There was a knyght yt had a fayre yonge wyfe whome he entyrely loued in so moche that he coude not be out of her syght. It hapned on a tyme yt they played togyder at the chesse, ⁊ ye knyght by chaunce helde a knyfe in his hande ⁊ she playng fortuned to smyte her hand vpon ye knyf, yt a lytel blode began to appere. Whan ye knyght sawe that his wyfe bled he sorowed moche and was sore aferde of his wyfe yt he fel to the grounde in a swoune. his wyfe cast colde water vpon his vysage, yt he a lytell came ayen too hymselfe ⁊ sayd lyghtely call the curate wt the holy sacramente for I muste deye for the blood yt I haue seen come out of your fynger hath smyten the deth to my herte. The preest came and houseled hym. ⁊ anone after he dyed wtout ony taryeng, for whoos deth there was made grete sorowe ⁊ bewaylynges and specyally of ye wyfe. And after that the obsequyes ⁊ buryenge was done accordynge she went and lay vpon the buryel or graue and there she made the gretest sorowe of the worlde, and sayd that she wolde neuer departe from thens, but as a turtyll douue she wolde for the loue of her husbonde there abyde ⁊ dye. Tho went her fren[ds] vnto her and sayd what auayleth this for his soule to lyue ⁊ dye here, it is better yt ye go to your house ⁊ gyue almes for ye loue of god ⁊ yt shal more auayle his soule, than in this place to abyde. To whom she answerd be styll ye are euyll counselours. Consyder not ye how I am fro hym seperate ⁊ departed by his deth for a lytell blode yt he sawe com out of my hond or fynger,⁊ therfore I shall neuer fro hens departe. Her frendes herynge yt lete make a lytell house or lodgynge nygh vnto ye graue, ⁊ put therin all thynges yt to her was necessarye ⁊ went theyr wayes thynkynge that within a whyle she sholde be wery to be alone, ⁊ so desolate from all company ⁊ yt therby she sholde desyre ayen ye company of people. In yt cyte was thenne a lawes (sic) yt whan a trespassour or offendour ayenst the lawe were hanged, yt ye shyryf all yt nyght sholde watche ⁊ kepe the body all armed, ⁊ yf it hapned yt the body of hym hanged were stolen away, ye seryf sholde lese all his londe, ⁊ his lyfe at ye kynges pleasure. It hapned sone after yt the knyghte was dede a man to be hanged for trepasse that he had done, so that ye sheryf after ye lawe of the londe all the nyght watched by ye galowes yt was not fer fro ye cyte, ⁊ ye chyrcheyerde was not ferre from the walles of ye same. Tho became ye sheryf so colde yt he wyst not but to dye for colde, wtout the rather yt he myghte warme hym. it was so feruent a colde ⁊ so stronge a froste, and he behelde fro thens about hym ⁊ sawe ye fyre in ye chyrcheyerde, ⁊ hasted hym ⁊ came therto, ⁊ whan he was come he called ⁊ knocked at the lytyll house. The woman spake who is that yt at this houre is knockynge at ye house of this sorowfull woman. I am ye shyref that so moche colde suffreth yt wtout anone ye late me in I shall frese to deth. She sayd, I fere me yf that I lete you come in ye sholde shewe me such wordes yt sholde cause me for to be more heuyer. ⁊ he sayd I promyse vnto you yt I shall saye no wordes to your dyspleasure. Then lete she hym in. and whan he awhyle had sytten by ye fyre ⁊ was well warmed he sayd to her, O fayre woman wt your lycence wolde I fayne speke but one worde vnto you. She answered to hym, syr say what it pleaseth you. He sayd, O lady ye be a fayr gentyl woman ryche ⁊ yonge. were it not better ⁊ more conuenyent for you to dwell at home in your house ⁊ to gyue almesse than to destroye ⁊ consume your lyfe here wt wepynes ⁊ cryenges. She sayde syr knyght had I knowen this afore ye had not come herin for I say to you, as I haue sayd too other oftentymes, ye knowe well yt my husbonde loued me so well that for a lytyll bloode yt he sawe me blede on one of my fyngers he is dede, wherfore I shall here deye for the loue of hym. As the knyght herde this he toke leue and wente to the galowes ⁊ whan he was there come, he sawe yt the theef that he left there hangynge was stolen ⁊ caryed awaye, ⁊ began therfore to wexe heuy ⁊ full of sorowe, ⁊ sayd, wo is me what shall I do for I haue loste my lyfe and all my good. And he goynge thus full of sorowe ⁊ heuynesse, ⁊ wyste not whyche waye to torne hym or to go, at the laste bethought hym to go to yt deuoute ⁊ desolate lady, ⁊ shewe vnto hyr ye heuynesse of his herte, to wyte yf yt she coude gyue hym ony gode counseyll. And whan he was theder come he called, ⁊ she axed the cause of his knockynge. Tho sayd he, madame I am the shyref that was here ryght now wt you, ⁊ I wolde feyne shewe you ye secretes of myn herte. Therfore I praye you for ye loue of god open the dore. and he wente in ⁊ sayd to her O moost vertuous lady I come to haue your counseyll and aduys, for ye knowe well ye lawe of ye londes are that whan so euer ony man is hanged ⁊ stolen awaye of the galowes, than the shyref his lyfe and godes be in ye kynges handes. Nowe it is happened in ye tyme that I was here with you ⁊ warmed me, ye theef is stolen away frome ye 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 ye kynge. Do nowe after my counseyll, ⁊ 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 yt ye wolde dysdeyne so moche to humble you too me yt 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 yt suche a daye my lorde was buryed whiche for ye loue of me deyed, take hym oute of his sepulture, ⁊ go hange hym in stede of ye theef. The knyght