University of Virginia Library

Befoir our dayis thair was baith hard & sene
Kingis, Empreouris into this toun hes bene
Amang the rest I remember on ane
Quhilk callit was to Name Octauiane.
Sa couetous as he was to win gold,
I neuer red ane formit on the mold.
The Cietiȝanis that time as I hard say
Thay had greit weiris with all about thē lay,
And all Natiounis richt cruellie thay dantit,
Quhair thay tribute or ony manrent wantit.
Quhill that it come to sic het point of weir.
That all Natiounis in thair contrair did steir.
In that meane time yair was ane maister Clark
Dwelling in Rome, richt cunning in his wark.
Callit Virgill, the quhilk in Arsmetrik,
He was sa sle, that nane was found him lik.
The Cietiȝanis this Clark thay did require,
That he wald wirk, & win fra thame gude hire
To finde sum way be his craft and cunning
For to Ingraue sum Image or sic thing,
Of his pretik, Ingine or Industrie,
Subtell science, or ȝit Nycromansie.
Quhairby yt thay micht haue perfite knawlege,
Quhen Enemeis to weirfair maid veyage:
And to eschew fra all aduersitie,
And seik fordwart thair awin prosperitie.
Quhairby thay micht prouyde thair purueyāce
For gude or euill quhidder that it did chance.
The Cietiȝans than with this cunning Clark
Maid ane accord, and sa fell to his wark.
Within the toun he buyldit vp ane Towre,
Of ane greit hicht, and als of greit valour,
And set vpon the samin Towris heid,
Greit Images of Irne, Tin, bras and Leid.
To the number be thair awin discriptiounis,
As thair was than in all the warld of Regioūis
In the middis of that samin Towre of hicht,
Ane greit Image he set to all mannis sicht.
And in the hand it bure ane goldin ball,
As it suld bene the Maister of thame all.
And Ilk ane had of the rest be thame sell,
Into thair hand ane lytill ringand bell,
And turnit thair face to the same Regioun,
To thame assignit, and tuik dominioun.
Gif ony Realme or Regioun vp wald rise,
In contrair Rome, or rebell ony wise.
Than that Image to ony Ilk Regioun,
It had respect, or ȝit dominioun
Wald mufe the face, and also ring the bell,
And thame to warne it wald not faill to tell
Than the Romanis or ony fais wist,
That rebellioun rais for to resist.
And armour them into all faitis of weir,
As thame become, or to thame culd effeir.
And sa small land thair was in Christindome
Bot be that way was maid subiect to Rome.
Quhairthrow yai wā greit worschip & honours
Ouir all the warld thay war callit conquerours
This being done this nobill cunning Clark,
In Romes toun he maid ane vther wark.
Quhilk was ane fire continuallie burning,
Baith nicht and day, and neuer had slokning.
To the pepill being ane greit comfort,
Solace and mirth, blyithnes and mekill sport.
Twa bathing fattis he maid within the toun,
To commountie greit consolatioun.
The ane was cauld, preparit for simmer sessoun
The vther het, for winter quhilk was ressoun.
Gif ony man his bodie wald refresche,
Pas to that ane, thairwith he micht him wesche
Betuix thir Bathis, and this continuall licht,
Ane Image maid of greit stature and hicht.
With sic Ingine, sa lang as thair it stude
The fire suld birne, and ay the Bathis do gude.
In quhais foirheid was writin with letters fine
Quha strykis me doun greit treasure sal yai tine
And mair atouir it may fall sic ane chance,
Quhen yai haue done to tak ane greit vengeāce
This Image was maid with sic craftines,
Till that it stude, and thoilland na distres.
The fire lestit, and neuer mair ȝeid out,
The baths twa stude in yair awin ply but dout
Quhill at the last ane cunning Clerk come by,
And this Image perfitelie culd espy.
The wryting red, and to him self he said,
Quhat kin vengeance can on ane man be laid.
Or quhat treasure may ony man now tine?
