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 |
 |
|
The Tale of the secund Maister. |
 | The seuin Seages |  |
78
The Tale of the secund Maister.
In ane Cietie thair was ane Ancient KnichtThat had maryit ane Lady fair and bricht,
As ȝe haue ane, my Lord to ȝour plesour
And held hir vp in all eis and honour.
Lufit hir sa weill, abone all eirdly thing,
Sic as ȝe do your Quene my Souerane King.
He lude hir sa, he culd not eit nor drink
But hir presence, sa on hir ay did think.
And als at euin quhen all folk to bed past,
The ȝettis and dures siclike he lokkit fast,
And all the keyis vnder his heid thay lay,
Euerilk nicht quhill morne that it was day.
And at ilk morne quhen he thocht time to rise,
Oppinnit the dures him self as was the gise.
In that Cietie was ane custome and Law,
Cryit oppinlie, that Ilk persoun micht knaw.
At ane set hour ane Bell was roung at nicht,
That all micht heir, and vnderstand full richt,
And thairefter withouttin mair delay
The watche was set to walk quhill it was day.
Sine efter that, gif thay culd ony meit
Gangand allone, or walkand on the streit.
Sone thay war tane, and vnto presoun led,
Quhill on the morne that all men rais fra bed,
Thay war fast bound to ane stock or ane tre,
To thair greit schame, that all the toun micht se
Sine efter that, Induring thair lifetime
Thay war repute as giltie of ane crime,
And haldin furth fra all gude companie,
This was the Law that time of this Cietie.
This foirsaid Knicht quhairof I spak of air,
Was growin in age, ane auld man and ane hair
His rampand rage of ȝouth he had compleit,
79
Howbeit he lude his Lady weill aneuch.
Zit as ȝe ken, mair graith pertenis the pleuch.
And scho persauit of sic craft he did faill
Scho tuke in heid ane vther to assaill,
And sa scho did, ane man of tender age
In lustis bour for to win vassalage,
Quha had ane quyet Chalmer in the toun,
Sa euerie nicht efter this Knicht lay doun,
Vnder his heid the key scho staill away,
To hir ȝoung lufe scho went quhair that he lay
And sa scho did, als oft as euer scho list,
Tuke furth the keyis that hir husband not wist
And quhen scho come fra hir tryst and hir trane,
Scho laid the keyis vnder his heid agane.
So it befell vpon ane wynter nicht
Ane walking come vpon this Elderin Knicht
He culd not sleip, ȝit walking as he lay,
He turnit about, and mist his wife away,
Vpon hir Name he cryit ofter nor thrise,
Scho answerit not, than he begouth to rise,
Socht all the hous be na way culd hir find.
And wist not weill gif scho was out or in.
Socht his bed heid quhair that the keyis lay,
Quhat wald ȝe mair thay war all tane away,
Past to the ȝettis, all oppin he thame fand,
But mair auise he closit thame fra hand,
In ane windo that oppinnit vp to the gait
Mekill of the nicht thair sat he at the wait,
And quhen it was about the thrid Cok craw
Makand hir hame, his awin wife he saw,
Quha fand the ȝettis vpon hir lokkit fast,
Ze may weill wit that scho was than agast.
Neuer the les becaus the ȝettis was lokkit,
For to win in peirtlie thairat scho knokkit.
Than said the Knicht, O thow woman vnclene
80
O wickit wife, and wofull waryit wicht,
Quhy hes thow now dissauit thy awin Knicht
Of quhom thow knew all hail thow had ye hart
Of thy bawdrie now I am weill expart.
For this is not the first time thow hes done
Sic harlatrie, thow sall rew be ȝone Mone.
Quhill the watche cum thair still ȝe sall remane
And as Law will, thairefter thoill the pane.
Than said the wife, my Lord quhy say ȝe sa,
Quhair I was now, thair was witnes far ma.
My motheris Mayd scho come and fetchit me,
Quhilk lyis richt seik, and is in point to die.
And than becaus I saw ȝow weill on rest,
To wakin ȝow I thocht it not the best.
That gart me steill the keyis fra ȝow away,
I thocht pietie to walkin ȝow as ȝe lay.
