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 seuin Seages |  |
In Eldaris dayis oft times it hes bene tauld
That Rome hes bene ane Cietie of the auld
Of cunning Clerks, & wonder vailȝeand men,
As ancient Acts makis vs for to ken.
Ouir all the warld it had Preeminence,
All pepill maid to it Obedience.
With greit Captanes, Kings Knichts & Empreours
Kene men of weir, & cruell Conquerours,
Of townis and towris, greit villages & cieteis,
Triumphand far abone thair Enemeis:
Subdewand thame to lestand seruitude,
Not regarding thair lynage, kyn nor blude.
Cōquest grit realmes, lordschips & rowms braid
Thair commoun weill sa meruellous riche they maid
That all coūtreis & kīgdomes thē about
Of thair fell feir greit dreddour had and dout.
That thay on force behuid to mak homage
Or ellis haue loist baith life and heritage.
For they war sa repleit of all riches
Win into weiris be martiall besynes.
Thay tuke na cure of na mānis fauour nor feid
Sa thay become of all the warld the heid:
And had thairof the haill Authoritie,
Bot this was not in time of Papistrie,
For fra that time yt Papis was maid in Rome,
Of all vertew that Cietie was maid tome.
And day be day fra all vertew decrest
Continuallie the self it ay opprest.
For thre strangers rais vp in that Cietie.
Quhilkis of befoir na way wald sufferit be,
The commoun weill caus thay war ay agane
Thairin thairfoir thay wald not thole remane
Bot fra Papis come that Nobill towne within
It did abound sa sair in deidly sin,
And that na stait to Clergie was compairs,
Sa weill thay treit thir thre vncouth strangairs
Quhilk thre thir was, the first lurkand haitrent
The secund was, ȝoung counsall and consent,
Singular profite it was the thrid I wis,
Quhilk thre was caus to gar Rome go amis.
And causit it tine the greit triumphand Name,
And to be callit the hous of warldlie schame.
Tint the greit rowmes and warldlie possessioūs
That thay conquest fra diuers vther Crowns.
All sic become throw wickitnes and vice,
Of the Papists, and thair foule Merchandice.
For thay wald gar ane pound of meltit leid
Bring thame againe the wecht of golde sa reid.
And gar the hippis of ane deid ȝow or skin
Assolȝe ȝow of all ȝour deidly sin,
Incontinent in heuin vp to be brocht,
Contrair Gods will, quhidder he wald or nocht.
That Rome hes bene ane Cietie of the auld
Of cunning Clerks, & wonder vailȝeand men,
As ancient Acts makis vs for to ken.
Ouir all the warld it had Preeminence,
All pepill maid to it Obedience.
With greit Captanes, Kings Knichts & Empreours
Kene men of weir, & cruell Conquerours,
Of townis and towris, greit villages & cieteis,
Triumphand far abone thair Enemeis:
Subdewand thame to lestand seruitude,
Not regarding thair lynage, kyn nor blude.
Cōquest grit realmes, lordschips & rowms braid
Thair commoun weill sa meruellous riche they maid
That all coūtreis & kīgdomes thē about
Of thair fell feir greit dreddour had and dout.
That thay on force behuid to mak homage
Or ellis haue loist baith life and heritage.
For they war sa repleit of all riches
Win into weiris be martiall besynes.
Thay tuke na cure of na mānis fauour nor feid
Sa thay become of all the warld the heid:
And had thairof the haill Authoritie,
Bot this was not in time of Papistrie,
For fra that time yt Papis was maid in Rome,
Of all vertew that Cietie was maid tome.
10
Continuallie the self it ay opprest.
For thre strangers rais vp in that Cietie.
