The Example of the Fourthe Mayster.
There was an olde knyght ⁊ a ryght wyse man that longe lyued without wyfe ⁊ chylde. His frendes came to hym many tymes ⁊ counseyled and exhorted him that he sholde take a wyfe. The knyght thus counseyled ⁊ styred by his frendes soo oftymes that at the laste he agreed too theym. And they gaue hym to wyfe the doughter of the prouost of rome that ryche was ⁊ ryght fayre, whome whan he had seene anone he was made blynde ⁊ taken in her loue, ⁊ began to loue her meruaylously wel and whan they had ben a certayne space togyder ⁊ had no fruyte ne chylde. Upon a tyme in a mornynge it happened that she went to the chyrche where she met wt her moder, ⁊ saluted her as it behoued. My dere doughter sayd the moder how pleaseth you your maryage ⁊ your husbonde: she sayd ryght euyll, for ye haue gyuen to me an olde lame man / me in al thȳges dyspleasynge. I wolde ye had that same tyme buryed me, for I had leuer lye ⁊ ete with a swyne than with hym, and therfore I may no longer thus endure, but I must loue another. Tho sayd ye moder, god forbede that My dere doughter howe longe tyme I haue be with your fader ⁊ yet hytherto I neuer medled me with suche folysshenes. The doughter sayde, moder it is noo meruayle for ye bothe in your youth met togyder, ⁊ the one toke solace of the other, ⁊ I may receyue of hym noo maner of solace corporall for he is colde / ⁊ vpon ye bed he lyeth as styll as a stone, or as a thyng immouable: The moder answered, yf ye wyll loue another say me what he is. The doughter sayd a preest I wyl loue. to whome ye moder sayd it were better to you ⁊ lesse syn to loue a knyght or a squyer than a preest. ⁊ the doughter sayde, If I shold loue a knyght or a gentel squyer in shorte tyme he wolde be wery of me, ⁊ after yt he wolde do me shame ⁊ tell it ouer all, ⁊ so it is not of the preest, for he wyll holde and kepe his owne honoure ⁊ counseyll as well as mȳn, And also spyrytuell men be more true to theyr loues than the seculer men. The moder sayd, Here my counseyll ⁊ it shall be good for you. Olde folkes are wylly ⁊ fell, tempte your husbonde fyrst ⁊ yf ye scape hym wtout doynge ony harme or smytȳge, than loue the preest. The doughter sayd I maye not so longe abyde. The moder sayd vpon my blessynge abyde tyll ye haue proued hym. The doughter sayde vpon your blessynge I wyll abyde so longe, tyll I haue attempted hym but fyrst say me how that I shal proue hym. The moder sayde, He hath in his orchyerde a tree whiche he loueth moche. do yt to be smyten downe whyles he is oute at hontynge. ⁊ ayenst his comynge make hym there a fyre, ⁊ yf he forgyue it you thā maye surely loue the preest. As she had herde the coūseyl of her moder she went to her house. To whom her husbonde sayd, Where haue ye ben so longe. She answered I haue ben in the chyrche where as I met wt my moder ⁊ wt her a lytell I haue talked ⁊ comyned, ⁊ so began proprely for to dyssymyle. After mydday ye knighte rode out for to hunte. Then she thynkȳge vpon ye counseyll of her moder went to the gardyner ⁊ sayde to hym. Cut downe this yonge tree newly planted that I may make a fyre therof to warme my lorde withal at his comynge from huntȳge, for it is a grete wynd ⁊ a ryght sharpe colde. The gardyner sayde, Madame yt wyll I not do, for my lorde loueth better that tre than he dothe all ye other trees neuertheles I shal wel helpe you to gadre wood ynough for to make withall a good fyre but in onywyse this I wyl not hewe downe. She herde that, ⁊ boldly she toke ye axe from ye gardyner ⁊ hewed downe the tree her selfe ⁊ made ye gardyner wt other to bere it home. At euyn whan ye lorde came from huntynge he was sore a colde The lady lete make a grete fyre, ⁊ went ⁊ met wt hym, ⁊ set hym on a stole afore the fyre to warme. And as he a lytell whyle had sytten he perceyued ye odoure of the fyre. ⁊ called to hym ye gardyner ⁊ sayd, I fele by this odour yt my newe plante brenneth in the fyre. The gardiner sayde, Lorde it is trewe, my lady your wyfe hath felled it down. The knyght sayd to her god forbede that my plante sholde be cut downe by you. She answered anone ⁊ sayd, Lorde I haue done