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
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
a tyme goynge thrugh a cyte in the myddes therof they founde chyldren playnge ater them came a man with a talente or florene of golde sayd to them Good maysters this nyght I haue dremed a dreme thenterpretacoÌ„n therof I wolde fayne knowe Wherfore I pray you shewe me what it sygnyfyeth take this golde to you That herde one of the chyldren that played among the other sayd too hyÌ„ gyue me the golde not them I shall expowne thy dreme The man sayde I dremed this nyghte that in the myddes of myn orchyerde was a grete sprynge of water wherof came many smal spryÌ„ges that all myn orchyerde was full ouerflowen with water The chylde sayd take a spade dygge in the same place there as ye thought that the water out sprange there shall ye fynde an horde of golde so grete that ye all your chylderne lynage shall be for euer ryche The man dyde as the chylde had shewed hym found the tresoure accordynge to his wordes Tho went the maÌ„ to the chylde offred hym a pounde weyght of the golde the he had founde for the interpretacyon of his dreme he wold none receyue but coÌ„mytted hym to the prayers of the man The .vii. maysters whan they herde the chylde soo wysely expowne the dreme they sayd to hym gode chylde what is youre name he answered sayde I called Merlyne Then sayd the maysters we se clerely grete wysedome in you we shal shewe vnto you a grete mater of that we wolde gladly that ye coude fynde a remedy The chylde sayd Shewe me your mater And they sayd themperour of rome as longe as he is in his palays he hath his syght clere wtout ony impedymeÌ„t And as sone as he is gone out of his palays he is soo blyÌ„de that he may not se Yf ye can now determyne the cause herof fyÌ„de a remedy that he may be eased haue hê syght ayen ye shall haue grete rewardes honoures of theÌ„perour The chylde sayd I know the cause as wel of his blyÌ„dhede as of the remedy They sayd to hyÌ„ Come with vs to themperour ye shal be rewarded so largely that ye shall be pleased To whom the chylde sayd I am redy to go with you And whan they came with the chylde before themperour they sayd to hyÌ„ Lorde loo here this childe that we haue brought afore you that which shal fulfyll your desyre as touchyÌ„ge the cause of your blyÌ„denes as the recoueryÌ„ge of your syghte Themperour sayd Good maysters woll ye take it vpon you abyde therby that the chylde shall do with me They all sayd ye for we be experte in his wysedome Themperour torned hymself towardes the chylde and sayde wyll ye vndertake to tell me the cause of my blyndnesse the remedye The chylde answered sayd My lorde the emperour lede me in to your bedchamber there I shal shewe you what is to be done And as he was ther in broughte he sayd to the seruauÌ„tis take of the clothes of the bedde all thapparayle ye shall se wonders And as that was done they sawe a well smokyng that had vii spryÌ„ges or floodes the whiche whan theÌ„perour sawe meruayled gretly the chyld sayd ye se this wel wtout it be queÌ„ched ye shal neuer haue your syÈt theÌ„perour sayd how may that be the chyld sayd but by one way Themperour sayde Shewe vs than the meane yf it be possyble to me it shall be done that I maye recouer ayen my syght as well wtout as wtin To whome the chylde sayd my lorde the .vii. sprynges of this well are thyse .vii. wyse maysters the whiche you your Empyre hythertoo haue trayterously gouerned haue you made blyÌ„de as ye be wtoute your palays that they youre subgettes by extorcyon myght plucke pyll ye not seynge but nowe they knowe not the remedy Here ye nowe my counseyll this well shal be quenched extyÌ„cte do stryke of the fyrste maysters hede anone ye shall the fyrste sprynge quenched so by ordre one after an other tyll that they are all beheded anone all the sprynges with the well shall be vanysshed and gone awaye / ye shall haue ayen your syght as ye had afore And as this was done fulfylled / the well with the .vii. sprynges were vanysshed And as themperour had his syghte ayen he made the chylde a grete lorde gaue hyÌ„ grete habundauÌ„ce of goodes After that spake them presse my lorde haue ye this example well perceyued that I haue tolde you he sayd ye in the best wyse ye haue recyted a good and a ryall example Than sayd she In the same wyse your .vii. wyse maysters intende too doo with you by they re false narracyons that your sone may reygne vpon you / that god forbede ¶ The declaratyon of the example ¶ This welle is youre sone wherof oute flowen seuen sprynges that sygnefye the seuen wyse maysters the whiche soone ye maye not destroye withoute