Quhilkis of befoir na way wald sufferit be,
The commoun weill caus thay war ay agane
Thairin thairfoir thay wald not thole remane
Bot fra Papis come that Nobill towne within
It did abound sa sair in deidly sin,
And that na stait to Clergie was compairs,
Sa weill thay treit thir thre vncouth strangairs
Quhilk thre thir was, the first lurkand haitrent
The secund was, ȝoung counsall and consent,
Singular profite it was the thrid I wis,
Quhilk thre was caus to gar Rome go amis.
And causit it tine the greit triumphand Name,
And to be callit the hous of warldlie schame.
Tint the greit rowmes and warldlie possessioūs
That thay conquest fra diuers vther Crowns.
All sic become throw wickitnes and vice,
Of the Papists, and thair foule Merchandice.
For thay wald gar ane pound of meltit leid
Bring thame againe the wecht of golde sa reid.
And gar the hippis of ane deid ȝow or skin
Assolȝe ȝow of all ȝour deidly sin,
Incontinent in heuin vp to be brocht,
Contrair Gods will, quhidder he wald or nocht.
Bot not the les, lang tyme befoir thir dayis
Ane Empreour was as the Storie sayis,
Quhilk hecht to Name Pontianus at richt,
Ane Nobill man of wisdome and of micht.
Gydit his Realme be wisdome and vertew,
To his pepill exempilis daylie schew,
Of wisdome wit and Liberalitie,
Quhairthrow the hartis of all his folk wan he
That nane cairit to wair with him thair life,
Ane Kings Douchter he had vnto his wife,
Callit Clara, ane woman verteous,
Fair and gudelyke, and wonder gracious.
Quhilk ane knaif chyld of him scho did cōsaue
Bot him alone, na ma God to thame gaue,
Quhilk was callit Dioclesiane to Name,
Fair and weill fauourit, baith of fassoun & fame
Quha daylie grew in vertew and gudnes,
Ilk man him lufit for his greit gentilnes.
For he was courtes, cumlie and richt kynd,
Fra all fulische alluterlie declynd.
Sa quhen he was seuin ȝeir auld or neir by
This Emprice tuke ane meruellous malady,
That scho behuid for to tak bed on force,
With sair seiknes sa troublit was hir Corce.
Persauing weill be hir Intelligence
For to eschew fra deid was na defence
Bot of hir life schortlie to haue ane end,
Sa for hir spous the Empreour sone scho send.
With humbill hart and Inwartlie praying,
That he wald cum to hir but tarying.
Gif euer he wald se hir vpon lyue
Sa was fra hand direct sone ane Missyue.
Poist efter Poist, quhair he lay in weilfair,
Sone till him come, and culd the caus declair,
But mair abaid, with wonder sorie hart,
With few hors men fra his Camp did depart.
And quhen he come to the Emprice presence
Scho said till him with humbill reuerence.
O My gude Lord, howbeit that I be seik,
Ze licent me my erand to ȝow speik.
Sa that it be onlie to ȝour plesour,
And als siclike vnto ȝour greit honour,
He said Lady I se ȝow in diseis
Notwithstanding say on quhat euer ȝe pleis:
And it sall be to me na vilanie,
Sa it eik not ȝour greit Infirmitie.
My Lord scho said, This seiknes I persaue
Or it depart will driue me to my graue.
He said Madame be ȝe of gude comfort,
Ze will recouer ȝour helth I traist at schort,
For I sall send for all my ding Doctouris,
Phisitianes, and my Philosophouris,
My cunning men, and my Medicinars,
My Cirugians and als my Potingars,
My Practicianes quhilkis ar suttell and slie.
That daylie deilis with Flewbothomie.
Thay will consult, and Ilkane als persaue
All ȝour seiknes, and sa helth sall ȝe haue
For seiknes is als naturall als heill,
Thairfoir dout not yt deith sall with ȝow deill,
At this present, bot ȝe sall sone recure.
Quod scho my Lord of a thing I am sure,
This maladie sa haldis me at the hart
Quhill I be deid, na way it will depart.
Quhairfoir my Lord, richt humblie I require,
Ze wald Incline ȝour hart to my desyre.
