ane Sone, and he had Douchters tway
This Knicht was geuin to Halking & Hunting
Greit Tornamentis, and to swift hors rinning.
To merynes and all kind of plesour,
That micht hald vp and furth set his honour.
Sa euerie ȝeir sa greit riches he spent,
Quhilk thrise ouircome his Rentall and his rent
Quhairthrow than grew to him skant of riches
His daylie cheir, and expens did decres.
In that meane time thair was ane Empr[e]our
Octauiane, ane man of greit honour,
Quhilk in riches, sa richelie did abound,
That his compair was not vpon the ground.
That in so muche, he had in his treasoure
Of Gold siluer, the quhilk fulfild ane Towre.
Quhilk gold & Towre, thocht he it had at large
To ane greit Knicht to keip he gaue in charge.
This vther Knicht quhome of we spak of air,
That had spendit his rent and mekill mair,
On Idill gammes, as Hunting and Halking.
Lait sitting vp, and out of time spending.
To sic pureteth he grew and greit thirlage,
That he behuid to sell his heritage.
He callit to him his Sone quhilk was his Air,
And all the case to him he culd declair.
This is the case, but dout my Sone said he,
I am compeld, sa with greit pouertie,
That I on force, and neid mon sell my land,
Except remeid cum at sum vther hand,
Quhairthrow I may, Induring my life dayis
Leif honestlie, this to his Sone he sayis.
For gif I chance to sell my heritage
Ze ken my douchters wil want gude Mariage
He said Father, gif sa it with ȝow standis
That ȝe on neid, analie mon ȝour landis,
At ȝour plesure, quhairof I am content
Do as ȝe pleis, for thairto I consent.
The Father said, now I haue tane in thocht
Ane gude consait, and tell it will I nocht
Bot vnto the, I knaw the Empreoure
Of Gold and rent he hes fulfillit ane Towre.
Lat vs twa pas, with Instrumentis be nicht,
And brek the Towre with sutteltie and slicht.
We sall obtene riches aboundantlie,
Sall vs vphald euer in honestie,
Than said the Sone schortlie to mak an end,
Thair is na man that counsall can amend.
It is better tak fra the Empreour
Part of his Gold, his Siluer and treasour.
Than ȝe to sell ȝour land and heritage,
Quhairthrow ȝour barnis, sal leif ay in thirlage
Sa in ane voce thir twa did condiscend
To brek this Towre, but tary thay Intend,
Sa on ane nicht with Instrumentis thay past
And throw the Towre ane hole thay gat at last
Wan to the Gold, at larges quhair it lay,
Furneist thame sekkis, and vnscryit come away
Payit all his dettis, and leifit als merylie
As of befoir, in alkin game and glie.
In Halking Hunting and in Tornament,
Quhil at the last the Gold was gane and spent.
In the meane time, the keipar of the Towre
Quhilk had in charge all this Gold & treasour
Persauit the hole, and the Gold stollin away,
He was sorie, and wist not quhat to say.
Into all haist past to the Empreour,
And schew how theifis had stollin his greit treasour
The Empreour said, in Ire all angerlie
Quhat is yt caus thow schawis sic thing to me?
To the I gaue, as to ane trew seruand
My Gold to keip, and that thow tuke on hand
At the agane, I ask it to restoir,
As it becūmis, thow sall thoill panis thairfoir.
Quhen that this Knicht the Empreour sa hard say
He said na mair bot humblie come his way,
And saw thair was na mater to debait,
He vmbethocht him self of ane consait,
Thinkand richt weill that thay wald cū agane
To seik mair gold, to taint yame with ane trane
Befoir the hole ane Twn he gart prepair,
Middillit with pick birdlime and siclike wair.
Sa thick and teuch, that quha thairin cū wald
Contrair thair will, yair still it wald yame hald
And nane micht cum into that hole agane,
Bot he moste neidis fall in that samin trane.
Not lang efter, as I befoir haue said,
This vther Knicht, quhen the Gold spendit had
He and his Sone agane went to the Towre,
To steill mair Gold than fra the Empreoure.
Sa the Father first in the hole he went,
And in the Twn he fell Incontinent.
In to the nek, and thair stak as ane stane,
Considderit weill that his Fortoun was gane.
Said to his Sone cum thow fordwart no way,
For at this time, I am tane for the pray.