That strykis the doun, or puttis the to ruine.
Bot I beleue rather hid for to be,
Vnder thy feit sum greit sowmes of monie.
Sum riche Iowellis of gold or sum treasour,
That thow art sa set vp with sic honour.
This I beleue, and is the liklyest,
And sa at schort this Image doun he kest,
To that effect sum treasure to obtene,
Bot nane he gat, becaus nane thair had bene.
Bot sa sone as that Image fell but dout,
Incontinent the fire was quenchit out.
The Baths twa was vanischit out of sicht,
Did neuer gude, nor efter had na micht.
The pure pepill heirof was wonder sorie,
That thay war sa destitute of sic glorie.
Baith of thair Baths, and of thair lestand licht
Quhilk to thame did greit comfort day & nicht
Sayand Ilk ane with loude voice to the air,
Curst mot he be for now and euer mair,
That vs sa quyte of comfort hes maid clene,
That we sa lang in conswetude hes bene.
For his plesure and profeit singulair,
Wo be to him with sturt and mekill cair.
Zit not the les thair treasure gat he none,
And our plesures all quyte away is gone.
In this meane time was leuand Kingis thre,
To quhome Romanis had done greit vilanie,
Be greit murther and malice thame molest,
With cruell weiris, and slauchter thame opprest
On quhome thay wald richt fane reuēgeit bene
Sa to counsall thir thre Kingis did conuene.
With yair Barroūs, yair Lords & yair knichts
And vthers men of greit wisdome and michts.
How that thay micht on Rome reuengeit be,
For thair slauchter and thair greit vilanie:
Vnto thame done in diuers times went,
And culd na way on thame get assythment.
Quhen diuers dayis thay had at counsall bene
Sum of thame said this auaillis not ane prene,
Thair michtis is far abone all our puissance,
Thairfoir we think sum vther conuoyance:
We mon attempt, and new consaitis considder,
Thairfoir lat all our wittis now ga togidder.
Than four auld Knichtis yt was of coūsall gude
Befoir thair King and Lordis vp thay stude,
Saying thir wordis we think we wirk in vane,
On this mater sa lang for to remaine.
For treuth it is quhil yair greit towre vpstandis
With Images and bellis into thair handis
Quhilk warnis thē quhen ony Regioū will rise,
In thair contrair, than pas thay to deuise
Remeid thairfoir, quhat land aganis them steir[is]
With all defence, and cruell fait of weiris.
Sa we mon rin vpon ane vther burde,
Eschew the deip, and cast vs to the furde.
Than said the Kingis quhat think ȝe best to do.
Quod thay pleis ȝe our counsall to stand to,
Sa that ȝe will thairon to mak the coist,
We sall ȝow pleis, or ellis our heidis be loist.
Than said the Kingis for coist se ȝe not spair,
Thairof ȝe sall be answerit and far mair.
Than said the Knichtis the mater standis thus
Octauiane ȝe knaw is couetous,
And lufis gold ȝe ken abone measure,
Thairfoir he mon be blindit with treasure.
The sicht of gold will gar him sa Inclinde,
To all our sawis, he hes gold sa in minde.
Pakkit richt weill four Punsiounis to the heid
Ze mon furneis of cuinȝeit gold sa reid.
With gude conuoy and ordourlie expence,
Quhill that we get the Empreouris presence.
This being done, get ȝe not ȝour Intent
We sall all four tine landis life and rent.
The Kingis said, go to it sall be done,
Thay maid fordwart, the gold was gottin sone
Four full punsiounis of gold that was sa bricht
To Romes toun thay brocht within the nicht.
Na mā knawing quhat thair within was closit
To thair purpois quhen yai thē thocht disposit
Thir four Punsiounis into four sindrie artis
In Romes toun thay hid at diuers partis.
Sum in Fuseis, in draw wellis and in dykis,
Laich in the eird, and sum thay sank in sykis.
This being done, thay come in quyetlie,
To thair hostage, and lay doun preuilie.
