Whan she had that cedule seen red she brake it with her teth tare or rent her clothes with her nayles to her nauyll her vysage al to scratched it was al blody cast from her al the ornameÌ„tes of her hede cryed with a loude voyce come hither my lordê help me afore that thê rude euyll body / shame rauyssh me Howe thempresse complayned to themperour of the shame to her done by his sone THe Emperour was in his halle and herde the crye noyse of thempresse he hastely ranne towardes his chambre his knyghtes and other of his seruauntes folowed hym after for to see what there was to done Tho beganne thempresse to crye and to speke to themperour thus O my lorde haue pyte and compassyon vpon me beholde this yonge man is not your sone but the foulest rybaude harlot that euer was borne a defouler of wymmen for as ye knowe wel I lad and brought hym with me in to my chamber sholde haue exhorted and caused hym to haue spokeÌ„ I haue done asmoche therto as I can or may why les I with my wordes exhorted and meued hym for to haue spoken he hath endeuoyred hymself with me to haue synned by cause I wolde not to hym conseÌ„te but withstode as moche as I myght for to flee the shame he my vysage hath made all blody my vesture and ornamentes of my heed broken all to torne as ye may openly se And yf ye had not so sone comen vnto my callynge / he had accomplysshed in me his mooste foule and worste wyll whan themperoure this sawe and herd fulfylled with grete malyce woodnesse / commaunded his seruauntes that they sholde lede hym to the galowes hange hym And after his lordes herde that sayde / Lorde ye haue no moo but this sone only It is not good that ye thus lyghtely putt hym to deth / the lawe is put and ordeyned for transgressours mysdoers and yf it be so that he muste deye lete hym by the lawe dye leest that it be sayd that themperour in his grete furour and Ire without lawe and Iustyce he hath put his only sone to dethe As themperour this herde commaunded him to be put in pryson vnto the tyme that iugement were gyuen ayenst hym And whan thempresse vnderstode that the chylde was not put to dethe / she cryed weped bytterly wold haue no reste whan the nyght was comen the Emperour entred in to his chamber to go to bed and founde his wyfe wepynge sorowyng To whome he sayde O my mooste dere lady / for what cause are ye thus sorowfull She answered Knowe ye not how that your cursed sone hath me thus moche shame done offended / and ye haue commaunded hym too be hanged and yet he lyued / your worde is not performed ne my shame is not wroken To morowe sayde themperour he shall dye by the lawe Then sayd she Shalle he so longe lyue ThenÌ„e myght it happen to you as it dyd vpon a burgeys of Rome of whome an example is sayd The Emperoure sayd I praye you shewe me that example That shall I doo gladly sayd the Empresse ¶ The fyrst example of the Empresse this was The gardyner heryng his mayster obeyed hym hewe downe the tree And as this was done the yonge plante all holy perysshed and came to nought wherof came grete harme for whan the poore the seke people perceyued that the tree was so destroyed they cursed all them that were of counseyll helpers therto / by the whiche they all afore tyme were heled cured of theyr infyrmytees maladyes Then sayd the Empresse vnderstande ye what I haue sayd yes ryghte well than sayd she I shall declare to you what I haue sayde The declaratyon of the Example ¶ This tree my lorde betokeneth your moste noble persone / that with your counseyll and helpe many pore seke folke are gretly holpen conforted And the yonge ympe that vnder the grete tre is vp growen is your cursed sone that now by his cunnynge begyÌ„nith to growe and studyeth how he fyrste may the armes and bowes of your myght cutte of / and to wynne too hym the londe praysynge of the people and ouer that he ymagyneth to destroy your person that he may hyÌ„selfe reygne But what shall fall than therof come all poore and feble people shall curse all them the whiche myght haue destroyed your sone haue not done it / I counseyll you whyles ye are in your power helth that ye destroye hym leste that the curse of the people fall vpon you Tho sayde the Emperour ye haue gyuen me good counseyll To morowe I shall condempne hym to the moost vylest deth that can be thought whan the daye was come / the Emperour went sate in IugemeÌ„te commaunded his seruauntes that they sholde lede his sone to be hanged with trompettes blowynge in to kenynge of deth And as themperours sone was lad throughe the Cyte the comen people began too wepe crye alas the onely sone of themperour is lad towardes his deth / therwithall came Pancyllas rydyng vpon a hors the fyrste mayster whan the chylde sawe hym / he bowed his hede to hym as though he had sayde Haue mynde vpon me whan ye come afore my fader se how I am lad to wardes the galowes Than the mayster sayd to the seruauntes / make no haste for I hope by the grace of god this day to delyuer hym froÌ„ the deth Then sayde all the people O good mayster haste you to the palays and saue your dyscyple he smote his hors with the spores tyll he came to the palays / kneled before the Emperour dyde hym reuerence / To whome themperour sayd It shall neuer be to the good which answerd I haue deserued a better rewarde The Emperour sayd there lyest yu. for I delyuerd to the thy felowes my sone well spekynge / in alle thyng well manered now he is dompe that wors is he wolde haue oppressed my wyf therfore this day he shall dye ye all shall dye a shamefull dethe The mayster sayd O lorde as for your sone that ye saye that he speketh not that knoweth god without a cause it is not as ye shall vnderstande And that ye saye more / that he your Empresse wolde haue defowled I shall saye you of a trouth he hath ben in our company by the space of xvi yeres we neuer coude perceyue suche thinges by hym And therfore my dere lorde I shall shew you one thynge that yf ye put your sone to deth for the wordes of your wyfe it sholde happen too you wors than to a knyght the whiche that kylled his beste grey hounde thrugh the wordes of his wyfe whiche saued his sone from the deth Tho sayd themperour to the mayster tell me that example The mayster sayd Lorde that shall I not do