it knowyng the weder colde ⁊ you also colde. ⁊ therfore I haue ordeyned this fyre for your cōforte. As the knyght yt herde he loked angrely vpon her ⁊ sayd, O cursed woman, how werest yu so hardy to hewe downe so gentyl a yonge tre ye whiche yu knowest wel yt I loued aboue al other trees As she that herde she began to wepe ⁊ excuse her selfe ⁊ sayd My lorde I haue done it for your good ⁊ prouffyte, ⁊ ye take it so greuously. ⁊ began to cry wo wo be to me. Anone as ye knyght sawe ye wepȳge ⁊ teeres of his wyfe ⁊ herde her cause he was meued wt mercy saynge to her, Cesse of your wepȳg, ⁊ beware how yt ye ony more angre or trouble me in ony thȳge / that I loue. The next daye erly in the mornȳge / she went ayen to the chyrchewarde, ⁊ met wt her moder comȳge ayenst her. ⁊ they salued eche other. Than ye doughter sayd to her moder, O dere moder I wyll loue the preest, for I haue attempted my lorde as ye coūseyled me / but all for nought, for he anone forgaue it whan he sawe me a lytell wepe. Tho sayd ye moder, though olde men one tyme forgyue / they double the payn vpon an other tyme. ⁊ therfore I counseyll you yt ye an other tyme attempte hym. Tho sayde the doughter I maye no lenger abyde, for I suffer so moche payn for the loue of ye preest, that wt my tonge I canne not tell, therfore ye shall perdone me I wyll noo more folowe or do after your counseyll. than sayde the moder, for the loue that the chylde sholde haue vnto the moder attempte hym yet ones. ⁊ for your faders blessynge / and thenne yf ye goo quyte wtout ony harme or betinge, loue the preest in the name of god. tho answered ye doughter, it is to me a grete payn so long tyme to abyde. neuertheles for ye blessyng of my fader I shal ons atēpte hym. but say me how I shall begyn. the moder sayd I vnderstande yt he hath a lytell hoūde yt he loueth wel ⁊ yt kepith his bed. cast ye hoūd wt so grete might afore his face that it dy ⁊ yf ye scape wtout a strype or that he forgyue it lyghtely, in the name of god than loue the preest. Than sayd the doughter, I shall in all thynge doo after your coūseyll, for there is noo doughter lyuynge to day yt wolde more gladly haue ye blessynge of the fader ⁊ the moder than I. And so she bad her moder fare well / ⁊ went to her house ayen / ⁊ that day wt grete importunyte ⁊ trouble of herte she brought too the nyght. ⁊ whan the nyghte was comen, she cōmaunded the bed to be couered wt pupure ⁊ wt clothe of golde the whyles the knyght sate by the fyre. And whan the bed was thus made redy. the lytell hounde as he was accustomed lepte on the bedde ⁊ she toke hym by the hynder legges, ⁊ wt a wood ⁊ a malycyous herte she cast it ayenst the wall yt it lay styll dede. Whan the good olde knyght that sawe / he was merueylously angry. ⁊ sayd wt a loude voyce too his wyfe, O worste ⁊ most cruell of all wycked wymmen how coudest yu fynde in thyn herte that lytell gentyll hounde to sle, yt I so moche loued. Lorde sayd she haue ye not sene how the hounde wt his foule fete hath our bed that is soo precyously couered with ryche clothes made foule comynge out of the myre: And the knyghte sayde wt moche anger, knewe ye not yt I loued moche better that lytell hounde than the bed. Whan she herde that, anone she began pytyously to wepe ⁊ sayd woo be to me that I was borne for all thynge that I doo for the best it is all tourned in to the worste. The knyght wolde not suffre the wepynge and weymentynge of his wyfe. but for that yt he loued her soo moche he sayd to her leue or cesse your wepȳge for I forgyue you it all togyder. And I counseyll you that ye beware how that ye dysplease me from hens forth / ⁊ they went toogyder to bed. Upon ye morowe she rose vp erly ⁊ went to the chyrche where as she found her moder / to whome whan she hadde done reuerence as it behoued, She sayd, moder now wyll I loue ye preste, for I haue now attempted the seconde tyme my husbonde ⁊ all thynges he suffred. The moder sayde, O my dere doughter there is noo cruelte or falshede aboue the cruelte of olde folkes. ⁊ therfore I coūseyll you yt ye yet ones proue hym. To whom the doughter answered, Moder ye laboure in vayne. for yf ye