And on the morne at time of day thay rais,
With gude Intent, and to the Palice gais.
And sa belyue as thay past vp the streit,
It chancit thame the Empreour for to meit.
Thay hailsit him with reuerence as effeirit,
Agane at thame richt patientlie he speirit:
From quhēce thay come, or quhat seruice culd do
To quhat science thay war maist abill to.
Quha answerit him into thair best maneir,
From far countreis to ȝour grace cūmin heir.
We ar spa men, suithsayaris and deuinouris,
To serue ȝour grace, and als ȝour counsallouris.
And can discus all dreames sa cunninglie,
And tell thairof the treuth and veritie.
And all hid geir that is put out of sicht:
We can it find, and thairto ga at richt.
Be our awin dreames our craftis and Ingine,
Thocht it war hid ane thousand ȝeiris sine.
And we haue hard that ȝour grace hes plesure
In sic behalfis, and thairon takis cure.
And gif ȝour grace at vs sic will require,
We ar reddy to fulfill ȝour desire.
Be day or nicht into all kinde of sort.
With hart and minde ȝour grace for to comfort.
The Empreour than considering in his minde,
How thir four men to sic thingis was Inclinde
And knew richt weill that into Romes Cietie
Greit sowmes of gold was hid richt quietlie.
Quhairof he culd get na perfite knawledge,
Except sic men as thir he had in wage.
Sa couetice and gredynes of geir,
Haistie credence, quhilk all men suld forbeir.
Blindit his thocht, and causit his wittis foruey
Gart him ouir sone to thair bidding obey.
And sa at schort the Empreour is aggreit,
With thir four men, and faithfullie thame feit.
Quhome to he said, gude schirs I wil ȝow prufe
And gif ȝe be sic men for my behufe
As ȝe haue said, ȝe sall haue gude rewaird,
Ilk ane of ȝow but dout sall be ane Laird,
And Intreitit with thankis into my hous
Amang my Lordis, with giftis glorious.
Thay said agane and pleis ȝour Maiestie
Na mair rewaird at ȝour grace couet we
Bot the ane half of that we do obtene,
Vnder the eird, as sall be cleirlie sene:
Be our Ingine, our dreamis and our slichtis
Within few ȝeiris we mark to mēd ȝour michtis
The Empreour said go do as ȝe deuise,
Ze tak on hand ane honest Interprise.
Than said thay all vnto the Empreour,
This nicht my Lord gif it war ȝour plesour:
To the eldest of vs four to grant leif,
His clene cunning the samin nicht to preif.
Be his awin dreame quhat he can comprehend
And quhat thairof sall be the finall end.
And thairefter we sall in dayis thre,
Schaw to ȝour grace thairof the veritie.
Quhat it betakins, and quhat thairof sall cum,
To ȝour plesure ȝe sall knaw all and sum.
The Empreour said, go to I am content,
Sa tuik gude nicht, and all four furth yai went
Merie in hart, richt wonder blyith and glaid,
Sa gude answer that thay obtenit had.
Past furth that time in scorne and derisioun,
Beleuing weill the greit towre to get doun.
Thre dayis and nichts being past and compleit
Thir four kest them with the Empreour to meit
The eldest said, and pleis ȝour Nobill grace,
To pas with vs, and we sall schaw the place
Quhair that ane twn of reid gold lyis hid
The Empreour said I will do as ȝe bid.
Than haistelie thay come vnto the place
The eldest said and pleis ȝour Nobill grace
As I belue thair is of gold sa cleir,
Ane twn streik full in this place lyand heir.
Euin sa my dreame to me forsuith it schew,
And I dout not bot we sall find it trew.
Than thay all four to delf thay fell fra hand,
And as he said, richt sa the gold thay fand,
Quhilk gold befoir into the samin place
Thame selfis had hid, ago bot ane schort space
Zit not the les the Empreouris fantasie
Trowit thay had found the gold in veritie.