Cum thow fordwart thow sall not faill to die,
And nane of vs ane vther may supplie.
Than said the Sone, gif ȝe may not eschaip,
Than ar we baith but dout tane in the raip,
God vs defend Father that sa no be,
Bot at this time ȝe get sum help of me.
And gif I nocht may help ȝow now my sell,
In haist I will baith help and seik counsell.
The Father said I se is na remeid,
Bot with thy sword thow mon strike of my heid
And quhen thay find my deid body heidles,
Than sall ȝe all of this schame be saikles.
Sa nane sall knaw quhat persoun did this deid
Nor in quhais breist this bargane did inbreid.
Than said the Sone, now Father be the Rude,
Zour counsall is baith honest Iust and gude.
For gif sa chancit, in this case ȝe war knawin,
Siclike our schame till all men suld be schawin.
Sa suld we not eschaip the cruell deid,
Sa I think best that I smite of ȝour heid.
And euin with that, as he had said the word,
Out of the scheith anone he drew his sword.
His Fathers heid he hint of haistelie,
And in ane gutter he kest it neir hand by,
Quhē this was done thā past he hame his way
To his awin hous, vnto his Sisteris tway.
Schew thame the case, and all the mater haill.
Quha sair did weip, priuelie and bewaill.
Sone efter this the keipar of the Towre,
Quhilk had in charge the gold and the treasoure
Quhair the hole was, within the Twn he fand,
Ane heidles corps vnto the nek standand,
Quhairof he had baith meruell and dredour,
In haist he past and tauld the Empreour.
Incontinent throw all the toun than ȝeid,
How thair was found ane body but a heid.
Into the Twn the quhilk the Knicht did set,
Quha staill the Gold, to tak him in the Net.
Than to this Knicht the empreour said but faill
Tak the deid corps and knit to ane hors taill,
And draw it throw the streitis of the Cietie,
And persaue weill quhair ony murmure be,
Ony sorrow, sturt greting or murning,
Than ȝe may weill persaue quhair that sic thing
Be attayntit, quhair ony persoun murnis
Thay ar gyltie, and wait of siclike turnis,
And is principall, of that Ilk hous but dout
That staill the Gold, thairfoir seik weill about
Gif sic ȝe find, tak thame and all thair fellowis
Without mercy gar hang yame on ye Gallowis.
The Officers without delay thay went
And completit the Empreours commandment.
Quhen the Douchters the deid corps saw cū by,
For Inwart wo thay gaue ane hiddeous cry.
For kindlie lufe and Fatherlie pietie,
To sa that corps sa drawin throw the Cietie.
Quhen yair brother, the sone of yat deid knicht
Hard thame sa murne bethocht him of ane slicht
Quhairfoir yt corps throw the Cietie was drawin
To the pepill the caus was richt weill knawin,
And wist na way for to eschew the cace,
Sa he him self sair woundit in the face.
Quhill that the blude aboundantlie come out,
That the Sisters of his life had greit dout.
The officers persauit the weiping,
The noyis the cry the sturt and the greting
Into the hous thay enterit but delay,
And demandit quhairfoir thay maid the fray.
Than said the Sone, quhen my Sisters me saw
Sa sair woundit, as now ȝour self may knaw,
Thay grat and cryit, and murnit in thair mude
And as ȝe knaw, few wemen may se blude.
This was the caus of thair greit lamenting
Of my Sisteris, we knaw na vther thing.
The Officers heirto thay gaue credence,
Becaus thay gat na mair experience,
Bot went thair wayis dissauit all and blyndit,
Caus ye richt way thay culd not seik nor find it
Sine tuik the corps of this same heidles Knicht
On the Gallous leit it hing day and nicht:
Till all pepill did wonder and meruell
Of the stollin gold, quhen thay the tail hard tell
And ȝit the Sone efter the Fatheris deid
Wald not burie in the Kirkȝaird his heid,
Nor of the treis his bodie wald doun take
This did the Sone for his awin Fathers sake.
Ze may persaue the greit lufe and fauour
To his Father he had all time and hour.
The Emprice said, gude schir & pleis ȝour grace
Quhat I haue said, haue ȝe weill tane the cace?
The Empreour said, Madame sa haue I seill
Quhat ȝe haue said, I haue it tane richt weill.