wyst what ⁊ how moche payne yt I suffer for ye prestes loue ye sholde rather helpe me yf ye loued me. The moder sayd, Here me doughter this one tyme, ⁊ I shal neuer let you more. Thȳke howe yt ye haue souked mylke of my brestes: ⁊ the grete payne that I suffred for you at your byrth. By thyse paynes my dere doughter I desyre of ⁊ I charge you yt ye denye me not this good petycyon. ⁊ I promyse to god I shall no more let nor hȳder you of your entente: but rather helpe you therto. / Tho answered ye doughter, it is to me a grete payne to absteyne me ⁊ forbere my selfe, so longe from the loue of the preest. neuerthelesse for ye grete charges that ye haue layde too me, and also for yt ye haue made a vowe no more for to lette me, but to further me, tell me how I shall attempte hym, ⁊ I shal ones yet put it in aduenture. The moder sayd, I know well that on sondaye next comyng he entendeth to haue vs all to dyner ⁊ there shall be your fader ⁊ I and all your frendes ⁊ al ye best of the cyte. And whan ye are set in your place ⁊ all the metes are brought ⁊ serued vpon the table / faste one of the keyes preuely yt hangeth at your gyrdell in the table clothe ⁊ than fayne to haue forgoten your knyfe and say thyse wordes openly. Se what a shorte wytte that I am of, I haue forgoten my knyf in my chambre / ⁊ ryse vp hastely ⁊ go. ⁊ ye cloth wt al the metes ye shall caste down ⁊ ouerthrowe vpon the grounde. And yf ye scape wtout payn I make a vowe to god I shall neuer let you after. The doughter sayde yt shall I gladly doo ⁊ so toke her leue ⁊ departyd. The feste daye came yt all as the moder sayd were boden. The seruaūtes made redy ⁊ couered ye table. All were set at ye table. ⁊ the doughter sate ouer ayenste her lorde. And whan the table was well serued wt metes ⁊ other thynges as therto belonged / ye lady of the house sayd with an high voyce, se how forgeteful I am of mynd I haue lefte my knyfe in my chamber ye whiche I muste fetche / ⁊ rose hastely vp and drewe ye clothe with all the mete that was vpon it with her. and all the golde vessels ⁊ saltes lay vpon ye groūde. The knyght vexed sore angrye in his herte, but for shame he dyssymyled afore his gestes, ⁊ cōmaūded on other clene clothe ⁊ other metes to be brought ⁊ wt Joy and myrth he solyted ⁊ meued his gestes to ete and make good chere. so that by hym they were all gladed. The feste or dyner done they gaue all thankȳges to ye knyght ⁊ toke theyr leue ⁊ departed euery man towardes his owne house. Upon ye nexte day in the mornȳge ye knyghte arose erly ⁊ went to the chyrche ⁊ herde a masse the which ended went to a barbour ⁊ sayd too hym, Mayster are ye experte in blode letynge in what vayne yt I wyll desyre you. He sayde, syr I am experte in what vayne yt ye can name in mannes body. The knyghte sayd, I am well contente come on wt me. ⁊ whan he was comen to his house he entred in to his chamber where his wyfe laye in bed ⁊ sayd to her Ryse vp shortely. Than sayd she, what shall I do vp thus erly it is not yet nyne the clocke. The knyght sayd, ye muste ryse vp, for ye muste be letten blode on both your armes. she sayd, I was neuer laten blode / ⁊ shall I nowe blede. Tho sayd ye knyght, that is trouth, ⁊ therfor ye are a fole. For thȳke ye not yt ye hewe fyrst downe my tree, ⁊ an other tyme ye kylled my lytell hoūde ⁊ yesterday ye shamed me afore all our frendes ⁊ parentes. ⁊ the fourth is yf I sholde suffer you thus too go forthe ye sholde me for euer confoūde ⁊ shame. the cause herof I consyder yt ye haue euyll ⁊ wylde blode wtin your body, ⁊ therfore I wyll that yt corrupte blode shall be drawen out that ye from hensforth shal no more put me to shame ⁊ angre, and lete to be made a grete fyre. and she stode and cryed and helde vp her hondes towardes the heuen and sayde, My lorde forgyue me this t[r]espace[2] / and haue pyte vpon me at this tyme, and I shal neuer more offende you. The knyghte sayd pray for no mercy, for by the mercy that god hath wroughte, without that thou holdest oute thyn arme strayte I shall sone haue thyn herte blood. and he sayd also to the barbour, smyte harde ⁊ make a depe hole in her arme, or elles I