Quhilk quhen he saw, he was richt wōder glaid
With mirrie cheir, and to thame four he said,
Of this found gold the ane half ȝe sall haue,
The vther half I sall caus to ressaue.
The nixt dreamer said to the Empreour,
Now fallis to me, gif it be ȝour plesour,
My nicht about to dreame gif I can find,
Ony mair gold, gif sum be left behind.
The Empreour said god send ȝow sic furtherāce
As this Ilk day ȝour brother gat throw chance
The nixt nicht come, and siclike did the day,
This nixt dreamer to the Empreour can say.
Be of comfort, and gif it pleis ȝour grace,
This nicht I dreamit of mair gold in ane place
Quhilk in schort time ȝour nobil grace sal knaw
And godwilling the same sall to ȝow schaw.
And sa he did, quhairof he was richt blyith,
Quhome to glaidlie thempreour said ful swyith
Tak ȝour awin part, and I sall tak the vther,
For ȝe haue done als weill as did ȝour brother.
Sa did the thrid on the samin Ilk wise,
Alswa the fourt tuik the same Interprise.
Ilk ane of thame fand to the Empreour
Ane twn of gold, with riches and treasour.
Thay causit the King to thame giue confidence
As thay had found the gold be thair science
Them selfis did hide that gold vnder the groūd
And causit all trow the same that yai had found
The Empreour sa with gold he was begylit,
And with thair slicht and science was ouirsylit.
Notwithstanding the ane half he thame gaue
Na wayis traisting that he suld thame dissaue.
And quhen ather of thame had tane thair part
The Empreour was richt Iocund in his hart.
He thame auancit, and said yai war maist trew
Of suithsayaris, that euer he ȝit knew:
And maist expart into thair awin science,
That euer was, be his Intelligence.
Thay persauing the Empreour was content
Of thair doingis, thay said with ane consent,
My Lord we haue Ilk ane our nicht about,
Dreamit our dreames, quhilk ȝe haue hard but dout
Of verie treuth, and hes preuit in deid
Zit farthermair will ȝe thoill vs proceid,
That we all four togidder dreame this nicht
Sa sall our dreame haue the mair strēth & micht
We traist gif thair within this Cietie be
Ony hid gold, greit Iowellis or monie,
We sall it haue be our dreames and Ingine,
Thocht it war hid ane thousand ȝeiris sine.
Quhairthrow ȝour grace salbe enrichit wt gold,
That ȝour compair sall not be on the mold.
And we dout not, bot richt weill vnderstandis
That thair is gold ten thousand of thousandis
Within the wallis hid of the same Cietie,
Quhairof but dout gude knawledge get sall we.
The Empreour said go to I am content,
Sa that ȝe find quhair thair is gold and rent.
Thay tuik gude nicht all four and said adew
Except thē selfis was nane thair mindes knew.
Sa on the morne approching the nynt hour,
Thay come all four befoir the Empreour,
Quhome to thay said with gudlie countenance
My Lord be blyith, for we haue gude tythance.
For we all four hes dreamit this samin nicht
Intill our sleip we haue sene sic ane sicht,
Of birnand gold sa wonder greit plentie
So muche at anis I trow few saw with Ee.
Will ȝe suffer the samin to be socht
To ȝour profeit but baid it sal be brocht.
Than sall ȝe haue of gold sic aboundance,
That all the warld for gold sall ȝow auance.
Of the greit Towre (quod thay) into the groūd
All this riches of gold is to be found.
The Empreour said the greit God me defend,
To sic ane wark that I neuer Intend.
The michtie towre quhair yt the Image standis,
For to put doun with ony mennis handis.
Quhilk was buyldit be Clerkis sa bounteous,
Sa done coistlie of sowmes sa sumpteous,
Als warnis vs be thair small bellis ringing,
Of enemeis gif thay be vprysing.
Of all Regiounis outher be far or neir,
Gif thay pretend aganis vs to mak weir.
Thairfoir I can be na way giue consent,
To steir that towre for ony gold or rent.
