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 Taill of the Seuint Maister is how the man
deit becaus he saw his Wyfes fynger bleid. |
 | The seuin Seages |  |
234
The Taill of the Seuint Maister is how the man deit becaus he saw his Wyfes fynger bleid.
Vpon a time thair was ane Nobill Knicht,That had ane wife yt was baith fair & bricht
Quhome he sa lufit, that be na way he micht
Of the haill day ane hour want hir of sicht.
Vpon a time after meit and glaidnes,
For thair pastime thir twa went to the Ches.
And in his hand it happinnit him to haif
His awin byknife, and sa amang the laif
Thairon scho straik hir hand a litill we
Amaist ane drop of blude that ȝe micht se.
Sa sone as he the blude saw of his wife,
Alwayis he said, that scho wald lois hir life.
Befoir thame all, amang thame fell he doun,
For verray wo into ane deidlie swoun.
Incontinent than scho began to cast
Vpon his face cauld water wonder fast.
Than he ouircome within ane litill space,
The cald watter thay wap sa in his face.
The Minister he gart call of the toun.
And prayit him to heir his Confessioun.
For weill he knew without ony remeid,
Thair was nathing at him bot onlie deid.
For na seiknes, nor for nane vther deid
Bot onlie saw his wifes finger bleid.
The Minister exhortit him anone,
And sone efter to deith this Knicht is gone.
For quhome thair was greit sturt & beuailling,
Amang the rest his wife maid maist murning.
The Buriall with greit solempnitie,
Was maid and done in best maner micht be.
Than this Lady scho maid ane solempne vow,
To leif ay still as dois the Trytill Dow.
235
And neuer to knaw ony mannis companie:
Bot ay ly still abone hir husbandis graue,
And neuer mair warldlie comfort to haue.
Bot euer murne vnto the day scho die,
In the same graue quhill that scho buryit be.
Hir freindis say nay, that was not all the best,
Sen it pleisit God hir husband was at rest:
Bad hir pas hame, and cast hir to defend
Hir hous & barnis, to murne wald nathing mēd
Giue to the pure, and let the deid hyne ga,
We think it best (quod thay) that ȝe do sa.
We sall ȝow do all comfort that we can,
Sine efterwart to cheis ȝow ane new man.
Cast ȝow to mirth, and let ȝour murning be,
For naturall is, that all men anis mon die.
Scho said counsall of ȝow nane will I haue,
For I sall die widow abone this graue.
Can ȝe not all considder for my sake,
Sic sair seiknes, and doly deith did take
For ane small drop he saw my finger bleid,
Suld I not than baith into word and deid
On my persoun sum pennance for to take,
The cruell deith that sufferit for my sake.
Thairfoir gude freinds let put ȝour minde to rest
For in this graue salbe my ludge and rest
Quhill God sinder my saull and life in tway,
Thairfoir my freinds fra me pas hame away.
Than hir neir freinds heiring hir vtter minde,
Thocht in sū part thay wald with hir Inclinde
Becaus scho was in sturt and greit dolour,
Thay wald sum way cast thame to hir plesour.
And saw scho wald do nathing bot hir will,
Thairfoir thay thocht the same for to fulfill.
And causit to big euin at the graues syde,
Ane proper ludge quhairin that scho micht byde
236
In all effairis, or quhat scho had ado.
Beleuing weill scho wald change hir Intent,
And efterwart to wirk with freinds consent.
Thinking richt weill yt scho na way wald wāt
Sicht of pepill, bot scho thairto wald hant.
Sa thay hir left into hir quiet Caif,
Murning richt sair abone hir husbandis graif.
Thair was a Law than maid in the Cietie,
Gif ony man was condampnit to die
On the Gallous, for trespas and vnricht,
Than the Schiref suld walk him all that nicht
In his harnes, the morne quhill it war day,
Sa that the theif suld not be stollin away.
And gif sa war, the Schiref to tine his land,
And als his life to be in the Kings hand.
In this meane time it happinnit that thair was
Ane man hangit for his thift and trespas.