answered lady your counseyll 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 yt were perceyued I shold be dede. She sayd to hym, take a stone and stryke oute two of his tethe. The knyght answered, madame yt may not do for while he lyued he was my wel beloued felowe ⁊ it sholde be to me a grete rebuke, yf I cōmytted 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 hym ⁊ hange him vpon ye galowes lyke to ye theef. The knyght sayde I fere me to do it, for ye theef in takynge of hym was wounded in ye hede, ⁊ he wanted both his eres, ⁊ 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 in his hede, ⁊ cut of his eres. O madame god forbede yt I do yt to the dede body yt I loued so well in hys lyfe. Than sayd she, gyue me your swerde ⁊ I shal for ye loue of you do it. ⁊ toke ye swerde ⁊ smote a manly stroke vpon ye dede mānes forhede, ⁊ cut of bothe his eres. And whan she hadde thus done, sayd, now take ⁊ hange hym wtout company. ⁊ than ye knyght answered, yet I fere me to hange hym, for ye theef wanted both his stones, ⁊ yf that were serched ⁊ founde wtout, all your labour were in vayn. Then sayd she, I sawe neuer so feerfull a man seyng ye mater so clere ⁊ sure. Take a knyfe ⁊ cut of his stones. And he answered, yt 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 ye loue of you I shall do it. And toke ye knyf in her hande ⁊ cutte of husbondes stones, and [sayd] to hym, nowe take this churle thus dysfygured and hange hym vp withoute drede. And went forth togyder and henge vp the body vpon ye galowes ⁊ so was the shyref delyuered out of the kynges daunger. Tho sayd ye lady, now be ye quyte of all your daungeours ⁊ fere ⁊ all thy sorowes by my counseyll. And therfore I wyll yt ye wedde me in ye face of ye chyrche. The knyghte sayde I haue made a vowe yt I shal neuer wed other as longe as ye lyue, which I wyl holde. but afterwarde he sayd, O ye moost shameful ⁊ worst woman of al wȳmen who wolde take ye to his wyfe. An honourable ⁊ a louynge knyght was thy husbonde, whiche for a lytel blode yt he sawe of thy fynger shed dyed. now haste yu smyten out two of his tethe, yu haste cutte of his eeres, ⁊ his stones, ⁊ yu haste made hym a grete wounde in his hede, what deuyll wolde wed ye, ⁊ by cause yt yu shal neuer shame more good man, I shal rede ye, ⁊ drewe his swerde ⁊ wt 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 ye worste ⁊ the knyght rewarded her accordynge so as she sholde no more men shame. And themperour 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 ye lordes of thempyre, ⁊ he shall shewe ye very trouth of all ye varyaunce betwyxte vs ⁊ thempresse as I hope. ⁊ toke his leue of themperour ⁊ departed.
How yt Dyoclesyan themperours sone complayned on thempres,
⁊ how yt he excused him of her complaynt.
And after yt all the maysters assembled togydr ⁊ toke theyr counseyll how ⁊ in what maner they shold brynge out ye chylde of pryson ⁊ lede to the palays. ⁊ tho they went to ye chylde there as he laye in pryson afore the mydday his wyll ⁊ his counseyl to here. To whome ye chylde sayd, what yt shall please you, shall please me, but in no wyse besye you not howe yt I shall answere, or what I shall saye, for wt joye I shal answere to all thynges yt shal be demaunded of me. Whan ye seuen maysters herde yt 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, ⁊ ye other thre folowed hym after. ⁊ afore them al went xxiiii men wt dyuerse instruments of musyke ⁊ brought hym wt grete melody and honour to ye palays. And whan themperour herde al this melody, he demaunded what it was. Then it was tolde hym, Syr emperour it is your sone, ye which cometh tofore you ⁊ afore all your lordes to speke and excuse hymselfe of all thynges yt are layde to his charge / Themperour sayd, yt is good tydynges, myght I here my sone speke. And whan ye chylde was come to ye palays he ran vnto his fader ⁊ sayd vnto hym, hayle fader ⁊ my moost honourable. And whan themperour herde ye voyce of his sone he was so glad yt for joye he fyl downe to ye erthe. but ye chylde toke hym lyghtly vp ayen. and whan he was come ayen to hymself, tho begā [the son to declare the whole matter to his father, and there came so great a multitude to the palace to hear the child speak, and the noise of them was so great that the child could not be heard. The emperour considering that, caused money to be thrown into the streets, that the people therwith should be busied out of the palace, the better to hear the child speak; but they regarded not the money. When the emperor perceived that he commanded silence on pain of death. And when they were all still, the child began to speak as followeth: O most dear father, before I speak anything, I entreat you that the empress with all her chamber-maids may be present. So the emperor commanded the empress with all her maids to come without delay. The empress hearing that (in great fear) came with her maids; and the child bade them to stand before the people in a row that he might see them. Then said the child, Sir, behold the chamber-maid that standeth there in green (whom ye know the empress loveth above all others), command her to be uncloathed before us all, and see what she is. The emperor said, Dear son, that would shame us all, to have a woman stand naked before us. He said, If it be a woman it is my shame; if not, let the shame abide in her. When she was uncloathed she appeared to be a man, whereat they wondered.]