shall gyue you a grete strype. Than smote ye barbour so sore that the bloode came habundaūtly out. and the knyght wolde not suffer hym to staunche it vnto the tyme that she chaunged coloure in her vysage. And as this was done the knyght had to be stopped or staūche yt vayne. ⁊ bad ye barbour smyte the vayne vpon ye other arme. Then̄e cryed she wt a loude voyce, My swete husbonde haue compassyon vpon me for now I deye. The knyght answered, my wyfe ye sholde haue afore thought on ths or that ye haue done to me thyse thre euyll tournes or despytes. Then̄e she helde out her left arme. ⁊ ye barbour smote therin an hole yt the blood came out ryght hudgely. ⁊ suffred her to blede vnto the tyme that the coloure in her vysage chaunged ⁊ that she swouned / Than sayd the knyght, now bynde that arme ⁊ staūche it. ⁊ sayd to her now goo to bed, ⁊ studye and thynke hensforth how ye may amende your self or elles I shall draw ye bloode of your herte. And as this was done he gaue the barbour his rewarde and he wente ayen vnto his own house. and the wyfe vnder ye handes of hir maydens nyghe deed was ladde to hyr bedde ⁊ bad one of hir handmaydens go to hyr moder in all haste ⁊ say that she come speke with me afore I deye. The moder whan she harde yt she was gladde of ye correctyon of hir doughter ⁊ hastely came to hyr / the doughter whȳ she herd hyr moder sayd to hir, O my moste swete moder I am almoste dede, for I haue so moche blode bled, yt I byleue yt I shal not scape ye deth. Tho answered ye moder / sayd I not too you that olde men are ryght cruell ⁊ fell, wyll ye nowe loue the preste. Whiche sayd, The deuyll may the preest confounde ⁊ shame. I wyl neuer loue other but my husbonde. Than sayde the mayster to themperour, Lorde haue ye vnderstande me. And he answered ryght well, for amonges all other yt euer I haue herde this was the best example. Thre euyll dedes she dyde vnto her husbonde ⁊ I doute not but yf she had done ye fourth she sholde haue shamed hym for euer. Than sayd ye mayster therfore I counseyll you yt ye beware of your wyfe leste that it happen worse to you. for why yf ye doo to deth your onely sone for her wordes, ye shall be deceyued in ye ende, ⁊ for euer ye shal forthynke it. The Emperour sayd truly mayster this day my sone shal not dye. The mayster sayd My lorde I thanke you yt ye for min example and my sake this day haue spared your sone.
The Fyfth Complaynte of the Empresse.
The empresse herȳg yt the chylde was not yet dede apparayled ⁊ clothed her in her vesture or clothȳge. ⁊ lete to be ordeyned her waynes ⁊ cartes / as thoughe she wolde haue gone to her fadr home in her coūtre for to haue cōplayned of ye grete shame yt was done vnto her ⁊ coude haue no remedy herof. The seruaūtes seynge yt went ⁊ shewed it to themperour yt thempresse was goyng in to her countree. Whan he yt perceyued he went to her saynge, whither are ye goynge, I hoped yt ye had loued me so moche yt in all ye worlde ye sholde haue sought no solace but wt me. To yt she sayd, That is true. ⁊ therfore I go from you, for I had leuer here of your deth, than to see you dye, wtoute doute ye delyte soo moche to here thyse maysters, yt it shall happen vpon you as it dyde to Octauian themperour ye whiche wes so coueytous that ye noble men of the empyre buryed hym quycke ⁊ fylled his mouth wt molten golde. Themperour sayd, Dere wyf do not that another tyme ye blame to you or to me myght be layde. Than sayd the empresse, truly ye blame is yours for haue ye not promysed me many tymes that your sone sholde dye, ⁊ yet he lyueth, ⁊ therfore from hensforth I wyll no more byleue you. Then sayd themperour. It becometh not a kynge euery cause lyghtly too dyscusse, wtout aduyse ⁊ specyally vpon his sone, vpon whome it is not behoueful lyghtly to gyue jugement and therfore I say ⁊ pray you that ye wyll tell me somwhat by the whiche I may myselfe gouerne, for it is vtter destruccōn of a kynge wtout aduyse ⁊ vndescretly to gyue jugement. She answered ⁊ sayde, I wyll gladly tell you a notable example, so that from hensforth ye shall not be coueytous or desyrous to here ye maysters. And began to saye in this forme.