Than the Schiref behude that nicht on force
All in armour to walk that hangit cors,
And sa he did, howbeit the nicht was cald,
Quhair he watchit thair was na hous nor hald
It chancit that nicht to be baith wind and rane
That in na sort thairout he micht remane:
For verray cauld, he stude of life sic dout,
And sa belyue he blenkit him about:
In the Kirkȝaird beside the Knichtis graue,
Ane litill licht the Schiref can persaue,
Fra the windo quhair that the Wedow lay,
Hidder he gais in all the haist he may.
At the ludge dure he knokit quietlie,
And sone scho spak, and speirit quha may that be.
This time of nicht to walkin ane pure Wedow
All wobegane, in hart richt sorrofow.
He said I am the Schiref of this toun,
For verray cauld I am in point of swoun:
237
For verray cauld doutles I trow to die.
Gif ȝe cum in (quod scho) I feir richt sair
That ȝe sall eik my anguische mair and mair.
Quhilk war neidles schir gif ȝe knew my thocht
Quod he Lady, forsuith that sall I nocht.
I promeis ȝow nouther in word nor deid
Zow for to craib, thairfoir haue ȝe na dreid.
Than vp scho rais, and belyue leit him in,
For verray cauld he cheuerit at the chin.
And doun he sat, and warmit him at the fire,
Quhilk for to do was greitlie his desire.
Fra he was warmit and restit thair ane space,
Graithlie he blent into the Wedowis face.
Quod he Lady to displeis ȝow na way,
Ane word with leif I wald vnto ȝow say.
Scho said gude schir say on quhat euer ȝe pleis
For ȝour sayingis sall do me na diseis.
He said Lady I meruell of ȝour minde.
To this vane wark that ȝe suld ȝow Inclinde,
Considdering ȝe ar ane fair Ladie,
Fresche in ȝour flouris, ȝoūg plesand and lustie,
It war mair meit, and better be ten fald,
For to pas hame and keip ȝour awin houshald.
Nor heir to byde, and ȝour self to destroy,
Daylie in sturt, in murning and in noy.
My counsall is pas hame to ȝour awin hous,
Giue to the pure, and gar deill greit Almous.
Quod scho gude schir, gif I ȝour wordis had knawin
Or yt ȝe suld sic sayings to me schawin
Ze suld not had into this hous entrie,
Becaus ȝe talk of sic purpois to me.
I say to ȝow as I said of befoir,
To all my freindis, and I wald ȝe no moir
Spak of sic thingis, thay sink not in my heid,
Knaw ȝe not weill my husband sufferit deid:
238
Than think ȝe not that I suld do sum deid.
For him agane, and tak sum small pennance,
That micht me caus of him haue remembrance
Thairfoir I sall him lufe on sic ane wise,
That I mon lufe the eird quhair that he lyis.
And for his saik sic pennance tak on me,
That quhair he lyis abone him sall I die.
Than the Schiref tuik leif and vp he rais,
The neirest gait vnto the Gallous gais.
And quhen he come the theif that he left thair,
Was stollin away, quhairof he maid greit cair.
And said oft times, quhat haue I done allace,
Heir is to me becum ane cairfull cace.
My gudis, my geir, and also all my land
My life siclike is in the Kingis hand.
Sa he wandring in sturt baith to and fro
And wist not quhat to do for verray wo.
Sa at the last he thocht that he wald pas
To the Lady, befoir quhair that he was.
Becaus scho was sa deuoit in hir sell,
He trowit of hir to haue sum gude counsell.
Than come he on as had bene the first Cok,
And at the dure quietlie did he knok.
Quod scho quha is that, that sa sone callis now
I the Schiref is cum agane to ȝow.
I haue ane sturt and anger at mine hart,
And I wald schaw thairof to ȝow sum part.
Thairfoir hartlie I pray ȝow let me in,
I sall ȝow schaw the mater mair and min.
Howbeit it was to hir sum prettie pane,
Zit vp scho rais and leit him in agane.
Than he began the cace all for to tell,
Quod he Lady I come to haue counsell
Of ȝow, becaus I wait richt weill ȝe knaw,
Quhen ony man is hangit be the Law,
239
To that effect he be not stollin away.
And gif he be, my life and all my landis
Without remeid, is in the Kingis handis.