Quhilk in yai dayis was heid of cristindome
Thair dwelt ane Knicht, the suith ȝow for to say
Had bot ane Sone, and he had Douchters tway
This Knicht was geuin to Halking & Hunting
Greit Tornamentis, and to swift hors rinning.
To merynes and all kind of plesour,
That micht hald vp and furth set his honour.
Sa euerie ȝeir sa greit riches he spent,
Quhilk thrise ouircome his Rentall and his rent
Quhairthrow than grew to him skant of riches
His daylie cheir, and expens did decres.
In that meane time thair was ane Empr[e]our
Octauiane, ane man of greit honour,
Quhilk in riches, sa richelie did abound,
That his compair was not vpon the ground.
That in so muche, he had in his treasoure
Of Gold siluer, the quhilk fulfild ane Towre.
Quhilk gold & Towre, thocht he it had at large
To ane greit Knicht to keip he gaue in charge.
This vther Knicht quhome of we spak of air,
That had spendit his rent and mekill mair,
On Idill gammes, as Hunting and Halking.
Lait sitting vp, and out of time spending.
To sic pureteth he grew and greit thirlage,
That he behuid to sell his heritage.
He callit to him his Sone quhilk was his Air,
And all the case to him he culd declair.
This is the case, but dout my Sone said he,
I am compeld, sa with greit pouertie,
That I on force, and neid mon sell my land,
Except remeid cum at sum vther hand,
94
Leif honestlie, this to his Sone he sayis.
For gif I chance to sell my heritage
Ze ken my douchters wil want gude Mariage
He said Father, gif sa it with ȝow standis
That ȝe on neid, analie mon ȝour landis,
At ȝour plesure, quhairof I am content
Do as ȝe pleis, for thairto I consent.
The Father said, now I haue tane in thocht
Ane gude consait, and tell it will I nocht
Bot vnto the, I knaw the Empreoure
Of Gold and rent he hes fulfillit ane Towre.
Lat vs twa pas, with Instrumentis be nicht,
And brek the Towre with sutteltie and slicht.
We sall obtene riches aboundantlie,
Sall vs vphald euer in honestie,
Than said the Sone schortlie to mak an end,
Thair is na man that counsall can amend.
It is better tak fra the Empreour
Part of his Gold, his Siluer and treasour.
Than ȝe to sell ȝour land and heritage,
Quhairthrow ȝour barnis, sal leif ay in thirlage
Sa in ane voce thir twa did condiscend
To brek this Towre, but tary thay Intend,
Sa on ane nicht with Instrumentis thay past
And throw the Towre ane hole thay gat at last
Wan to the Gold, at larges quhair it lay,
Furneist thame sekkis, and vnscryit come away
Payit all his dettis, and leifit als merylie
As of befoir, in alkin game and glie.
In Halking Hunting and in Tornament,
Quhil at the last the Gold was gane and spent.
In the meane time, the keipar of the Towre
Quhilk had in charge all this Gold & treasour
Persauit the hole, and the Gold stollin away,
95
Into all haist past to the Empreour,
And schew how theifis had stollin his greit treasour
The Empreour said, in Ire all angerlie
Quhat is yt caus thow schawis sic thing to me?
To the I gaue, as to ane trew seruand
My Gold to keip, and that thow tuke on hand
At the agane, I ask it to restoir,
As it becūmis, thow sall thoill panis thairfoir.
Quhen that this Knicht the Empreour sa hard say
He said na mair bot humblie come his way,
And saw thair was na mater to debait,
He vmbethocht him self of ane consait,
Thinkand richt weill that thay wald cū agane
To seik mair gold, to taint yame with ane trane
Befoir the hole ane Twn he gart prepair,
Middillit with pick birdlime and siclike wair.
Sa thick and teuch, that quha thairin cū wald
Contrair thair will, yair still it wald yame hald
And nane micht cum into that hole agane,
Bot he moste neidis fall in that samin trane.
Not lang efter, as I befoir haue said,
This vther Knicht, quhen the Gold spendit had
He and his Sone agane went to the Towre,
To steill mair Gold than fra the Empreoure.
Sa the Father first in the hole he went,
And in the Twn he fell Incontinent.
In to the nek, and thair stak as ane stane,
Considderit weill that his Fortoun was gane.