Thay said my Lord haue ȝe not found all trew,
That we all four in ony sort ȝow schew.
He said ȝour wit and science I commend,
And als ȝour treuth surelie I will defend.
Also ȝour craft, ȝour lawtie and honour,
Bot I can not consent to tuitche the towre:
Quhilk is to vs greit consolatioun,
I will not thoill na way to put it doun.
Thay said my Lord will ȝe giue vs credence,
With our awin handis, & on our awin expence,
We sall not faill to obtene the treasour,
And in na sort thairby to hurt the towre,
Nor Images, nor ȝit the bellis that ringis,
To saue all sic we can do sindrie thingis.
We sall it do sa quyetlie in the nicht,
Nane bot we four thairof sall get ane sicht.
Gif it be done on daylicht patientlie,
The pepill than suld cry out oppinlie,
And rumour rise, out throw the haill Regioun,
That ȝe for gold suld tak the greit towre doun.
We sall wirk sa that nouther ground nor towre
Sall thoill distres or ȝit tak displesour.
The Empreour said quhen all folkis ar at rest,
To find the gold go do as ȝe think best.
And I the morne sall cum and vesie ȝow,
Quhat gold ȝe get, and quhair ȝe wirk & how.
Tak thair my Ring for ane takin expres
Within the towre that ȝe get glaid entres.
Thir four come on at euin quhen it was lait,
Vnto the towre thay mak the neirest gait.
Callit the Capitane, the Ring vnto him schew,
Quha said to them, the Ring richt weil he knew
He them inquirit quhat was thair greit credence
And thay him schew the haill taill and sentence.
And sa at schort thir four fell to labour,
To pyke and holk, and vndermine the Towre.
Quhill it had nouther power, strenth nor micht
Within thre dayis vnfallin to stand vp richt.
This being done, on the third morne or day,
Thay lap on hors, and priuelie staill away:
To thair awin land with greit blyithnes & Ioy
That fand the cast that greit Towre to destroy,
Bot or thay wan furth of sicht of the toun,
Thay stude all four & saw the towre fall doun.
Sa on the morne quhen all folk did vp rise,
Thay saw the towre was fallin on sic ane wise.
The Senatouris thairof tuik discomfort,
To the Empreour the fassoun culd report.
And said gude Lord, how hes occurrit this cace
That our greit Towre is fallin in sa schort space
Quhilk daylie was our watche and comforting
Contriar our fais, and maid vs ay warning.
He answerit thame to me thair come four men,
Quhilk of befoir I neuer did thame ken.
And schew to me that thay war suithsayaris,
Bot now I se that thay ar all greit dissaueris.
And swoir for treuth, and also to me schew,
Throw yair dreaming quhair gold was hid yai knew
And gart me trow wtin the towris groūd
Ane thousand millioū of reid gold suld be found
And not hurting the Towre nor ȝit Image,
To do the same I gaue thame gudelie wage.
And sa to thame I gaue ouir greit credence
Quhairthrow is fallin greit Inconuenience.
Thay answerit him for ȝour greit couatice,
Zour gredynes and birnand auarice,
And for ȝour lufe to gold and greit delite,
That ȝe thairof had sic ane appetite.
Sall we thairfoir be all destroyit at anis
Nay, the first wraik sall fall vpon ȝour banis.
But mair proces to the Tolbuith him led,
And on his bak thay kest him in ane bed,
And powrit his mouth of meltit gold thair fow
Saying to him tak the aneuch of it now.
Thow couet gold with sa gredie desire,
Thow hes vs tynt and all the haill Impire,
Fulfill thy lust of gold quhilk thow sall haue.
This being done, thay put him quick in graue,
For gredynes of gold that was his end,
Quhilk at his deid ane myte micht not him mēd
Not lang efter come on thir Kingis thre,
All in weirfair, with prepotent armie,
Knawing richt weill the towre was cassin doun
And sa thay laid ane greit seige to the toun,
Quhilk thay ouircome, & kest doun clene ye wall
And sa at schort Rome was destroyit all.