It is sa chancit quhen I was heir richt now
In the same time quhen I talkit with ȝow,
The theif quhilk I suld haue walkit quhill day
Sum subtell handis hes stollin him quite away
Quhairthrow I will Incur the Kingis feid,
Lois all my landis, and also tine my heid.
Or ellis on force furth of the Realme to fle
Quhilk is but dout ane heuie cace to me.
Beseiking ȝow ȝour counsall giue me to
Into this cace quhat ȝe think best to do.
Quod scho gude Schir for ȝow my hart is wo.
That sic ane chance suld happin vpon ȝow so.
Bot sen ȝe haue maid ȝour first mane to me.
I mon ȝow help, defend and als supplie.
Sa wald kindnes, courtasie and ressoun,
Of ane wo hart for to haue compassioun.
Quod he Lady I lippin on ȝow na les,
Bot for to haue ȝour counsall and kindnes.
Becaus ȝe ar in greit estimatioun,
In wit, wisdome, and als in deuotioun.
And I beleue to haue ȝour counsall now
For all my caus clene I commit to ȝow.
For it is said sen first the warld began,
Thair is greit help into ane gude woman.
This Lady than was mufit with mercie,
And on this Knicht hir hart had greit pietie,
and said gude Schir ȝour sturt it mufis me,
Bot tak gude hart, and ȝe sall helpit be.
Do my counsall, and schortlie to conclude
Ze sall nouther lois ȝour life landis nor gude.
He said Lady that erand brocht me heir,
To saue my life, my landis, my gudis and geir
240
Quhen I haue done, that ȝe will Mary me:
I will do all that I haue to ȝow said:
Quod he Lady of that I wald be glaid.
Wald God in heuin to me ȝe wald sa do,
That I micht be ȝour persoun fallowis to,
Considdering I am bot ane pure Knicht
And ȝe ane Lady of greit blude and of micht.
Wald ȝe disdane to humbill ȝour minde to me,
I suld ȝow serue with all humilitie.
Sa baith thair mindes and all thair hail Intēt
Was weill aggreit, quhairof thay stude content
Gude schir scho said, ȝe knaw richt weil I wait
How my husband was buryit of the lait,
Quha lufit me sa wonder weill in deid:
That for ane drop he saw my finger bleid:
He tuik in hart sic sturt and displesour
Of doly deith he sufferit the scharp schour.
Ga tak him vp for to be ȝour releif,
And hang him vp quhair hangit was the theif
The Schiref said fair Lady be the Rude
Zour counsall is substantious and gude.
Than past thay baith bauldlie wt mane & micht
Furth of the graue that drew yt new deid knicht
The Schiref said ȝit ane thing feiris me,
The theif quhilk I gart hing vpon the tre,
Twa of his teith abone was strikkin out,
Thairfoir I stand into ane dreidfull dout:
Gif ony man the samin suld persaue,
That this deid Cors his ouir teith dois haue,
It war my deith, and callit greit dissait,
Thairfoir to do, heirof not weill I wait.
Scho said ȝour self may richt weill that remeid
I giue ȝow leif, strike thre out of his heid.
Quod he Lady to that I war richt laith,
For of Knichtheid it is aganis the aith.
241
It wald greitlie baith faith and fame Infek,
And als quhen he was leuand heir on life,
Except onlie my barnis and weddit wife:
I lude him best of ony man leuand,
Thairfoir in him I can not put my hand.
Gif ȝe will not now ding thame out said scho
Faith for ȝour lufe that same thing I will do.
Sa with ane stane twa of his teith out dang.
Sine bad the Schiref hing him quhair the theif hang.
The schiref said ȝit I feir a greit thing,
The theif quhilk I on the Gallous gart hing
Ane hiddeous wound he gat in his foirheid
At his taking, thay had at him sic feid.
And baith his luggis thay stowit quite him fra
And ȝour husband be he not euin richt sa
It suld be my destructioun haistelie,
In this mater I pray ȝow counsall me.
Amang the rest (quod scho) thats bot ane bourd
Can not ȝour self peirtlie draw out ȝour sword,
On the foirheid strike him as best effeiris,
Quhen that is done, than cut of baith his eiris.