He said desire at me quhat euer ȝe will,
I will it grant, thocht it be contrair skill
To comfort ȝow, and help ȝow fra diseis
Thairfoir say on, it sall me not displeis.
Scho said my Lord I thank ȝow gretumlie,
Quod he Madame say on quhat euer it be.
Scho said my Lord, plesit ȝour Nobill grace
Of my desyre, this is the verray cace,
Quhen I depart out of this present lyfe.
It will ȝow pleis to haue ane vther wyfe,
And as ȝe knaw we haue na barne bot ane,
Nor neuer had, bot onlie him allane:
Quhilk ouir all thing anixt ȝour awin persoun
I wald war weill to this Ilk prouisioun.
Efter ȝour deith with all wit and wisdome,
Reule his pepill, and gyde this greit Kingdome
And ouir all thing my Lord maist I requyre
Into this point, ȝe will grant my desyre,
That ȝour Emprice perchāce quhat euer scho be
Vpon my Sone haue na Authoritie,
Na Gouernance, power nor ȝit gyding
Bot ȝe him put to vther nurisching.
Far fra hir sicht, and fra hir companie,
To that effect, that he may viceles be,
Of all vices, and sic thing as gais wrang
And ay to be, greit cunning men amang.
My Lord hartly this humblie I requyre
Into this point to fulfill my desyre.
For weill I knaw, displesours ar to cum
That he sall do, or ellis he salbe dum,
Quhairthrow onlie his lyfe he will recure,
My Lord I knaw but dout this salbe sure
He said Lady ȝour will ȝe sall not want,
Thocht it war mair, richt hartly I it grant,
For that is my desyre asweill as ȝouris
It salbe done, Madame at ȝour plesouris.
Scho said my Lord I thank ȝow with my hart
God saue ȝour grace, for now I moste depart
This being said, scho tuke ane fell passioun
And ane lang space scho lay in deidly swoun.
Sa in schort tyme withouttin mair remeid,
Hir naturall det scho completit of deid.
With all triumph hir funerall seruice
Was dewlie done, as that time was the gyse
Lang time efter the Empreour maid murning,
And all his Court, for hir sair departing
Na menstrell myrth nor ȝit na merines
Into his hall was sene nor na blyithnes,
Bot heuines, greit dule and grauitie
Into the Court, and all the companie
For that gude Quene, all solace was away,
Woir the dule weid Ilk ane for ȝeir and day.
Ane Empreour was as the Storie sayis,
Quhilk hecht to Name Pontianus at richt,
Ane Nobill man of wisdome and of micht.
Gydit his Realme be wisdome and vertew,
To his pepill exempilis daylie schew,
Of wisdome wit and Liberalitie,
Quhairthrow the hartis of all his folk wan he
That nane cairit to wair with him thair life,
Ane Kings Douchter he had vnto his wife,
11
Fair and gudelyke, and wonder gracious.
Quhilk ane knaif chyld of him scho did cōsaue
Bot him alone, na ma God to thame gaue,
Quhilk was callit Dioclesiane to Name,
Fair and weill fauourit, baith of fassoun & fame
Quha daylie grew in vertew and gudnes,
Ilk man him lufit for his greit gentilnes.
For he was courtes, cumlie and richt kynd,
Fra all fulische alluterlie declynd.
Sa quhen he was seuin ȝeir auld or neir by
This Emprice tuke ane meruellous malady,
That scho behuid for to tak bed on force,
With sair seiknes sa troublit was hir Corce.
Persauing weill be hir Intelligence
For to eschew fra deid was na defence
Bot of hir life schortlie to haue ane end,
Sa for hir spous the Empreour sone scho send.
With humbill hart and Inwartlie praying,
That he wald cum to hir but tarying.
Gif euer he wald se hir vpon lyue
Sa was fra hand direct sone ane Missyue.