The Emprice said haue ȝe tane weill my Lord
Thir wordis in heid that I now did record,
Thankis ȝow forsuith, thairfoir Madame said he
For ȝe haue tauld ane nobill taill to me.
Than culd scho say this towre with the Image
Betakins nocht bot thair awin personage.
For luik sa lang as ȝe leif in this life,
Thair is na Kings that dar rais weir nor strife
In ȝour contrair, or ȝit within ȝour land,
Sa lang as ȝe is now on life leuand.
And that ȝour sone dois wonder weill considder
With the counsall of his Maisters togidder.
With thir fals taillis and fenȝeit narratioun,
How thay sall find the way to put ȝow doun.
Ouir greit plesure to heir thame ay ȝe haue,
And thair minde is but dout ȝow to dissaue.
As thir four men this Towre to ruine brocht,
Thir Maisters sa wald bring ȝow euin to nocht
And vndermine and cast ȝow vnder fute,
This is the caus thay daylie to ȝow sute.
The Images that sa greit money coist,
Is ȝour fyue wittis, quhilk thay beleue is loist.
For sa barnelike and soft thay ȝow persaue,
The haill Impire fra ȝow sa wald thay haue.
The Empreour said that Ilk taill that ȝe tell,
I persaue weill may be tald be my sell.
Thairfoir thay sall not mak of me the towre,
Nor ȝit change me as did that Empreour.
All is falset that thay deill with I se,
Thairfoir the morne my Sone sall hangit be.
The Emprice said, will ȝe ȝour Sone gar hang
Ȝe salbe blyith, fair weill and als leif lang,
Sa the nixt day the Empreour gaue command,
To tak his Sone and hang him vp fra hand.
To the Gallous as thay war him leidand,
The Fyft Maister come furth the way rydand.
To the Palice he raid hard at the poist,
For feir and dreid that the Childe suld be loist.
Quha come lawlie befoir the Empreour
And on his kneis him hailsit with honour.
Quha wryit his face, and wald not on him luik
Bot at him greit Indignatioun tuik.
My Lord he said it is not ȝour honour,
My pure hailsing to tak in displesour.
Thy cūming heir (quod he) I couet nocht,
Nor thy hailsing, nor nane that heir it brocht.
For ȝe haue seruit at my hand all to die,
For displesure that ȝe haue done to me.
He said my Lord I neuer did the deid
Vnto ȝour grace, to get sic to my meid.
As for ȝour Sone, quhair ȝe say he is dum
We reckin that vnto ȝour greit wisdome.
As ȝe will se heirefter in few dayis,
As to ȝour wife quhair ȝe allege and sayis:
Be hir sayingis that he wald hir eschamit,
But dout thairof he aw not to be blamit
For weill I wait thairof he is wyteles,
As is my self, and of the same saikles.
Thairfoir my Lord sic thing beleue ȝe nocht,
For the contrair to licht it sall be brocht,
For ȝour Sone is to vertew sa Inclinde,
I wait sic vice was neuer in his minde.
And gif ȝe will for ȝour wifes wilfull sawis,
Vndo ȝour Sone without proces of Lawis.
It salbe worse to ȝow nor euer was
To the Doctour and cunning Ypocras.
That causit sla the Doctour Galiene,
His Cousing deir, Maister of Medicine.
The Empreour said, Maister tell me that taill
Perchance it may for ȝour cunning auaill.
The Maister said, gar call ȝour Sone agane,
And all the suith I sall schaw ȝow in plane.
Vnto ȝour grace gif I tald my narratioun,
In the meane time ȝour sone suld suffer passioun.
The Empreour than he causit his seruands pas
And put his sone in presoun quhair he was.
And sa that day he chaipit fra the Gallous,
The Maister thā tald furth his tail as followis
The Maisteris taill or we speik farthermair,
The Quenis taill sum thing we mon declair.