Part 7

Octauianus themperour reygned in Rome ryghte ryche [et] coueytous. [et] aboue all thynges he loued golde. The cytezyens yᵗ tyme of Rome dyde moche harme [et] many grete outrages to other nacyons. In soo moche that dyuerse nacyons [et] regyons were meued [et] styred ayenst yᵉ Romayns. In that tyme there was mayster Uirgilius, yᵉ whiche excelled in magique [et] in other scyences all other maysters. The cytezeyens prayed hym that he by his arte [et] connȳge wolde make somwhat by the whiche they of theyr ennemyes myght haue warny_n_g [et] knowlege byfore. Wherby that they myght puruey for themselfe yᵉ better. He lete doo make by his arte and connȳge a toure, [et] aboue vpon yᵉ toure dyde to be set as many ymages as in al the worlde were regyons and prouy_n_ces. and in the myddes of the toure he let to be made and set an ymage, whiche helde in his hande an appell or a grete roūde balle of golde. And euery ymage of the toure helde in his hand a lytell bell, and stode torned lokynge towardes his owne prouynce to hym assygned. And as oftentymes as ony prouynce wolde styre or rebel ayēste the romaynes, so often torned hym the ymage of yᵗ londe [et] range the bell. That herȳge the cytezeyns of Rome armed themselfe [et] to that prouynce yede with all theyr myght for that londe to kepe vnder. And soo was there no londe so grete yᵗ coude wreke them vpo_n_ the romaynes, and therfore were they bedradde and fered ouer all the worlde. After that Mayster Uirgilius[3] made for the solace and conforte of the poor people a lyght that alwaye brende, and by that lyghte he made two bathes, the one of them hote, in the whiche the poore people myghte bathe and wasshe theym / [et] that other colde in the whiche they myghte theymselfe refresshe, and betwyx that lyghte and the bathes he made an ymage standynge, in whos forhede was wryten: He yᵗ smyteth me shall anone haue vengeaunce. This ymage stode there many yeres. At the laste there came a clerke and behelde that ymage [et] radde this wrytynge / and thoughte in hymselfe, what vengeaūce myght he fynde therfore. I byleue better that yf ony man sholde smyte the that thou fyllest there wᵗ to yᵉ erthe, he sholde fynde some tresoure vnder thy sete. [et] therfore is thy wrytynge that no man sholde haue it. [et] the clerke lyfte vp hys hande [et] gaue the ymage a grete stroke yᵗ it fell to yᵉ grou_n_de. [et] anone yᵉ lyght was out. [et] the bathes were vanysshed away, [et] he foūde no tresoure. The poore folke yᵗ perceyuynge were all sorowfull sayenge, cursyd mote he be for euer more yᵗ for his synguler coueytyse hathe destroyed this ymage. [et] vs hathe robbed of so grete solace [et] cōforthe. Here after assembled thre kynges the whiche of yᵉ Romayns had been oppressed [et] suffred greate wronges. [et] went to coūysell wᵗ them of theyr coūysell, how they myght best of yᵉ Romayns be auenged. [et] some of the_m_ sayd. we labour in vayne, as longe as there standyth yᵉ tour wᵗ the ymages we maye no thynge do ayenste theym. To yᵗ counseylle arose vp foure knyghtes and sayd to the kynges, we haue thoughte a goode remedy how we shal destroye the toure wᵗ the ymages and yᵗ to do and brynge aboute we wyll our lyues sette to pledge. Yf that ye wyll do yᵉ coste. Tho sayd yᵉ kynges what coste shall we do. They sayd, we must haue iiii tonnes full of golde. Than sayd yᵉ kynges, take that golde [et] fulfyll youre promyse. The knyghtes toke yᵉ golde [et] went towardes Rome. [et] whan they were thyder come in the nyght wᵗout one of yᵉ yates in the dyche wᵗ water they drowned one of yᵉ tonnes wᵗ the golde. [et] another tonne they drowned by the secōde yate [et] the thyrde tonne by yᵉ thyrde yate. [et] the fourth ton̄ by the fourth yate they drowned. And whan they had thus done erly in the mornynge they entred in to yᵉ cyte at an houre conuenyent whan yᵗ themperour went ouer the marte, they dyde to hym reuerence as it behoued. Themperour seynge them demaunded frome whens they were, or what scyences or what seruyce yᵗ they coude do. Whiche answered, we are of ferre cou_n_trees [et] we be sothsayers so perfyte yᵗ there was neuer thynge so preuely or secretly hydde but yᵗ we shall fȳde it by our dremes. We haue herde that ye laboure [et] haue pleasure in such thynges, and therfore came we to you for to wyte yf ye had ony nede of our seruyce / Themperour sayd, I shall proue you [et] yf it be so yᵗ I fynde you true, ye shall haue of me grete rewardes [et] thanke. they sayde we aske no thynge but yᵉ haluen dele for our rewarde of the golde that by vs shall be foūden. The emperour sayd, I am therwith wel content. And thus had they with the emperour many wordes. At euen whan themperour was goyng to bedde they sayde too hym. My lorde yf it please you this nyghte shall the oldest of vs set his connynge a werke [et] dreme, [et] the thyrde day we shall shewe you his dreme [et] what it sygnefyeth. Themperour sayd goo in goddis name. And they went forth wᵗ grete gladnesse. [et] all yᵗ nyght they passed ouer with derysions [et] myrth vpon truste that they sholde come to a good purpose. whan yᵉ thyrde daye was comen they went erly too themperour. [et] the fyrste of them sayd my lorde pleaseth you to goo with vs without one of yᵉ yates of thy cyte [et] I shall shewe you where as a tonne full of golde is hyd. Themperour sayd, I shall go with you and se yf it be true that ye saye. whan