¶ Here begynneth thystorye of ye vii. Wyse Maysters of rome
conteynynge ryghe (sic) fayre ⁊ ryght ioyous narracōns, ⁊
to ye reder ryght delectable.
Somtyme in ye Cyte of Rome was an Emperour named Poncianus a man of grete wysdome. He toke to his wyfe a kynges doughter that fayre ⁊ goodly was, and to all people gracyous ⁊ to her husbonde ryght dere, and cōceyued of hym and bare hym a sone named Dyoclesian. The chylde grewe ⁊ of all people was beloued. And whan he was of the aege of seuen yeres, his moder thempresse fyll sore seke / felynge herselfe that she myghte not lyue: sent after her lorde themperour a messenger that he sholde come without taryenge yf euer he wolde see her on lyue. And whan he was comen she sayd vnto hym, O my lorde of this īfyrmyte may I not escape. Wherfore I humbly requyre you of a lytell petycyon before my deth. He answered, Desyre what ye wyll, for I shall nothynge denye you. Then sayd she, After my deth ye shall take an other wyfe as it behoueth. I aske ⁊ pray you yt she upon my son̄ haue no gouernaūor power, but yt he be kepte and nourysshed fer from her, ⁊ yt he may gete to hym connynge and wysdome. The Emperour sayd, My moste dere wyfe, your petycyon in all thynges shall be fulfylled ⁊ perfourmed. This sayd she torned her towardes the wall and yaue vp the goost ⁊ dyed. Many dayés after ye Emperour bewáyled ⁊ morned her deth, ⁊ longe tyme after her buryenge he shewed his heuynes ⁊ sorowe, ⁊ wold ī no wyse mary or be ioyful.
How the Emperoure to the seuen wyse maysters commytted
and delyuered his sone to lerne.
Upon a tyme as the emperour laye in his bed he bethought hym inwardly vpon his sone, sayenge in his herte, I haue only but one sone ye whiche shall be myn heyre. It is good whyles he is yonge that he be sette to lerne connynge and wysdome by the whyche he maye after my dethe gouerne ⁊ rule the empyre. Erly whan he was rysen vp from his bedde, he lete to be called afore hym his lordes of his counseyll and of them toke aduyse what best therin was to done. And they answerd, Lorde, in Rome are vii wyse maysters they excelle and excede all other men in cunnynge ⁊ lettrature, lete them be sent for and delyuer to them your sone to nourysshe ⁊ to lerne. That vnderstandynge the emperour sent his letters sealed with his seale to ye vii. maysters that they incontinent sholde come to hym without delay. And they anone came before themperour. and he demaū yf they knewe wherfore yt he had sente for them. They answered the cause ne your wyll we knowe not/ but yf please you to shewe vs your mynde ⁊ entent we ben redy to fulfyll it to the vttermoste of our powers. To whome ye noble Emperour sayde, I haue but one sone the which I shal delyuer vnto you to nourysshe and to teche. so that by your doctryne ⁊ wysdome he maye the more wysly guyde and gouerne ye empyre after my decesse.