whiche is false And therfore from hens forth thou shalt make no mo lesynges ne dyscorde betwix me and my wyfe / toke the pye and brake her necke As the wyfe sawe that she was ryght glad sayd now haue ye done well now maye we all our lyue dayes lyue in reste peas And whan he had slayne the pye he loked vp sawe in the top of the house a laddre a vessel with water sande stones and as he that behelde he perceyued the falshede of his wyfe and cryed with a loude voyce Woo be too me that for my wyues wordes I haue my pye slayne and all my solace and ioye loste that why the in all thynges sayd to me trouthe And as he had thus doone anone for sorowe lefte his marchaundyse and all his house and went to wardes the holy londe and neuer retorned ayen towardes his wyfe ThanÌ„e the mayster sayd to themperour Syr haue ye vnder stande what I haue sayd he answered ryght well the mayster sayd was not that a false cursed wyfe that so by her lesynges caused the pye for to be slayne The emperour sayd In trouthe she was full of falsenesse I forthynke gretly the pye the whiche for her true saynge lost her lyfe Verely I say to you the ye haue tolde me a fayr exaÌ„ple therfore thê day my sone shal not dy Tho sayd the master Syr yf ye do so ye do wysely I thaÌ„ke you that ye haue spared your sone this day for my wyll and to god I commende you ¶ The fourth complaynte of the empresse ¶ Whan thempresse herde that the chylde was not yet dede she made grete noyse cryenges in suche wyse that she was herde thrugh the palays sayd Woo be to me that euer I was made Empresse wolde god I had dyed whan I was broughte in too thyse partyes whan the emperour herde the noyse crye that she made he entred in to the chamber conforted her as moche as he myght demaunded the cause of her lamencacyon / whiche sayd O myn owne lorde haue no woÌ„der though that I be in this grete sorowe and agony for I am your wyfe in your company by your sone I am shamed as ye sawe me lately all be bled scratched ye haue promysed me that he sholde therfor be hanged / yet he lyueth wherfore sholde I not sorow Themperour answered be content pleased / and I shall do iustyse vpon my sone to morowe But in that I forbare hym yesterday was at the meuyng of one of the maysters by an example Than sayd she Haue ye forboren to do iustyce for one worde were it soo for all the worlde ye sholde not let to do iustyce / ye saye for the example of one mayster ye haue lefte it I fere me it shall happen with you with youre maysters as vpon a tyme it fortuned too an Emperoure with his seuen wyse maysters ¶ The empeperoure sayde I praye you tell me that example ¶ Shesayd ¶ To what entent sholde I laboure in vayne / for yesterdaye I shewed you a good example and it auayled not For what someuer I shewe for your honoure and proufyte that the maysters of your sone torne vp and downe to your destructyon as in this present example I shall clerely shewe you To whome themperour sayd / O my best beloued lady tell me that example that by the same I maye the better beware / for though that I respyted my sones lyfe for one daye / I shal not therfore gyue hym his lyfe / for that is dyfferred it is not therfore auferred And she sayde gladly I shall shewe it for your proufyte and began to tell it as here after foloweth SOmtyme was in the cyte of rome seuen wyse maysters by whome all the empyre was gouerned ruled And themperour that than was dyde no no thynge or attempte wtout the counseyll of them as they vnderstode that themperour was to them soo inclyned that without theym he sholde ordeyne or doo noo thynge in the meane tyme they made by theyr arte and connyÌ„g that themperour sholde clerely se as longe as he was in his palays but anone as he was out of his palays he was made blynde / that dyde they to the enteÌ„t that they myght the more frely intromytte themself of all thynges that apperteyned to themperour by the whiche they gate wanne too theym grete profyte lucre of goodes after that they had made wroughte that experymeut they coude neuer chaunge it ne fordo it afterwarde but themperour abode styl blyÌ„d many yeres Then the vii maysters made ordeyned through out th empyre that yf ony man had dremed a dreme he sholde come vnto them with a florene of golde or of syluer they sholde expowne declare vnto them the Interpretacyon of theyr dremes wherby by other vniuste meanes they obteyned moche more substaunce money of the people than themperour dyde Soo vpon a tyme whan he sate at the table with the empresse he began to syghe sorowe in hymselfe and whan she perceyued that she enquyred dylygently of hym the cause of his heuynesse doloure Themperour sayde / sholde not that to me be heuy sorowfull that I so longe haue ben blynde out of my palays / of that can haue or fynde no remedy To whome spake thempresse sayd my lorde here my counseyll it shall neuer repent you yf ye do therafter In your courte ye haue vii wyse maysters by whome ye all the empyre is gouerned yf ye nowe beholde marke this in your myÌ„de / ye shall fynde that they are the cause of your blyndnesse dysease yf it be so they are worthy too dye a shamefull deth therfore take hede to my couÌ„seyl and aduyse Sende ye for them shewe vnto them youre dysease infyrmyte threte them on payne of theyr lyues that they sholde fynde a remedy to make you hole of your fyknesse blyndnes This couÌ„seyl pleased the emperour well anone sent for the maysters And whaÌ„ they were come themperour anone shewed vnto theÌ„ his infyrmyte blyndenes charge them vpon puyne deth / that they sholde seke a rememedy make hym hole therof Tho answered they Ye desyre of vs a thiÌ„ge that is dyffusyfe harde for vs to do thus shortly but gyue vs respyte dayes in the tenth day we shall gyue you answere Themperour was therwith well content pleased Then the seuen wyse maysters went to counseyll how they myght the best chaunge alter / that in noo maner coude they fynde the meane howe they myght put awaye the blyndnes from the Emperour wherfore they were all ryght sorowfull sayde amonge them self wtoute we fynde a remedye we are all but dede men Soo went they from thens thrugh out al th eÌ„pyre sought yf they coude fynde ony remedy or couÌ„seyll therfore It hapned them vpon
