The Example of the Fyrste Mayster.
There was a valyaunt knyght whiche had oonly one soone as ye haue. The whiche he loued so moche that he ordeyned for his kepynge thre nourysshes, the fyrste sholde gyue hym souke ⁊ fede hym, ye seconde sholde wasshe hym ⁊ kepe hym clene, ye thirde sholde brynge hym to slepe ⁊ to reste. This knyghte had also a greyhounde ⁊ a fawcon yt he also loued ryghte well. The greyhounde was so good yt he neuer ran too noo game but he toke it ⁊ helde it tyl his mayster came. And yf his mayster dysposed hym to go to batayle, yf he sholde not spede in ye batayll / anone as he sholde mounte vpon his horse ye greyhounde wold take the horse tayll in his mouth ⁊ drawe backwarde / ⁊ wolde also cry ⁊ howle meruaylously loude. By thise sygnes the knyght vnderstode yf that he sholde spede in his iourneye or not. The faucon was so gentyll and so hardy that he was neuer caste of to his praye but he toke it. This same knyght had grete plesure in iustynge ⁊ turneynge, so yt vpon a tyme vnder his castell he lete proclame a tornement to the whiche came many good lordes and knyghtes. The knyght entred in to ye tourney, ⁊ his lady went with her maydens to se it. And as they went out after went the nourysshes ⁊ lefte the chylde lyenge alone in the cradell in the halle where the greyhounde laye nygh the wall, and ye hauke or faucon standynge vpon a perke. In this halle there was a serpente lurkynge or hydde in a hole. to all them of the castell vnknowen. The whiche whā felte that they were all absent he put out his hede of his hole. ⁊ as he noman sawe but the chylde lyenge in ye cradell, he went out of his cauerne towardes ye cradell for the chylde to haue slayne. The noble faucon seynge that, behelde ye grehounde that was slepȳge/ she made suche a noyse ⁊ rustelynge with her winges or feders yt the greyhounde awoke and rose vp. and whan he sawe the serpente nyghe the chylde anone ayenst hym he lepte / ⁊ they bothe faught so long togyder tyll yt the serpente hadde greuously hurted and wounded the greyhounde that he bled sore. soo yt the erthe about the cradell was al be bled with the blode of the greyhounde. The greyhounde whan that he felte hymselfe so greuously hurted and wounded, sterte fyersly vpon the serpente, and faught sore togyder and so egerly, so that betwyne theym the cradell was ouer caste wt the chylde the botome vpwarde. And by (sic) bycause yt the cradell had foure pomelles or fete they saued the chyldes vysage ⁊ his lyfe frome ony hurtȳge fallynge towardes the erthe. ⁊ what shall I say more. Incontynent therafter with grete payne the greyhounde ouercame ⁊ slewe the serpente / ⁊ went ⁊ layd hym downe ayen in his place ⁊ lycked his woundes / and anone after as ye iustes ⁊ torneye was done, the nourysshes were the fyrste that came in to ye castell / ⁊ as they sawe the cradell reuersed with bloode vppon the erthe enuyronned, and that the greyhounde was also blody, they thought and sayde amonges themselfe that the greyhounde hadde slayne the chylde, and they were not soo wyse as too tourne vppe ayen the cradell with the chylde for too haue seene what was therof befallen. But they sayd / lete vs fle or ren away leest that oure mayster put or laye the blame vpon vs and slee vs. And as they were thus away rennynge / they met wt the knyghtes wyfe, and she sayd to them Wherfore make ye this sorowe ⁊ whether wyl ye ren, ⁊ they sayde, O lady woo and sorowe be to vs and to you; why what is there happened, shewe me. The grehounde they sayd that our lorde ⁊ mayster loueth soo moche hath deuoured and slayne your sone / ⁊ lyeth by the wall all full of the bloode. As ye lady this herde she fell to the erthe and began to wepe and crye pyteously: ⁊ sayd alas, O my dere sone be ye thus slayne ⁊ dede, what shall I nowe make that I haue my onely sone thus loste. Herwithall came in the knyght frome the torneye, ⁊ beholdyng his lady thus cryenge ⁊ makyng sorowe. he demaūded her wherfore that she made so grete sorowe and lamentacyon. She answered hym, O my lorde youre greyhounde that ye loue soo moche hath slayne your onely sone, ⁊ lyeth by the wal sacyate with bloode of the chylde. The knyght hugely angred went in to the hall, ⁊ the greyhounde went to hym to mete and to fawne as he was wonte to doo. And the knyght drewe out his swerde ⁊ with one stroke smote of the houndes heede, and went to ye cradell and founde his sone al hole, and by the cradell the serpente slayne. And by dyuers sygnes perceyued that the hounde hadde foughten ayenst the serpent for the saluacyon of ye chylde. Then with grete sorowe ⁊ wepyng he tare his here and sayd woo be to me that for the wordes of my wyfe I haue slayne my good greyhounde ye whiche hath saued my chyldes lyfe ⁊ hath slayne the serpente. Herfore I wyll put my selfe to penaunce ⁊ brake his swerde in thre peces, and went towardes ye holy londe, ⁊ abode there all the dayes of his lyfe. Then sayd ye mayster to themperour, Lorde vnderstande ye what I haue sayd. And he answerd and sayde ryght well. The mayster sayd: Yf yt ye do youre sone to dethe for ye wordes of your wyfe, it shall come to you wors than it dyde too the knyght for his greyhounde. The Emperour sayde ye haue shewed me a fayre example, ⁊ wtout doute this daye shall not my sone dye. Tho sayd the mayster yf ye do wysly, but I thanke you that ye haue hym spared this daye for my sake:
The Seconde Complaynte of the Empresse.
Whan yt thempresse herde yt the chylde was not yet deede, she began to wepe bytterly ⁊ sate her downe vpon the erthe in ye asshes ⁊ wolde not holde vppe her heed. As themperour that herde he entred in to ye chāber ⁊ sayd to her, O good wyfe wherfore make ye all this sorowe ⁊ trouble your selfe so moche. She sayd demaunde ye me that knowe ye not well what grete despyte ⁊ shame yt I haue suffred of your vnhappy sone, ⁊ haue promysed me yt ye shold se iustyse ouer hȳ done ⁊ yet he lyueth, of trouth it shall hapne too you as it happened vpon a shepeherde and a boore. The emperour sayd, I praye you shewe me that exāple for my lernynge. and she sayd yesterday I shewed one: and I sawe none effecte that therof came, too what entente sholde I now shewe. Neuertheles I shal this notable example telle ⁊ declare vnto you / in this maner hereafter folowynge.