For quhy ȝe ken ȝe ar febill and auld
To walkin ȝow of ȝour first sleip ȝe wald
Bene seik the morne, and wonder Ill disposit,
Thairfoir craib not, that ȝour ȝettis was unclosit
And my Mother als is sa wonder seik,
Ane word to me, skarslie scho had to speik.
Anoyntit ellis, and maid hir latter will
And now my self hes haistit me ȝow till.
Thairfoir gude Lord I pray ȝow hartfullie
Tak na suspect, nor think na fault in me.
For I had neuer sic thing in my thocht
Sen the first time to ȝour bed I was brocht,
Nor neuer had sic thing into my hart
Nor neuer sall, quhill deid vs twa depart.
Thairfoir I pray, ȝe lat me not be tane
With the toū watche, heir standing mine alane
For now the hour approches wonder neir.
That the watche rise, & thay will find me heir,
81
And als to ȝow it is ane greit defame.
War I gyltie or ȝit committit crime.
I wald witschaif ȝe held me out this time.
Than said the Knicht doubtles ȝe cum not in,
For na prayer of ȝow nor all ȝour kin.
Quhill that the watche betak ȝow in the snair,
Than quhair ȝe war, to thame ȝe mon declair.
Than the wife said, my Lord gif sa ȝe do
In greit defame of vs baith it cummis to,
And all our kin, Alya and our freindis,
And all vther that ather of vs pertenis.
Gif I be heir now with the toun watche found
I rather gif ane hundreth thousand pound.
Quod he Ill wife, and woman far defamit.
Thow hes sa done, yat thyself thow hes schamit
Far better war for thy falt puneist be,
And heir thoill schame, that all mankind may se
Nor for to thoill punischment efter deid,
In birnand hell, quhair thair is na remeid.
Than said the wife my Lord I ȝow require,
In this ane point to fulfill my desire.
Now for his saik that deit vpon the tre,
Thoill not sic schame sa saikles cum to me.
The Knicht answerit vnto his wife agane,
Ill wickit wife thy wordis ar all in vane,
Thow cūmis not in vnto the watches knaw,
And be puneist efter the cours of Law.
Than said the wife I persaue this is done
All for Inuy, and ȝe ar Inoportune.
Than sen sa is, ȝe ar Impatient,
I will ȝow schaw in few wordis my Intent.
My Lord ȝe knaw at this ȝet standis ane well
Quhairin but dout now I sall drowne my sell,
Rather nor I, and all my kin be schamit,
And als ȝour self sall not chaip vndefamit
82
Lang time befoir I saw ȝow with mine Ene.
Sa as thir twa togidder was at talk
The Mone wox dark, and hid was vnder walk
Than said the wife, my Lord and be ȝour will
That I heir bide, the same I mon fulfill.
Or I bide heir, and for to schame my sell
Rather I sall be drownit in this well.
Bot I will do as ane gude Cristin wicht,
Aucht to hir Lord, and to ane Nobill Knicht.
Zit or I die my minde is and Intent
Befoir ȝow heir to mak my Testament.
Heir to the Lord first I bequyth my Saull,
My banis to ly in the Kirk of Sanct Paull,
As for my gudes, had I ten thousand pound.
Ten thousand ky gangand vpon the ground,
Als mony Plewis gangand vpon the land,
Als mony scheip as thairvpon micht stand.
I wald leif all vnto ȝour awin persoun,
Thame to dispone at ȝour awin discretioun.
And gif ȝe pleis ony thing for to deill
Into Almus, for my weill and Saull heill,
That I refer to ȝour awin wit and will,
Quhat euer ȝe pleis, the same for to fulfill.
For weill I wait ȝe will do bot the richt,
I say na mair my sweit husband gudnicht.
As scho that said, in hir armes culd scho tak
Ane mekill stane, and in the well did swak.
That being done, scho come richt preuilie
To the ȝet cheik, and stude thair quietlie.
The Knicht heiring the stane fall in the well,
Beleuit weill it was the Lady sell.
And said allace, my wife is drownit but dout,
Sa in ane fray the Knicht come rinnand out,
And to the well he sped him but mair baid,
The wife that saw, and in at the ȝet scho slaid,
83
To the windo in haist scho culd hir cast.