hym and solde hym there to a duke The chylde grewe goodly and fayre the duke loued hym moche hadde him gretely in his fauoure Vppon a tyme the kynge of that realme lete calle and assemble all the greate lordes noble men of his londe to a generall couÌ„sell This duke prepared ordeyned hym to go to the couÌ„sell marked the wysdome the wytte of the chylde toke the thylde with hym And whan they were all gadred assembled before the kynge in his couÌ„seyll My welbeloued lordes frendes sayd the kynge wylle ye wete the cause wherfore that I haue called you to this counseylle Then sayd they all we be all souerayne lorde at your commauÌ„demente Then the kynge sayd It is a secrete mater that I shall shewe you yf that ony maÌ„ can open it declare what that it sygnyfyeth I swere promytte vnto hym by my crowne that I shall gyue too hym myn only doughter in maryage he shal be my felowe in my realme duryng my lyfe after my dethe he shall haue possede all the hole kyngedome the mystery of the counseyll is this Thre rauons alwayes folowe me where so euer that I goo they leue me not but cry with suche horryble voyces that it is grete payne for me to here them to beholde theyr lokynges therfore yf ther be ony man the whiche that knoweth the cause of theyr folowynge can shewe what they mene by theyr cryenge voyde theym fro me wtout doubte I shall fulfyll this promyse that I haue made as the kynge had thus sayd there was none fouÌ„de in all the couÌ„seyll that wyst the cause or coude moue or put awaye the rauons Then sayd the chylde too the duke Mylorde thynke ye that the kynge wyl holde his promyse or worde yf I accomplysshe his wyll and desyre Than the duke sayde I thynke he wyll holde that he hath promysed but wyl ye that I gyue the kynge knowlege of you what ye can do Then the chylde sayd I wyl my lyfe set in pledge I shall perfourme make it good that I haue sayde whan the duke herde that he went to the kynge sayd My lorde the kyng here is a yonge maÌ„ that is ryght connynge wyse the whiche promyseth for to satysfye fulfyl in al thyÌ„ges your desyre as touchyÌ„ge the rauons yf ye wyll fulfyll that ye haue promysed The kynge swore by the crowne of his kyngedome what I haue promysed in al thynges shal be ful fylled Tho brought he the chylde before the kynge and whan the kynge sawe hym he spake to hym O fayre chylde can ye gyue answere to my questyon The chylde sayd My lorde ye in the best wyse your questyon if wherfore that the rauons folowe you horrybly crye vpon you To whiche I answere Vpon a tyme it hapned that two rauons a male a female had brought forthe bytwene them the thyrde rauon vpon the sayd se was so grete famyne scarsytee of all maner of thyÌ„ges that men bestes foules dyed perysshed for defaute The thyrde rauon that tyme beynge yonge in the nest the moder lefte it sekynge where she myght best gete her lyuynge came nomore to the neste The male rauon seynge that with grete penurye and laboure fed the yong rauon tyll that he was able to flye and. whaÌ„ the dere tyde was passed and gone then the female rauon came ayen too the yonge rauon and wolde holde felysshyppe and company with hym And as the male rauon sawe that he wolde haue dryuen her away saynge thus that she in his grete myscheyf and necessyte lefte hym and his company and therfore nowe she sholde wante his company and felysshyppe She alledged and sayd that she had in his byrthe grete laboure and sorowe and suffred penurye And therfore of his company she sholde rather Ioye than the fader For this my souerayne lorde they folowe you as kynge the ryght Iugement whiche of them both shal haue the yonge rauon in theyr company and this is the cause of theyr horryble clamour and noyse that they make dayly vpon you But my lorde hadde ye hereupon a ryghtwysse sentence gyuen ye sholde neuer more see theym or be troubled with theyr cryenge Tho sayd the kynge for the cause that the moder hath lett forsaken the yonge rauen in his mooste necessyte it standeth with reason iustyce that she shall wante be without his felyshyp And where that she sayth alledgethe that in the berynge byrth of hym she hadde greate payne and traueyle that helpeth her not for that payne was torned in to Ioye as sone as she sawe the yonge rauen in the worlde But for that the male is the cause of produccyon generacyon in euery beste also that he the yonge rauon in his necessyte sustayned fedde in to the recoueryng nourysshynge of his body therfore I gyue for a iugement for a sentence dyffinityue that the yonge rauen shall abyde holde company with the fader and not with the moder And whan the rauons herde this sentence with a greate noyse crye they flâ—we vp in the ayre were no more seen nefouÌ„de in all that Regyon whanne that this was doone the kynge demaunded of the yonge man wha this name was He answered I am called Alexander Tho sayd the kynge I wyll haue one thynge of you that ye frome hens forth shal name take me none other for your fader but me for ye shall marye my doughter and ye shall be possessour of all my realme The yonge Alexander abode and dwelled stylle with the kynge and euery man hadde too hym fauour and loue for he began to haunt and occupy hymselfe in iustes in tourneys wherin at all tymes he had the pryse aboue all other that were in all Egypte soo that his pere or lyke was not founde there was not so harde nor so obscure a questyon put vnto hym but that he coude assoyle it At that tyme was there an Emperoure named Tytus that excelled in gentylnesse curtesy curposyte of all other Emperours kynges and prynces in the worlde In so moche that suche a fame noyse flewe ranne ouer all the worlde of it that what so euer he was that wolde prouffyte in connynge maners or behauynge that he sholde go to the Emperours courte And whan Alexander herd that he sayd to the kynge My most honourable fader lorde ye wote well that al the worlde is full of the fame of themperoure so that it is delectable to abide dwel in hys courte wherfore yf it please yow my lorde fader I wolde gladly go to hys court that I myght be wyser prompter in maners behauyÌ„ge than I am Thereupon answered the kynge It pleaseth me ryght well but I wolde that ye take with you plente of golde syluer other necessaryes so moche that ye myn honoure
