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 declaratioun of the Emprice thrid Taill. |
 | The seuin Seages |  |
The declaratioun of the Emprice thrid Taill.
This flowing well, of ȝour Sone is the singThe seuin springs ar his maisters wt cūning
Quhilk well can not richt sone distroyit be,
Except ȝe first gar the seuin Maisters die.
This being done, the well sa sall ȝe waist,
Gar sla ȝour Sone, of this ȝe gif me traist.
Sa well and springis fra thay distroyit be,
Than ȝe may haue all at tranquillitie.
Zour haill Impyre weill into peice and rest,
Forsuith (quod he) Madame I think that best.
Incontinent than gaue he strait command,
To the Gallous to leid his Sone fra hand.
Doun throw the streit as Officers him led,
Ane Maister come, and at the spurris him sped.
To the Empreour with all gude reuerence,
Quhome to he said, pas swyith fra my presence,
For the gude saind that ȝe haue send to me:
Ze serue all seuin on Gallous for to die.
I send ȝow seuin my Sone richt weill speiking
Now he is dum, and do can na kin thing.
Bot onlie ane, this thing I maist detest,
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Thairfoir rewaird na thing ȝe serue of me,
Bot ȝe all seuin with him sall hangit be.
The Maister said, I seruit ane better thing,
To my rewaird, nor on Gallous to hing.
Quhair ȝour grace sayis, yt now ȝour sone is dū
God knawis the caus, the time is not ȝit cum.
Of his speiking the time will cum at schort,
Thairfoir I pray ȝour grace to tak comfort:
And ȝe sall se the day approche richt neir,
That he sall speik, quhil all this place may heir
As to ȝour Quene, in that point quhair ȝe tell
It is not prouin, nor nouther is gospell.
Nor for the wordis of ane singular persoun,
Without mair prufe, ȝour sone suld not put doū,
And gif ȝe do for the wordis of ȝour wife
But gude knawledge fra ȝour Sone tak ye life.
It sall be war with ȝow I dar weill say,
Nor chancit ane man and his wife on ane day:
Quhilk I sall schaw to ȝow be narratioun,
And preif the same be gude probatioun.
The Empreour said, trow ȝe to do with me
As seuin Maisteris did anis in this Cietie
With thair fals taillis vnto thair natiue King
Nay, nay, not sa, it sall not be sic thing.
The Maister said, the fault of ane or two
Suld not redound to rebuke blame or wo
Of all vthers, for it is richt weill kend
Baith gude and Ill is to the warldis end.
Bot of ane treuth ane thing I sall ȝow schaw,
Put ȝe ȝour Sone to deid for ȝour wifes saw:
It sal ȝow chance as did this hinder ȝeir
Vnto ane Knicht, gif ȝe pleis ȝe sall heir.
The Empreour said I pray ȝow schaw me richt
Quhat thing become, or chancit to that Knicht
The Maister said againe ȝour Sone gar call,
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And keip him still my taill quhill I haue tald
Than ȝour awin will ȝe haue euin as ȝe wald.
Quhen I haue done thā tak ȝour awin plesour,
I will sa do than said the Empreour.
And sa his Sone againe he gart thame caw
As for that day he suld not thoill the Law.
Sa this Maister his exampill began,
And tauld his taill furth like ane cūning man
Bot ȝit his taill farther or we furth set
The Quenis last taill we will not ȝit forȝet.
| The seuin Seages | |