In the meane time the Knicht stude at the well,
Murning richt sair and saying to him sell.
Wo be the hour that euer I was borne,
My lufit wife allace is now forlorne.
Wo be the hour that euer I closit my ȝet,
Wo be the hour in my windo I set
To spy my wife, quhilk I wait was saikles,
I am the wite now of hir deid doutles.
Allace, allace, now is thair na remeid
Throw wilfulnes of vs baith scho is deid.
The Lady hard, in windo quhair scho lay,
And to the Knicht with sturdie wordis culd say
O ȝe auld fule, that suld be callit ane Knicht.
Quhat do ȝe thair standing this time of nicht,
Out of ȝour bed walking sa wonder lait,
Waitting ȝour hures and harlotis on the gait.
Micht it not serue my body at ȝour will,
Bot ȝe wald pas ȝour auld huredome vntill.
This is nichtlie ȝe vse the same passage,
Ze sall repent richt sair ȝour auld fulage.
The Knicht knawing the voce of his awin wife
He was richt blyith that scho was ȝit on life.
Saying Lady weill is me euer mair,
Louing to God that I may heir ȝow thair.
For I beleuit ȝe had bene in the well,
Quod scho auld fule keip the out of it thy sell.
Thow seruis better for to haue punischement,
For thy baudrie, nor halie gaitis to went.
Quod he Lady lat ȝe sic langage be,
Quhat is the caus ȝe say sic thing to me?
Quhen I lockit the ȝet ȝe sall me trow
I did nathing bot to haue chaissit ȝow.
For in na wise I neuer did Intend
Zow to displeis, or ony way offend.
84
Vnto my hart thair straik ane cruell knell,
And in all haist ȝe saw as I come doun
Zow to preserue, that na wayis ȝe sould droun.
Auld dosinnit Carll (quod scho) I heir the lie,
Thow was ouir peirt to Iudge sic thing to me.
Bot I persaue this Prouerb is richt trew,
The Iniust oft the Innocent dois persew.
Thow leis to me, and hes done mony time,
Euer the gilt quhen thow committis the crime,
As thow dois now, that neuer to the faillit,
Bot thy greit slicht as now I haue assailit,
And hes the tane into the sicker snair,
Quhairfoir but doubt for me thow sall stand yair
Quhill watches cum, and with thame to be sene
In times bygane ane auld fule thow hes bene,
That me lichtlyit, thy awin wife and dispisit,
And to thy hures ȝeid oft times disagisit,
And euer hes done, sen first time I the kend,
All thy lifetime in lownrie thow hes spend.
Bot God will not lat sic vnpuneist be,
For mony fault thow hes done oft to me.
For he is Iust, and will haue sic thing schawin
And I sall mak it vnto the pepill knawin.
Thairfoir stād still, thow cūmis not in but dout
Quhill the watches, and al Nichtbouris about
Quhat ane thow art, thay may perfytelie knaw
And thairefter to bide the straik of Law.
Than said the Knicht, Lady I haue meruell
To quhat effect suld ȝe sic to me tell.
Ze knaw richt weill that I am auld and hair,
And in this toun I haue bene euer mair,
And weill I wait quhair my name was proclamit
Vnto this hour for na caus was defamit.
Thairfoir Lady for the gude Lordis Name
Thoill me cum in, and let me not tak schame.
85
Thair sall thow stand, and thoil of law ye pane
Better it is to thoill heir patientlie,
Nor euer mair in hell condampnit be.
Salomon sayis thre things that God dois hait
Ane pure proud man abone his awin estait.
Sine ane riche man in consuetude to lie,
And ane auld man ane fond fule for to be.
And sa but dout ȝe bruik thir vices thre,
Quhat neid had ȝe sa far to lie on me.
As for riches, ȝe haue riches at will
Quhy suld ȝe than ȝour speiche with falset spill?
As for ane Fule, ȝe are ane wonder couth,
For as ȝe ken the flour of all my ȝouth,
At ȝour plesure ȝe haue had euer mair,
Zit to baudrie ȝe ȝaid baith lait and air
Thairfoir God hes done wonder weill ȝow till
Thocht ȝe contrair baith his command and wil[l]
Hes perseuerit still in ȝour harlatrie,
Zit he will not thairfoir ȝe perischit be,
Bot lent ȝow grace ȝour sinnis heir repent
Thairfoir ȝe mon bide Law and Iudgement.