Then the emperour had knowlege of his vyfage kyssed hym sayÌ„g O good alexander nowe I see you in that same forme whiche I haue often tymes dylected in blessed be god that euer I hadde thyse chyldern by the whome ye be holpen and made hole yet wyste no man of the deth of the chyldern saue oonly the emperoure alexander whan as the emperoure sawe that alexander was parfytly heled he sayd vnto hym I shall ordeyne to you an honeste companye ye shall go frome hens ten myle the next daye sende vnto me a messager that ye shew openly vnto me of youre comynge and I shall then with all solempnyte come mete you ye shall abyde with me vnto the tyme that we maye otherwyse prouyde for the recouerynge of youre realme This couÌ„seyll pleased alexander ryght well accordynge to the same it was done For on the nexte daye came the messager vnto the emperoure shewynge hym that comynge of kynge alexander whanne the empresse herde that she was ryghte gladde sayd vnto the emperoure O my lorde haue ye not nowe a cause of greate ioye that kyng alexander whome we of a longe tyme haue not seen and yf it please you to go and mete hym with youre lordes and seruauÌ„tes I shall folowe you with my ladyes gentylwymen yet wyste she not the dethe of hyr chyldern Then rode they forth with a grete companye and met with the kynge alexander and whan they mette togyder with greate reuerence and honoure they receyued hym and with grete gladnesse and Ioye they broughte hym in to the palays and whanne the tyme of dyner was come alexander was set at the table betwyxt the emperour the empresse all the chere that she coude make she dyd to hym and whan the Emperour perceyued that he was ryghte well pleased sayd O myne owne Florentyne I Ioye aboue all thynges that ye do make to kynge alexander soo gode chere Then sayd she wherfore sholde I not is not his comynge to vs bothe Ioye gladnesse but more to you my lorde for this dygnyte that ye are in by hym ye are promoted many tymes he hathe saued you fro the dethe Themperour sayd than I praye you myn owne Florentyne that ye wyll take hede to my wordes that I shall saye to you Sawe ye not the foule laser whiche the laste daye sate before oure table and prayed me for the loue of god kynge alexander that I shold gyue hym drynke she sayd My lorde I saw hym well a more horryble man I neuer behelde then sayd Themperoure I demaunde nowe this of you I put case that he were kynge alexander that he in ony wyse coude not be made hole but with the blood of your sones the whiche ye in one daye krought in to this worlde wolde ye not that theyr bloode were shed that he myght bathe hym therin to the entente that by the same he myght haue parfyte helthe as ye nowe se hym in She sayd my lorde wherfore demauÌ„de ye me that question I saye lete you haue knowlege for trouthe that yf I hadde ten sones I sholde gladly slee them with min owne handes to prepare ordeyne for hym a bayne sholde wasshe hym therin myne owne selfe rather than I sholde leue hym in suche peryll for god myght well sende vs mo chyldern but suche a true frende were as a thynge impossyble for vs to recouer or fynde whan themperour herde this of hyr he was well coÌ„tente pleased in his mynde sayd O wyfe had ye leuer haue your chyldern dede than alexander shold be in that sekenesse of lepery therfore shall I open and shewe to you nowe the trouthe of the mater That foule laser the whiche ye sawe was alexander that syttethe here by that maner he is made hole with the blode of our sones they are dede as the Empresse herde yt. she began to sorowe as nature wolde all thoughe she had sayd afore that she had leuer see hyr chyldern dede than she wolde suffre alexander in suche payne The nourysshes of the chyldern vnderstandynge this with grete cryenge wepynge went to the nourysshery or chamber of them grete sorowe bewaylynge was made thrughe themperours courte for his sones whan the nourysshes came into the chamber they fouÌ„de the chyldern playnge syngynge of the moost blessed vyrgyne Mary aue maria gracia plena dnÌ„s tecum tho went they ayen in all haste vnto the Emperour shewed hym that his sones were lyuynge that about theyr throtes there as they were cutte they haue a cercle of threde of golde therof was grete Ioye gladnesse in all the conrte gaue thankynges vnto alyghty god to the blessed vyrgyne mary his moder of the grete myracle after that themperoure with a grete multytude and company of people gadred assembled went with alexander in to Egypte set hym ayen into his royalte possessyon of his Realme the quene with the knyghte whiche lyued togyder in auoutry he dyd theÌ„ both to be brent in too poudre And whan this was all doÌ„ne the Emperoure hadde a syster oonly whom he gaue alexander vnto his wyfe And whanne kynge Alexander had all his Realme obteyned ayen was sette in gode reste peas the Emperoure wente ayen vnto his Empire the kynge Alexander ryght wysely maniy gouerned hymselfe in all his feates actes so that he ouercame all his enmyes rebelles And whan he was in al his glorye peas myght he hadde thought mynde vpon his fader moder by whome he was caste into the see whiche dwelled in ferre partyes frome thens he sent to them a messager dyd them to haue knowelege that the kynge of Egypte vpon suche a daye wolde be with them to ete to drynke make good chere and whan the messager was come too them they receyued hym with grete Ioye with gyftes largely to hym gyueÌ„ sent hym ayen saynge that theyr seruyces sholde be redy at all tymes to do the kynge plesure but that coude they neuer by powerfully deserue that he wolde wouchesauf to shewe them the hâ—noure wherto they were not worthy he for to come to them to ete to drynke sporte hym The messager wente ayen vnto the kynge shewed how gladlye that they wolde receyue hym what rewarde they had gyuen hym how faythfully they were redy to do hym seruyce at his coÌ„mauÌ„dement where with the kynge was well coÌ„tente And whan the daye was comen that was prefyxed the kynge with a fayre coÌ„pany rode towarde his faders house the whiche as well to the knyght his fader as to his moder was vnknowen that he was theyr sone whanne the kynge was come nygh vnto his faders castell the knyght rode to receyue and mete hym whan he come nyghe vnto the kynge he descended frome his horse reuerenced hym with