the. vii maysters be made feble broughte too noughte that done this well that is your sone with all his cauyllacyons wyles shal not scape / but lete hym be hanged fyrste leste that he haue helpe of his maysters forth after cosequently the .vii. maysters And so ye shall gouerne guyde your empyre in reste peas Themperour anone coÌ„maunded his seruauntes to lede his so to the galowes whiche they were lothe to do So was there than a grete multytude of people gadred with grete noyse bewaylynge so that the noyse came to the ere 's of the fourth mayster named Malquydrac the whiche lepte vpon his hors / hasted hym to the palays So mette with hym his dyscyple dyde reuerence to hyÌ„ / recommaunded hym vnto hym / whan he came be fore themperour had done his obeysaunce reuereÌ„ce as apperteyned Themperour answered sayde Lytell thanke haue ye olde cursed caytyfe for the techyÌ„ge of my sone for I delyuered you my sone well spekyÌ„ge in all thynge ryght vertuous And ye haue sent hym a fole dompe / a rybaude / for he wolde haue belayne with force my wyfe / therfore all ye with him togyder shall be hanged Tho sayd the mayster My lorde I haue not that deserued of you god knoweth why your sone speketh not in shorte tyme ye shal perceyue other thyÌ„ges but the tyme is not yet comen But in the ye say he wolde haue oppressed your wyfe the is not gospel ne proued ne for one syÌ„guler ê‘sone ye shold not iuge to deth your sone yf now for the wordes of your wyfe ye iuge your sone to dye it wil be wors to you than to an olde man of his wyse that I shall proue Too whome themperour sayd Thynke ye to doo with me ye olde dotarde as somtyme seuen wyse men dyde to an emperour Therto sayd sayd the mayster The offence or
well the lawe of the londes are that whan so euer ony man is hanged stolen a waye of the galowes than the shyref his lyfe and godes be in the kynges handes Nowe it is happened in the tyme that I was here with you warmed me the theefis stolen a way frome the galowes therfore I praye you for the loue of god gyue me your aduys what is me beste to do She answered I haue compassyon vpon you for by the lawe ye haue loste lyfe goodes to the kynge Do nowe after my couÌ„seyll ye shall neyther lese lyfe ne godes He answered therfore I came to you hopynge to haue gode comforth She sayd wyll ye than promyse to take me to your wyfe the knyght answered wolde god that ye wolde do yt. but I fere me leste that ye wolde dysdeyne so moche to humble you too me that am so pore a knyght She sayd I gyue you my wyl therto he yaue her ayen his wyll consented too be her knyght durynge his lyfe Tho sayd she ye knowe well that suche a day my lorde was buryed whiche for the loue of me deyed take hym oute of his sepulture go hange hym in stede of the theef The knyght answered lady your couÌ„seyll is good Tho went they togyder opened the graue drewe hym out The knyght sayd howe shall we nowe doo by cause or the theef was taken two of his vpper tethe were smyten oute I fere me yf that were perceyued I shold be dede She sayd to hym take a stone and stryke oute two of his tethe The knyght answerd madame that may not do for while he lyued he was my wel beloued felowe it sholde be to me a grete rebuke yf I coÌ„mytted soo dysloyall a dede vnto his body beynge dede She answered for your loue I shall do it toke a stone smote out two of his tethe sayd to the shyref take hyÌ„ hange him vpon the galowes lyke to the theef The knyght sayde I fere me to do it for the theef in takynge of hyÌ„ was wouÌ„ded in the hede he wanted both his ere 's therfore yf it were serched founde otherwyse it sholde be to my vtter vndoynge Than sayd she take out your swerde make hym a grete wounde on his hede cut of his ere 's O madame god forbede the I do that to the dede body that I loued so well in his lyfe Than sayd she gyue me your swerde I shal for the loue of you do it toke the swerde smote a manly stroke vpon the dede maÌ„nes forhede cut of bothe his ere 's And whan she hadde thus done sayd Now take hange hym wtout company than the knyght answered yet I fere me to haÌ„ge hyÌ„ for the theef wanted both his stones yf that were serched fouÌ„de wtout all our labour were in vayn Then sayd she I sawe neuer so feerfull a man seyng that mater so clere sure Take a knyfe cut of his slones And be answered that may I not do in no wyse and therfore I pray you spare me ye knowe well what a man is wtout his stones She sayd for the loue of you I shall do it And toke the knyf in her hande cutte of husbondes stones and to hym nowe take this churle thus dysfygured and hange hym vp withoute drede And went forth togyder and henge vp the body vpoÌ„ the