Poist efter Poist, quhair he lay in weilfair,
Sone till him come, and culd the caus declair,
But mair abaid, with wonder sorie hart,
With few hors men fra his Camp did depart.
And quhen he come to the Emprice presence
Scho said till him with humbill reuerence.
O My gude Lord, howbeit that I be seik,
Ze licent me my erand to ȝow speik.
Sa that it be onlie to ȝour plesour,
And als siclike vnto ȝour greit honour,
He said Lady I se ȝow in diseis
Notwithstanding say on quhat euer ȝe pleis:
And it sall be to me na vilanie,
Sa it eik not ȝour greit Infirmitie.
12
Or it depart will driue me to my graue.
He said Madame be ȝe of gude comfort,
Ze will recouer ȝour helth I traist at schort,
For I sall send for all my ding Doctouris,
Phisitianes, and my Philosophouris,
My cunning men, and my Medicinars,
My Cirugians and als my Potingars,
My Practicianes quhilkis ar suttell and slie.
That daylie deilis with Flewbothomie.
Thay will consult, and Ilkane als persaue
All ȝour seiknes, and sa helth sall ȝe haue
For seiknes is als naturall als heill,
Thairfoir dout not yt deith sall with ȝow deill,
At this present, bot ȝe sall sone recure.
Quod scho my Lord of a thing I am sure,
This maladie sa haldis me at the hart
Quhill I be deid, na way it will depart.
Quhairfoir my Lord, richt humblie I require,
Ze wald Incline ȝour hart to my desyre.
He said desire at me quhat euer ȝe will,
I will it grant, thocht it be contrair skill
To comfort ȝow, and help ȝow fra diseis
Thairfoir say on, it sall me not displeis.
Scho said my Lord I thank ȝow gretumlie,
Quod he Madame say on quhat euer it be.
Scho said my Lord, plesit ȝour Nobill grace
Of my desyre, this is the verray cace,
Quhen I depart out of this present lyfe.
It will ȝow pleis to haue ane vther wyfe,
And as ȝe knaw we haue na barne bot ane,
Nor neuer had, bot onlie him allane:
Quhilk ouir all thing anixt ȝour awin persoun
I wald war weill to this Ilk prouisioun.
Efter ȝour deith with all wit and wisdome,
Reule his pepill, and gyde this greit Kingdome
13
Into this point, ȝe will grant my desyre,
That ȝour Emprice perchāce quhat euer scho be
Vpon my Sone haue na Authoritie,
Na Gouernance, power nor ȝit gyding
Bot ȝe him put to vther nurisching.
Far fra hir sicht, and fra hir companie,
To that effect, that he may viceles be,
Of all vices, and sic thing as gais wrang
And ay to be, greit cunning men amang.
My Lord hartly this humblie I requyre
Into this point to fulfill my desyre.
For weill I knaw, displesours ar to cum
That he sall do, or ellis he salbe dum,
Quhairthrow onlie his lyfe he will recure,
My Lord I knaw but dout this salbe sure
He said Lady ȝour will ȝe sall not want,
Thocht it war mair, richt hartly I it grant,
For that is my desyre asweill as ȝouris
It salbe done, Madame at ȝour plesouris.
Scho said my Lord I thank ȝow with my hart
God saue ȝour grace, for now I moste depart
This being said, scho tuke ane fell passioun
And ane lang space scho lay in deidly swoun.
Sa in schort tyme withouttin mair remeid,
Hir naturall det scho completit of deid.
With all triumph hir funerall seruice
Was dewlie done, as that time was the gyse
Lang time efter the Empreour maid murning,
And all his Court, for hir sair departing
Na menstrell myrth nor ȝit na merines
Into his hall was sene nor na blyithnes,
Bot heuines, greit dule and grauitie
Into the Court, and all the companie
For that gude Quene, all solace was away,
Woir the dule weid Ilk ane for ȝeir and day.
| The seuin Seages | |