ydell games came to so grete pouerte that he was dysposed to sel his herytage called to hym his sone and sayd My sone it behoueth me of your counseyll for necessyte and pouerte compelleth me to sell myn herytage or elles for to fynde all other way by the whiche I maye lyue for yf I sholde sell myn heritage ye your systers sholde perysshe The sone sayde Fader yf ye can fynde ony other meane without sellynge of the herytage I sholde be redy to helpe you To whome the fader sayd I am bethought vpon a good counseyll Themperour hath a toure full of golde / by nyght tyme lete vs go thyder with instrumentes and dygge and hewe through the toure and lete vs take of the golde as moche as shal suffyse vs. Therto answered the sone sayd that couÌ„seyl can not be amended for it is better of themperoures golde to take to helpe vs than our herytage to sell They rose vp bothe in a nyght and went to the toure and with instrumentes they made there thrugh an hole and toke as moche golde as they bothe coude cary awaye at that tyme. The knyght payed his dettes haunted ayen iustes as he dyde before tyll all was speÌ„te and consumed In the meane whyle the keper of the tresoure went in to the toure whan he sawe the tresoure stolen a grete hole made through the wall he began to waxe sore a ferde went to themperour and shewed how it was befallen To whome themperour sayd all angrely What nedest thou to shewe that haue I not delyuered to the my tresoure / therfore of the I wyll aske it Tho anone as the keper herde that went to the toure ayen set afore the hole a grete vessel ful of pytche medled with other gummes so subtely that noo man myght come in at that hole but that he must nedes fall in to that vessell yf he therin fyll he coude no more come out of it Not longe after the knyghte had all the golde consumed and spent went ayen with his sone to the toure to stele more golde and as the fader went in fyrste anone he was fallen in the ves with pytche to the necke whan he sawe that he was taken coude not gete out he sayd to his sone folow me not for yf thou doost thou may not escape to be taken Than the sone sayd god defende it that I sholde not helpe you for yf ye are founden we are all but dede yf that ye may not be holpen by me I shall seke counseyll how that ye maye be delyuered holpen The fader sayd / there is none other counseyll but with thy swerde smyte of myn heed / and as my body is founde without hede noo man shall knowe me so thou and my doughters may escape auoyde thê wordly shame dethe The sone sayde fader ye haue gyuen the best counseyll For yf it were so that ony man myght perceyue ony knolege of you none of vs sholde escape that deth therfore it is expedient that your hede be smyten of Anone he drewe out his swerde smote of his faders hede caste it in to a pytte afterwarde hyd it therin and yede and shewed to his systers all the mater whiche many dayes after pryuely bewayled the dethe of theyr fader After this the keper of the tresour came in to the toure founde a body wtout ony hede wherof he wondred sore and shewed it to the emperour To whome he sayde bynde that body at the tayle of an horse so drawe it by al the stretes of the cyte dyligently take good hede yf ye here ony crye or wepynge where soo euer ye here that he is lorde of the house take all them with the body drawe them to the galowes hange them The whiche themperours seruauntes fulfylled accordynge to his coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t And as they came ayenst the house of the dede knyght as the doughters sawe body of they re dede fader they made a merueylous grete shryche wept pyteously as ther broder that herd anone he wounded hymself greuously in the mouthe with a knyfe so that grete plente of bloode came oute of the wounde The offycers whan the herde that noyse crye entred in to the house demaunded the cause of theyr noyse clamour Tho anwered the sone that I am thus wounded for whan my systers sawe my bloode so habundauntly go oute as ye see they began to wepe and crye And whan the offycer sawe the wounde they byleued his wordes so dysceyued went theyr wayes and hynge the body of the knyght vpon the galowes where it hynge long tyme his sone wolde neyther take his body downe frome the galowes ne yet bury his hede the Empresse sayd vnderstande ye what I haue sayd Themperour sayd ye ryght well ¶ The declaratyon of the example ¶ Tho spake thempresse thus my lorde I fere me it shal be of you of youre sone This knyght for loue of his sone was made poore fyrste he commytted thefte brake the toure secondary dyde hymself too be heded that his chyldren sholde haue no shame After that sone cast his hede in a dyke buryed it nether in chyrche nor in chyrcheyerde his body he suffred to hange styll vpon the galowes yf that he coude not haue taken it downe in the daye he myght wel haue done in the nyght In the same maner ye laboure nyght and day that ye maye promote your sone to honoure ryches But without doubte he dayly laboureth for your confusyon destructyon that he may regne after you in your empyre Therfore I aduyse you that ye do hyÌ„ to be hanged before or he you destroye Themperour sayd ye haue shewed me a good example The knyghtes so ne whan he had smyten of his faders hede wolde not bury it Without doute my fader shall not do so by me but he communded anone his offycers that they sholde lede hym to the galowes they obeyed his coÌ„mauÌ„dement hastely as they lad hym thrugh the stretes the people made grete noyse lamentacyon alas alas the onely sone of the emperour is lad ayen to wardes the galowes / as they thus ladde hym the thyrde mayster named Craton came rydyÌ„g vpon an hors / as the chylde sawe hym he bowed downe his hede to hym as though he had sayd haue mynde vpon me The people cryed sayng O good mayster hast you saue youre dyscyple He smote his horse with spores hasted him to the palays And whan he came before themperoure he honourably salued hym whiche sayd thy comyng hyther shall neuer auayll the / nor it that thou comest for The mayster sayd I hoped in my comynge to haue be welcome haue had a better rewarde not too haue be rebuked The emperour sayd / as ye haue deserued so shal it be to you To whom he sayd