galowes so was the shyref delyuered out of the kyÌ„ges daunger Tho sayd the lady now be ye quyte of all your daungeours fere all thy sorowes by my couÌ„seyll And therfore I wyll that ye wedde me in the face of the chyrche The knyght sayde I haue made a vowe that I shal neuer wed other as longe as ye lyue which I wyl holde but afterwarde he sayd O thou moost shameful worst womaÌ„ of al wyÌ„men who wolde take the to his wyfe An honourable a louynge knyght was thy husboÌ„de whiche for a lytel blode that he sawe of thy fyÌ„ger shed dyed now haste thou smyten out two of his tethe thou haste cutte of his ere 's his stones thou haste made hyÌ„ a grete wounde in his hede what deuyll wolde wed ye. by cause that thou shal neuer shame more good man I shal rede ye. drewe his swerde with one stroke he smote of her hede The mayster sayd My lorde haue ye vnderstande what I haue sayd The emperour sayd ryght well Amonges all wymmen was this the worste the knyght rewarded her accordynge so as she sholde no more men shame And theÌ„perour sayd more ouer O my good mayster myght I ones here my sone speke I sholde gyue no charge of my lyfe Tho sayd the mayster To morowe ye shall here hym speke afore you afore al the lordes of th empyre he shall shewe the very trouth of all the varyaunce betwyxte vs thempresse as I hope toke his leue of themperour departed ¶ How that Dyoclesyan themperours sone coÌ„playned on thempres how that he excused him of her coÌ„playnt ANd after that all the maysters assembled togyder toke theyr counseyll how in what maner they shold brynge out the chylde of pryson lede to the palays tho they went to the chylde there as he laye in pryson afore the mydday his wyll his couÌ„seyl to here To whome the chylde sayd what that shall please you shall please me but in no wyse besye you not howe that I shall answere or what I shall saye for with Ioye I shal answere to all thyÌ„ges that shal be demauÌ„ded of me whaÌ„ that seuen maysters herde that they were ryght glad clothed hym in purpure in clothe of golde two maysters went afore hym one on his ryght honde an other on his lyfte honde the other thre folowed hym after afore them al went xxiiii men with dyuerse instrumentê of musyke brought hym with grete melody and honour to the palays And whan themperour herde al this melody he demauÌ„ded what it was Then it was tolde hym Syr emperour it is your sone that whiche cometh tofore you afore all your lordes to speke excuse hyÌ„selfe of all thynges that are layde to his charge / Themperour sayd that is good tydyÌ„ges myght I here my sone speke And whan the chylde was come to the palays he ran vnto his fader sayd vnto hyÌ„ hayle fader my moost honourable And whan themperour herde the voyce of his sone he was so glad that for Ioye he fyl downe to the erthe but the chylde toke hym lyghtly vp ayen and whan he was come ayen to hyÌ„self Tho begaÌ„ THenne sayd the sone vnto the fader beholde this rybaude that many a nyghte hathe with your wyfe lyen in your chamber in auoutrye haue defouled your bedde therfore the Empresse loued hym so well the whiche ye knewe not
hym name kynge Alexander he cōmaunded his cuppe to be fylled of the beste wyne bere it vnto hym The whiche wyne whā he hadde receyued it he put it into hys botelle toke his rynge that Lodwyke had gyuen vnto hym put it in to the cuppe sent it ayen vnto the Emperour and whan the Emperoure sawe the rynge anone he knew it that it was the same that he had gyuen vnto Alexander in frendeshyp whan that he departed fro hym thoughte in his herte that Alexander is dede or ellys this man is merueylously come vnto the rynge cōmaūded anone that the laser sholde not departe vnto the tyme he had spoken with hym for in no wyse he coude haue knowlege of hym nor yet reputed hym for Alexander after that the dyner was done ended the Emperoure toke the seke man aparte and askyd howe he came by the rynge Alexander demaūded yf he knewe well the rynge The Emperour sayd I knowe it ryght well Alexander sayd wote ye also to whome ye haue gyuen it Themperour sayd I wote ryght well Howe is it than sayd Alexander that ye knowe not me for I am Alexander to whome ye haue gyuen the same rynge whan the Emperoure herde yt. he felle downe to the groūde for sorowe tare and rente his robys clothes with grete syghynges and bewaylynges sayd O Alexander ye be the one halfe of my soule whehe is your goodlye and delycate body that was so fayre that nowe so vnclene wretchedly is enfecte he answered this is me hapned for the grete fydelyte that ye haue done to me in my bedde with my wyfe whan ye layd a naked swerde betwyxt you hyr wherfore she became wrothe hated me that