Quod he Lady fra that God me defend,
Considdering vnto his lifes end
I lude sa weill, and had in companie,
In that behalf I pray ȝow pardoun me.
And of befoir I did to ȝow declair
Of clene Knichtheid the aith it is contrair.
Giue me the sword (quod scho) and for ȝour lufe
That same to do now peirtlie sall I prufe.
Scho tuik the sword, and to the man was deid
Ane cruell straik scho gaue him in the heid:
With the same sword into hir greit dispite
Of baith his luggis belyue scho maid him quite
Sine said gude schir now ȝe may without tary
But ony feir him to the Gallous cary.
242
Sa ar ȝe quite of danger, sturt and schoir.
Thā said the schiref ȝit ane thing restis in thocht
Thairof quhill now remembrance had I nocht
Howbeit the theif was haill in bowk and banis
Zit weill I wait he wantit baith his stanis.
And be that kend, all is for nocht thats done
Quod scho in faith the stanis he sall want sone.
And with ane knife the stanis scho tuik him fra
And said gude Schir now to the treis him ta.
He cūmeris vs for to byde sa lang heir,
Quod he my self alone dow not him beir.
Quod scho in faith for that it sall not stop
Tak ȝe the taill and I sall tak the top.
For sen he come furth of his Sepulture
I haue him maid ane laithlie creature.
To the Gallous thir twa him tuik but moir,
And hang him vp quhair the theif hang befoir.
Than was the schiref of the Kingis dāger quite
Be the greit help of this Lady sa quhite.
Than said scho schir, now wonder weil ȝe knaw
How that ȝe war be ordour of the Law,
Baith life and landis in danger for to tine,
And now I haue brocht all to ane gude fine:
Be my counsall and onlie for ȝour lufe,
For ȝour plesure and als for ȝour behufe.
Quhairfoir sen ȝe in all maters hes sped,
Now I desire agane ȝe wald me wed.
Conforme to ȝour conditioun and promis,
Quhilk in na sort I wait ȝe will not mis.
He said Lady, forsuith I maid ane vow,
That I suld not Mary woman bot ȝow:
Sa lang as ȝe war leuand vpon life,
Bot wo to him that hes the to his wife.
Thow schameles schrew, and maist wickit of all
Tenefull tyger a vengeance on the fall.
243
And for ane drop of blude furth of thy hand
He had sic lufe and Inwart fauour to the,
For sturt thairof at schort causit him to die.
Thow in na way all his lufe regarding,
His forder teith trewlie thow did out ding.
In his foirheid ane fell wound did thow strike,
Cuttit his luggis, and als his stanis siclike.
Quhen I think on this vgsum vilanie,
God me preserue that I not Mary the.
And for that caus I find the sa cruell,
To him alone that lufit the so well.
In time cūming thow can na better be,
To ony man that wald lay lufe on the.
Thairfoir I sall, that thow sall schame na ma
In time cūming, my awin handis sall the sla.
And sa at schort he put hir thair to deid
He drew his sword and quite straik of hir heid.
The Maister said than to the Empreour,
Schir I require gif it be ȝour plesour:
Gif that ȝe haue the wordis of this taill tane
The Empreour said ȝe Maister euerie ane.
Scho was ane wife the worst and maist cruell
That I befoir of ony ȝit hard tell.
The Scherif als rewardit hir the thing,
That scho deseruit, to hir deidis according.
Zit gude Maister hartlie I ȝow beseik,
That I may anis my Sone blyithlie heir speik
For that wald mak sic blyithnes to my hart,
Fra that time furth I cair not to depart.
He said my Lord and pleis ȝour Maiestie,
That thing the morne ȝe sall baith heir and se:
At ȝour plesure, as ȝour self dois desire,
In audience befoir the haill Impire.
And sall knaw weill the caus of vnkind[n]es
Betuix vs seuin, ȝour sone and ȝour Empres.
244
Than ȝour rewaird salbe quhat ȝe will as.
He said my Lord all is at ȝour plesour,
Sa tuik his leif than fra the Empreour.
| The seuin Seages | |