whan the Emperour sawe yt. he was impacyent wrothe that he coÌ„mauÌ„ded that she with the rybaude sholde be brent the sone sayd lorde fader make no haste of that iugement before that I haue reproued her of the cryme that she layde vppon me falsely that she vntruly falsly hathe complayned lyed vpon me Tho sayd the fader My dere sone I coÌ„mytte all the iugemente in to your handê The sone answered yf she be founde false a lyer the lawe shall iuge her But my dere fader whan ye sent after me at the instaunce of hyr then I with my maysters behelde the sterres in the fyrmamente there we sawe that yf I sholde speke ony worde within seuen dayes I sholde haue deyed a shamefull dethe and therefore that was the cause that I spake not And where as the Empresse sayd put vnto me that I wolde haue oppressed rauysshed hyr in that she lyeth falsly but she dyd hyr best to haue caused me to do it And whaÌ„ she in no wyse coude bryng me therto she toke me paper penne ynke badde me wryte the cause why that I refused her And whan that I had wryten that I wolde not do or commytte so greate abhomynable synne and also wolde not my faders orcharde defoule Tho began she to tere hyr clothes scratche her vysage that it ran on blode cryed with a loude voyce coÌ„mytted vnto me the cryme or blame And whan the Emperoure herde this he behelde her with a fell couÌ„tenauÌ„ce and sayd to hyr in this maner O thou wretched woman was it not suffycyent to fulfyll thy foule lecherous appetyte I thy rybaude but wolde also haue hadde my sone Than fell the Empresse to themperours fote she cryed hym mercy Then the Emperoure sayd O thou cursyd most vnhappy woman thou askest forgyuenesse thou art worthy none to haue for thou haste deserued to dye in thre maner wyse The fyrst is that thou haste done auoutrye The seconde is that thou hastee prouoked and styred my sone to synne haste to hym commytted layde the cryme falsely vntruly And the thyrde that thou haste euery daye entyced prouoked me with thy false tales for to put hym to dethe therfore the lawe shall haue the course vpon ye. iuge the to the dethe Then sayd the sone Fader ye knowe well that for the lesynge that she lyed vpon me I was dayly lad to hangynge But god with the helpe of my maysters hathe delyuered me O my moost honourable fader it was sayd vnto you by the Empresse that I wolde also by the helpe of my maysters depose you out of youre Empyre that I laboured to dystroye you for to sette me in your place sholde not ye than haue sorowed ye haue the Empyre to gouerne wherfore shold I not holde you for my fader God defende that for of you I haue my lyuyng and I shall holde and repute you for my souerayne lorde and fader durynge the terme of my lyfe And I wyll not in ony manere depryue you of youre honoure but I shall laboure and besye my selfe aboute the gouernauÌ„ce of the same and all your coÌ„mauÌ„dementes I shall fulfyll in euery thyÌ„ ge But it is in lyke wyse as the fader caste his sone in to the see for too drowne hym bycause he sayd that he in tyme comynge sholde be his lorde yet the sone by the helpe of god was saued and was made a gretter lord than he was yet was it no hynderauÌ„ce to the fader but prouffyte Also ye sholde see remembre that my lyfe gouernauÌ„ce shall neuer hynder you but it shal be to your greate solace Ioye Than sayd the Emperoure blessed be almyghty god the houre that I euer begate you deserued to haue suche a sone the I fynde soo wyse good in all thynges Telle me nowe an example by the whiche I maye parfytly thy wysdome vnder stande that myn herte maye the better Ioye in the. Thenne sayd the sone fyrst coÌ„mauÌ„de sylence to your people that I be not letted in my wordes tyll the I haue done And whan that it is ended gyue sentence with the ryght wysnesse of the lawe vpon me and vpon the Empresse Tho coÌ„maunded the Emperoure sylence the chyld began to tell in maner as hereafter foloweth ¶ The example of Dyoclesyan the Emperours sone THere was a knyght whiche hadde but one sone that he loued ryght moche in begynnynge as ye nowe all onely haue me whome he delyuered to a mayster of ferre couÌ„trees to nourysshe to lerne the chylde was of a grete wytte prouffyted moche and grewe as well in lernynge as in body And whan he had dwelled with his mayster seuen yere his fader desyred to see hym sent letters to hym that he sholde come ayen in to his couÌ„tree vysyte his frendes in lyke wyse as ye haue sente for me The chylde was obedyent to his fader came at his coÌ„mauÌ„dement of whos comynge he Ioyed moche for that he was as well growen in his membres as in doctryne To euery man he appered pleasauÌ„t and gentylle It happened vpon a daye that the fader and the moder syttynge at the table the chylde seruynge theym A nyghtyngale came fleynge afore the wyndowe where as they satte began for to synge so swetely that they merueyled And the knyght sayd O how swetely this byrde syngeth well were hym that coude vnderstande his songe coude shew the interpretacyon therof Thenne the sone sayd my worshypfull fader the song of the nyghtyngale I coude well declare but I fere your dysplesure The fader sayd saye hardely my sone the interpretacyon of the byrde than ye shall proue whether I shall be angry or not but I shall marke well the reason of myn angre whan the sone herde that he sayd the nyghtyngale hath sayd in his songe that I shall become a grete lorde that I shall be honoured worshypped of all men namely of my fader the whiche shall brynge the water for to wasshe in myn handes and my moder shall holde the towell The fader sayd thou shall neuer see that day suche seruyce of vs to haue nor none suche dygnyte shall folowe the. and in greate malyce wodenesse he toke his sone vppon his sholders ranne to the see cast hym in it and sayd Lye there the interpretatour of the byrdes songe The chylde coude swymme and swymmed to a londe where he was foure dayes with out mete or drynke The fyft daye there came a shyp saylynge and as the chyld sawe that he called loude to the shypmenÌ„ sayd for the loue of god delyuer me frome the peryll of dethe The shypmen sawe that it was a fayre yonge man they had compassyon on hyÌ„ and went with theyr bote and fette hym aborde and in to ferre countrees with them shey ledde