Than said the Knicht my Lady best belufit,
Howbeit God be contrair ane sinner mufit,
Zit not the les as all sinnaris suld trow,
God of his grace is to vs mercyfow,
Quhat time we will forbeir and als repent,
Than God forgeuis our sinnes Incontinent.
Thairfoir Lady sen sic grace God vs sendis
Now let me in, and I sall mak ane mendis
Than said the wife with voice stout and austeir
Hence the harlot, quhair deil gat we this Freir
Talk quhat thow pleis, bot trewlie yu sall trow
Thow cummis not in, and heir I mak ane vow
And as thay spak thir wordis thame amang,
In the meane time the watches bell thay rang.
86
Heir ȝe not now how that the watche bell rings
Suffer me not for euer to tak schame,
Quhilk is forsuith degrading of my Name.
Quod scho ȝe wait not quhat ȝone ringing menis
To the weilfair of ȝour saull it pertenis.
Thairfoir ȝe man tak all furth pacientlie
For ȝour pennance ȝe mon thoill opinlie
Ane trespassour but dout lang haue ȝe bene
To GOD and me, as sall be hard and sene.
In the meane time thir twasum as thay talkit,
Vp throw the streit the watches come yt walkit.
Sone into handis thay tuik this Nobil Knicht
With greit meruell, how he into the nicht
Vpon the streit durst furth of ludgeing be,
Thay to him said it was na Knichts dewtie:
Considering weill the dout of Law he kend,
He was to bauld the contrair to pretend.
Scho heiring this with a loude voice scho cryit
O my gude freinds, the treuth now ȝe haue spyit
Of that Truikour, and als ane dotit Fule,
That his foule lust on na wayis he culd cule.
Bot vpon hures furth passing on the nicht,
Pans ȝe gif sic pertenis to ane auld Knicht.
That my bodie at plesour had all time,
Consider now gif he committit crime:
With hures all nicht, and cūming in at morne
Bot of sic faultis I haue him oft forborne.
Beleuing ay sic faultis he suld haue mendit,
Bot ȝe may se gif he hes now offendit.
Thairfoir gif ȝe of sic hes correctioun,
Conforme to Law ȝe puneis his persoun.
That sic auld deuillis as he sa lang hes bene
Tak exampill of him befoir thair ene.
For he hes bene to me ane greit tratour,
I wait sic ane ȝit neuer maid natour.
87
To deip presoun with him in haist thay went.
Quhill day was licht, and efter the Sone rais,
With him the watche vnto the Prouest gais,
Schawing to him the fassoun to the end,
How on the nicht thay did him comprehend:
And how to thame his wife sic plaintis maid,
Incontinent the Prouest but mair baid
To ane piller stude in middis of the streit,
Gart set him vp fast bundin hands and feit,
That all the pepill within that greit Citie
To his greit schame, maid him that all micht se
And sa this Knicht but ony fault defamit,
Was throw his wife sa saikles euer schamit.
The Doctour then said humblie to the King,
And pleis ȝour grace ȝe haue vnderstanding
Quhat I haue said, thempreour said richt weill
Zour Sermone hes sentence sa haue I feill.
The Maister said it sall worse happin ȝow
Nor chācit this Knicht for treuth yis ȝe sal trow
Gif that ȝe do for the wordis of ȝour wife.
Put doun ȝour sone, and reif fra him his life.
The Empreour said that wife was far to blame
That hir husband put to sic oppin schame
And he saikles, the foull Ill hir betide,
Scho was the worst, that ȝit did gang or ride,
And for that Tale that thow hes tauld to me,
This day but dout my Sone he sall not die.
The Maister said, my Lord ȝe doing so
Within few dayis, baith plesure and greit Io
Of ȝour ane Sone, ȝe sall haue Schir but faill,
Sa this Maister quhen he had tauld his Taill,
Thankit the King of his beneuolence,
Sa tuke his leif, and hamewart is gone hence
| The seuin Seages | |