Said to his Sone cum thow fordwart no way,
For at this time, I am tane for the pray.
Cum thow fordwart thow sall not faill to die,
And nane of vs ane vther may supplie.
Than said the Sone, gif ȝe may not eschaip,
Than ar we baith but dout tane in the raip,
God vs defend Father that sa no be,
96
And gif I nocht may help ȝow now my sell,
In haist I will baith help and seik counsell.
The Father said I se is na remeid,
Bot with thy sword thow mon strike of my heid
And quhen thay find my deid body heidles,
Than sall ȝe all of this schame be saikles.
Sa nane sall knaw quhat persoun did this deid
Nor in quhais breist this bargane did inbreid.
Than said the Sone, now Father be the Rude,
Zour counsall is baith honest Iust and gude.
For gif sa chancit, in this case ȝe war knawin,
Siclike our schame till all men suld be schawin.
Sa suld we not eschaip the cruell deid,
Sa I think best that I smite of ȝour heid.
And euin with that, as he had said the word,
Out of the scheith anone he drew his sword.
His Fathers heid he hint of haistelie,
And in ane gutter he kest it neir hand by,
Quhē this was done thā past he hame his way
To his awin hous, vnto his Sisteris tway.
Schew thame the case, and all the mater haill.
Quha sair did weip, priuelie and bewaill.
Sone efter this the keipar of the Towre,
Quhilk had in charge the gold and the treasoure
Quhair the hole was, within the Twn he fand,
Ane heidles corps vnto the nek standand,
Quhairof he had baith meruell and dredour,
In haist he past and tauld the Empreour.
Incontinent throw all the toun than ȝeid,
How thair was found ane body but a heid.
Into the Twn the quhilk the Knicht did set,
Quha staill the Gold, to tak him in the Net.
Than to this Knicht the empreour said but faill
Tak the deid corps and knit to ane hors taill,
And draw it throw the streitis of the Cietie,
97
Ony sorrow, sturt greting or murning,
Than ȝe may weill persaue quhair that sic thing
Be attayntit, quhair ony persoun murnis
Thay ar gyltie, and wait of siclike turnis,
And is principall, of that Ilk hous but dout
That staill the Gold, thairfoir seik weill about
Gif sic ȝe find, tak thame and all thair fellowis
Without mercy gar hang yame on ye Gallowis.
The Officers without delay thay went
And completit the Empreours commandment.
Quhen the Douchters the deid corps saw cū by,
For Inwart wo thay gaue ane hiddeous cry.
For kindlie lufe and Fatherlie pietie,
To sa that corps sa drawin throw the Cietie.
Quhen yair brother, the sone of yat deid knicht
Hard thame sa murne bethocht him of ane slicht
Quhairfoir yt corps throw the Cietie was drawin
To the pepill the caus was richt weill knawin,
And wist na way for to eschew the cace,
Sa he him self sair woundit in the face.
Quhill that the blude aboundantlie come out,
That the Sisters of his life had greit dout.
The officers persauit the weiping,
The noyis the cry the sturt and the greting
Into the hous thay enterit but delay,
And demandit quhairfoir thay maid the fray.
Than said the Sone, quhen my Sisters me saw
Sa sair woundit, as now ȝour self may knaw,
Thay grat and cryit, and murnit in thair mude
And as ȝe knaw, few wemen may se blude.
This was the caus of thair greit lamenting
Of my Sisteris, we knaw na vther thing.
The Officers heirto thay gaue credence,
Becaus thay gat na mair experience,
Bot went thair wayis dissauit all and blyndit,
98
Sine tuik the corps of this same heidles Knicht
On the Gallous leit it hing day and nicht:
Till all pepill did wonder and meruell
Of the stollin gold, quhen thay the tail hard tell
And ȝit the Sone efter the Fatheris deid
Wald not burie in the Kirkȝaird his heid,
Nor of the treis his bodie wald doun take
This did the Sone for his awin Fathers sake.
Ze may persaue the greit lufe and fauour
To his Father he had all time and hour.
The Emprice said, gude schir & pleis ȝour grace
Quhat I haue said, haue ȝe weill tane the cace?
The Empreour said, Madame sa haue I seill
Quhat ȝe haue said, I haue it tane richt weill.
| The seuin Seages | |