he was gladde went to his felow and sayd My beste beloued felowe be ye of gode comforth for I haue conquered the mayden vnto you and in this nyght I shall brynge you vnto hyr chamber And whan that was sayd he stert vp as thoughe that he hadde wakened out of his slepe was well reuyued for grete ioye he was made all hole And the next nyght folowynge Alexander toke Lodwyke brought hym vnto the chamber of the lady with whome he was in solace Ioye all the nyght fro the tyme forth all hyr herte was vpon hym so that there was but one loue betwyxt them bothe And after that Lodwyke vsyd her oftentymes to vysyte so that it came by processe of tyme to the ere 's of the knyghtes of the courte how that the Emperours doughter was knowen by Lodwyke conspyred amonges them selfe how that they myght hym ther with all fynde hym to take or sle as Alexander had knowlege therof he armed hym to withstande them And whan the knyghtes vnderstode that they ferynge Alexander suffred his felowe to go in peas Alexander many tymes put hym selfe in ieoperdye for hym he not knowynge therof but the mayde knewe it welle In shorte tyme after that there came letters to Alexander of the dethe of the kynge of Egypt the he sholde has tely come and receyue his kyngdome with honour Ioye and that shewed he anone too the mayden and to Lodwyk and also of his departynge wherof they were sorowfull heuy he sayd also vnto the emperour My mooste redoubted lorde please it you for to vnderstande that I haue receyued letters of the deth of my fader wherfore it behoueth me to go receyue the kyngdome that ye wylll lycence me to depart and for all benefetes to done I offre my selfe all my godes rather then I sholde by my goynge awaye offende or dysplese you my lorde I shall forsake all my realme all that I haue in the world abyde with you styll Then sayd the Emperoure knowe ye for certayne that of your departynge I am ryght heuy for ye were vnto me the beste seruaut that was in all my house But it becometh not an Emperoure to lette his seruauntes frome ther promocyons or auaūcementes but soner to promote theym vnto hygher gretter honoure Therfore go ye vnto oure tresourer he shall delyuer you as moche golde as ye wyll haue in the name of god with my blessynge go in to your coūtre and thus Alexander had leue of the Emperoure bad fare well many of the courte were sorowfull of his departynge for of all he was beloued Lodwyk with the mayden brought hym on his waye well seuen myle After that Alexander wolde not suffre theym for to go further then fell they bothe to the groūde for grete sorow Alexander toke lyfte them bothe vp ayen from the erthe comforted theym with fayre swete wordes and sayd O Lodwyke my moost beloued felawe I warne you that the secretes beynge betwyxt you my lady ye hyde them kepe them as preuely as ye may take good hede to all thynges For I wote an other shall come and be in my stede that shall enuy you of the fauoure grace that ye stande in with the Emperoure and daye nyght shall lye in a wayte to take you with a faute to put you to a rebuke Then answered lodwyk sayd O Alexander I shall be ware as moche as to me is possyble but how shall I nowe do whan I wante your company therfore one thynge I shall desyre of you that ye wyl take this rynge of me for a remēbraūce Then sayd he I shall for the loue of you gladly receyue the rynge yet sholde I neuer wtoute the rynge forgete you cōmytted them too god Then they embraced eche other aboute the necke kyssed and so departed frome other Not longe after the the kynges sone of Spayne named Guydo was receyued of the Emperoure in the rowme place of Alexander to whome the stewarde assygned Alexanders place chamber whiche was sore ayenste the wyll of Lodwyke but he coude not amende it Guydo perceyuynge that Lodwyke ayenst his wyll had hym in his felysshyp anone he toke had enuye ayenst hym so that Lodwyke of a longe tyme for fere of the sayd Guydo kepte hym out of the company of the sayd mayde Neuerthelesse afterwarde ouercomen with the loue of the mayden somtyme haūted wente ayen to hyr as he afore tyme had done Guydo shortly perceyuynge awayted so longe therupon that he the trouthe knewe and was therof in surete that the mayden was by Lodwyke knowen hadde accompanyed with hym Vppon a tyme it happened the the Emperoure stode in hys halle praysed gretely Alexander of his gentylnes and wysedome That herynge Guydo sayde My lorde he is not soo moche worthy to be cōmended as ye wene for he hath ben a longe whyle a traytour in youre house thenne themperoure sayd telle me how Guydo sayd ye haue but one doughter oonly the whiche shall be your heyre and the Lodwyke hathe defouled lyen by hyr by the helpe of alexander he gothe to hyr euery nyght whan it pleaseth hym and whan the emperoure herde that he was sore meuyd wexed angry it happened Lodwyke vpon the same tyme to come thrugh the hall and whan the Emperour sawe hym he sayd what here I of the thou euyll and vntrue body yf it be founde proued true thou shalt deye the moost shamefull dethe that can be deuysed Lodwyke sayd My lorde the emperoure what is the cause Guydo answered I saye depose here afore my lorde ayenst the that thou haste defouled his oonly doughter euery nyght thou goost to hyr doost fornycacyou with her and that in batayle I shall proue make good vpon thy body with my body Thenne sayd Lodwyke I am innocente not defectyue in that cryme falsely thou puttest that and layest vpon me therupon I holde the batayle for I truste on god thy falshede shall come vpon thyn owne hede Then the Emperoure assygned theym the daye of batayle fyghtynge That done Lodwyke went vnto the mayden shewed to her the cause the daye of batayle by the Emperoure assygned and in what maner Guydo hadde hym accused and sayd to hyr Nowe it behoueth me to haue your coūseyll or els I muste deye for why as ye knowe it had not aueyled me to haue ayensayd the batayle wtout I wolde haue yelded myselfe gylty Guydo is stronge hardy in armes that his lyke is none but alexander I am weyke feble therfore yf I holde the batayle ayenst hym I am but a dede man so shall ye abyde shamed rebuked Then sayd she Do my coūseyle in that that ye mystrust youre selfe go hastely vnto my fader saye to hym that ye haue receyued