she a knyght that afore tyme she ought hir loue vnto haue impoysened me as ye maye see aboue that they haue dryuen me out of my realme whan the Emperoure herde that he for loue toke hym aboute the necke kyste hym sayd O my moost entyerlye beloued brother I sorowe to see you in this grete syknesse mysery wolde god I myght deye for you but my mooste dere frende suffre pacyently a lytell tyme tyll that we haue sente for all the physycyens wyse maysters in physyke to haue theyr counseylle aduyse yf there be ony remedye or hope of recouerynge of your helthe yf it be possyble for to helpe you we shall neyther spare Empyre lordshyps nor other good temporall to make you hole soūde In the meane whyle he was brought into a fayre chamber rychely appareyl led appoynted of all maner thynges that were requysyte necessarye for his ease helthe in all haste he sente his messangers by all partyes of the worlde for the experte moost wyse physycyens that myght be foūde Of whome within a moneth were come assembled before the Emperoure .xxx. the whiche were ryght experte subtyll in that scyence To whome themperour sayd My welbeloued maysters I haue a frende that greuousely is infecte with a lepry whome I wolde ryght fayne were heled made soūde no thynge theron to spare neyther golde ne syluer ne all the other goodes that I haue in this worlde but I wolde gyue it to recouer hys helthe The maysters answered sayd all that euer is possyble to be done by physyke that ye shall sone vnderstande after that we haue seen the persone forth with as they had seen hym perceyued the cause mater of that infyrmyte they iuged it a dysease vncurable for all the maysters lyuynge and whan the Emperoure herde that he was ryght sory in hys herte remytted it vnto that helpe of almyghty god callynge vnto hym relygyous men poore people other deuoute persones desyred theym to praye to god that he wolde wouchesaufe to make hole his frende the sooner for theyr gode dedes prayers and he hymselfe with manye other fasted prayed humbly to almyghty god for the helth of his frende Vppon a daye as kynge alexander was in his prayers there came vnto hym a voyce saynge Yf the Emperoure wyll with his owne handes slee hys two sones whiche his wyfe hathe born by hym at one burden wasshe thy body with the blode of them thy body thy flesshe shall be as fayre as clene as the flessh of the lytell chyldern whan kynge alexander had herde this he thought in hymselfe this vysyon is not expedyente to beshewed for it is sore ayenste nature that ony man sholde slee his owne sones for the recoueryng of the helthe of a straūge man The Emperour nyght daye laye in his prayers with greate deuocyon prayed to god for the remedye of kynge alexander So that at the laste there came a voyce vnto hym sayd how longe shall ye thus crye calle vpon me whanne it is openly shewed notefyed vnto alexander how that he shall be made hole The Emperoure herynge that wente vnto alexander sayd Of all frendes the beste mooste true blessed be the moost hyghe god the whyche neuer faylethe the call truste vpon hym of whome I haue knowlege that it is shewed vnto you howe in what wyse that ye maye be made hole wherfore I praye you that ye wyll it openly shewe vnto me that we maye Ioye togyder yf ye neve ony thynge ther to that I maye do I shall fulfyll it vnto my powere and for your helthe gyue all that I haue alexander said Syr I dare not shewe to you how that I maye be cured or heled of my maladye for it excedethe it is a thynge ayenste nature for to be done therfore I wyll not shewe it to you howe be it grete truste confydence is in you The Emperoure sayde alexander truste in me for what so euer is possyble sor to be done for the recouerynge of youre helthe I shall do it therfore hyde no thynge frome me Then sayd alexander I haue of god knowlege that yf ye wyll slee youre two sones with youre owne handes wasshe me in they re blode I sholde be hole therfore I haue not shewed it vnto you sor me thynketh it is ayenst nature that the fader sholde slewe his owne chyldern for the helthe of a straunge man The Emperoure sayd saye not that ye be a straūge man for I loue you as I do my selfe therfore yf I hadde ten chyldern I sholde notte spare one alyue to haue youre helthe after that that Emperoure watched spyed his tyme whan the Empresse all ladyes chambereres were oute of the waye whan tyme was he entred into the chamber where as the chyldern slepte drewe out his knyfe cutte asonder bothe theyr throtes gadred the blode in a vessell therin he bathed wasshed alexander whan he was so bathed his body flesshe was as fayre as clene as thought it had ben of a yonge chylde