letters wherby that ye are acertayned that the lorde your fader is sore seke lyeth vppon his dede bed desyreth to se you speke with youre persone to dyspose his kyngdome his godes afore he departe out of this world desyre his lycence for the loue of your fader that ye maye go vysite hym that he wyll proroge lengthe the daye of bataylle whyles the ye maye go come And whan ye haue obteyned his congye or lycence as hastely as ye may go secretely to the kynge alexander whan ye are come to hym take hym aparte shewe hym the cause of youre comynge requyre hym in this youre vtter extremyte that he wylle vs helpe ayde and whan that Lodwyke had herd this coūseyll it pleased hym well dyde hereafter Hys leue goten lenger daye or terme of batayle prefyxed and assygned departed toke his iourneye to wardes the realme of Egypte neuer letted daye nor nyght tyll he came vnto kynge alexanders castell whan the kynge alexander hadde vnderstondynge of his comynge he was moche glad went to mete hym receyued him honourably had wonder of his comyn̄ge Tho sayd Lodwyk O my dere lorde my beste byloued frende my lyfe my dethe is in youre handes for as ye sayd to me afore that I sholde haue an other felowe the whiche sholde lye in awayte to aspye me too destroye me / wtout I save the more wysely to my selfe as longe as I myght I absented me tyll that I coude no lenger but afterwarde the kynges sone of Spayne makynge watch soo longe on me tyll that he perceyued the trouthe hathe accused me vnto the Emperoure so that frome this daye vnto the .viii. daye hereafter prefyxed it behoueth me to come fyght with hym body ayenst body and as ye knowe well he is a stronge an hardy man and I am weyke feble therfore hathe Florentyne coūseyled me that I sholde not hyde this my charge frome you For she knoweth you for a faythfull frende that ye wolde not leue vs in this necessyte Then sayd alexander is there ony body that knoweth of your comyng vnto me for this mater more than Florentyne He answered hym sayd no creature lyuynge for I toke leue of the Emperoure to go vysite my fader lyenge greuously seke Then axed alexander hym what coūseyll hathe Florentyne gyuen to you howe in what wyse I myght helpe you He sayd O moost constaūt faythfull frende in this wyse she hathe coūseylled me cōsyderynge that we be lyke that ye sholde come do the batayle wyth hym no man shall knowe you but she and the batayll done I shall come ayen to the court ye vnto youre coūtree Then he asked whan the day sholde be of the batayle and he sayd this daye .viii. dayes Thenne sayd alexander yf I sholde this daye tary then can I not come to that daye prefyxed Therfore se what I shall do I haue boden all my subgectes that to morowe they sholde come be at my weddynge brydale and yf I sholde go than is that daye loste / and yf I go not do the batayle than Florentyne ye are bothe vndone what thynke ye nowe beste for to doo whan Lodwyke herde that he fell to the erthe began to syghe sorowe oute of mesure saynge sorow and heuynesse come to me on all sydes Then sayd alexander vnto hym be of good comforte for I shall not forsake you thus thoughe that I sholde lese my wyf kyngdome but herken what that I haue thought in so moche as we are bothe lyke soo that the one of vs can not be knowen frome the other but we be bothe togyder I am not yet gretly knowen here but my barons other folke shall take you for me therfore here shall ye abyde tary mary my wyfe in my stede holde the feest brydale do in all thynges as though I were there my selfe present excepte whan as ye come to bedde with my wyfe loke that ye be there true faythfull I shall wtoute taryenge go take my horse ryde theder as the batayle shall be yf god gyue me the vyctorye that I maye ouercome vaynquysshe your enemye I shall come ayen secretlye and ye shall go ageyne to youre partyes and dwellynge place Thys done alexander badde Lodwyke fare well and toke his Iourneye towardes the Emperours courte for to fyght and to do the batayle with Guydo Lodwyk abode in Egypt in the stede of kynge Alexander and vpon the next mornynge came Lodwyke as though it hadde be kynge Alexander solemply in the face of the chirche maryed and spoused Alexanders wyfe helde the feest brydale with grete royalte of delycate precyous metes plente of all maner wynes dyuerse melodyes of instrumentes of musyke and he made greate Ioye chere to all the noble men to all other people the there was assembled And whan the nyghte was come he wente to bedde with the quene layd betwyxt hym and her a naked swerde wherof she had greate wonder but no thynge she sayd and also he laye with hir euery nyght as longe as Alexander was out ¶ The kynge Alexander at the daye that was prefixed sette came vnto the Emperoure sayd O most drad souerayne lorde it is so that I haue left my fader ryght seke Neuerthelesse I am come for to defende myn honoure my forwarde to performe The Emperoure sayd ye do ryght well accordynge to a noble man fortune shall fauoure you in your iuste ryght wysse quarell And whan the Emperours doughter vnderstode that Alexander was comen anone she sent for him whan as he was come to hyr she embraced hym with ioye gladnesse she kyste hym blessed the tyme that she myght see hym ayen demaūded hym where he that hadde lefte hyr frende and louer Lodwyke Then he shewed declared vnto hyr all the processe how he had left hym kyng in his realme toke his leue at hyr wente in to Lodwykes chamber there was no creature that thought otherwyse but it was lodwyk oonly excepte Florentyne The next daye folowynge afore er Alexander went vnto the batayle he sayd vnto the Emperoure in the presence of Guydo My moost redoubted souerayne lorde this Guydo hath falsely vntruely accused me vnto your noble grace that I sholde be of suche aqueyntaūce with youre doughter that sholde be vnto the dyshonoure of your moost noble persone hyrs vnto that I swere afferme by this holy euaūgelyes that she was neuer in ony maner by me in suche wyse knowen as he hathe to you alledged enformed that this daye with the ayde the helpe of god I shall proue make good vppon his body Then sayd Guydo yet ones I saye ayen swere by the