they were comen to the place they drewe out yᵉ tonne that they there afore had put / The emperour whan he that sawe was gladde, and gaue to them theyr parte. Tho sayde the seconde dremer, my lorde this nyght I shal dreme. Themperour sayd, god gyue you a good dreme. yᵉ next nyght came he [et] toke out yᵉ other tonne, and gaue it to themperoure, [et] toke hym his dele. In lyke wyse dyd the thyrde. [et] yᵉ fourth, vpon yᵉ whiche themperour was out of all mesure ioyus [et] glad [et] sayd he had not sene afore soo true [et] experte sothsayers or dremers as they were / Than sayd they al togyder at once as it had ben out of one mouth, my lorde we haue one after another dre_med_ yᵉ whiche as ye haue sene be all true proued. But now yf it please you that we may dreme all togyder this nyghte, we truste that too vs shall bee shewed where we shall fynde a greate quantyte or substaūce of golde [et] of rychesse. the Emperoure sayde god gyue to you a gode dreme yᵗ to me and to you may be proffytable. Unto yᵉ next morowe they came ayen vnto yᵉ Emperoure [et] sayd to hym wᵗ joyouse [et] gladde vysages or coūtenaūces. My lorde we brynge gode [et] proffytable tydynges, for this nyght in our slepes such [et] so grete a tresour is to vs shewed yᵉ whiche yf ye wyll suffre it for to be soughte, ye shall be so moche enryched that in this worlde shall be none to you lyke. Themperour sayd, where sholde yᵉ fynde ye hoorde or tresoure. they sayd, vnder the fundament of the tour yᵗ the ymages standen on. The Emperoure answered, God defend that I sholde for loue of golde destroye that toure wᵗ ymages wherwith yᵗ we of oure ennemyes be defended [et] warned. They sayde too hym ayen, My lorde, Haue ye founde vs in our saynges otherwyse than true [et] ryghtful. Themperour sayd nay. O Lorde sayd they, we with our owne hondes shall gete oute yᵉ gold wᵗout hurtynge of the tour or of yᵉ ymages. And it is expedyent yᵗ secretly in the nyght by vs it be done, for drede of resorte and concours of yᵉ people leste that ye sholde ren in the noyse [et] clamour of theym, and also that they sholde not take that good and golde away from you and vs. The Emperour sayde, Goo in the name of god and doo your beste, as ye well can̄e, and I shall to morowe erly come too you. Tho went they with joye and gladnesse, and in the nyght they were laten in too the toure, and with grete haste and dylygence they vndermynded it. [et] on the next daye erly they mounted vpon theyr horses [et] rode ayen towardes theyr owne countre with ioye [et] glory. And or that they came wᵗout the syght of rome / the toure fell downe. And on the morne ensuynge whan it was fallen / [et] the Senatours it perceyued they sorowed gretely [et] there was a grete sorowe [et] bewaylynge thrughout all yᵉ cyte [et] went to themperour [et] sayd, lorde how maye it be yᵗ this tour is thus fallen, by the whiche we haue alwayes had warnynge afore of our enemyes. He answered [et] sayd, To me came foure fals deceyuers [et] fayned themself to be foure sothsayers [et] yᵗ they coude fynde tresoure hyd in the groūde. And they sayd that vndʳ the fundacyon of yᵉ toure was hydde an vnnumerable sōme of golde yᵉ whiche they sholde well vndermyne wᵗout hurtȳge of the toure or ymages / [et] I gaue fayth to them [et] they haue deceyued me. they answered hy_m_ / ye haue coueyted so moche golde, [et] for your insacyate couetyse we shall be all destroyed. but fyrste your couetyse shall full (_sic_) vpon your selfe. [et] toke [et] ladde hym vnto yᵉ capytoll, [et] layde hym on his bac [et] poured his mouth full of molten golde, sayng to hy_m_ ye haue desyred golde, [et] therfore ye shall dry_n_ke golde [et] after they buryed hym quycke. Not long after that came thenmyes ayenst ye Romayns, [et] ouercame [et] destroyed them al. Than sayd thempresse vnto themperour haue ye my lorde this example well vnderstand [et] he sayd ryght well. Than sayd she, The tour wᵗ the ymages is your body wᵗ your v. wyttes, as long as ye lyue there none so hardy to trouble or make werre vpon you ne vpon your people. That hath your sone ryght well vnderstonde wᵗ his vii. maysters [et] wᵗ theyre false narracyons or fables fynde how they may destroye you, for ye are ouermoche couetyse to here [et] enclyned to them. [et] in so moche yᵗ they shal vndermyne you [et] caste you vnd_e_r fote, [et] brȳge you to nought. The ymages are your fyue wyttes yᵗ be all lost. for they se yᵗ ye be all chyldyshe or folyshe they shall destroy and sle you. [et] your sone shall opteyne your empyre. Thēperour sayd, ye haue recyte to me a good exāple. wherfore it shall not to me happen as it dyde wᵗ yᵉ tour but my sone fyrste this daye shall be hanged. To whome thempresse sayd, yf ye doo so ye shall fare well [et] lyue long. Upon yᵉ nexte day he commaūded hy_m_ to be lad to hangȳge. [et] as he was towardes yᵉ galowes lad, came rydynge ayenst hym vpon an hors his fyfth mayster towardes yᵉ palays. [et] came before themperour [et] saluted hym wᵗ all reuerence / [et] he despysed his salutacyon. [et] put hym in fere of his lyfe. [et] yᵉ mayster sayd My lorde I haue not deserued to dye. [et] ye my salutacyon despyse it is not your honoure. for your sone hath not with vs be of such condycyo_n_s as ye repute hy_m_ for as ye in short tyme shal fynde. [et] that he speketh not is of his his (_sic_) grete wysdome. [et] knowe ye yᵗ he shal well speke as yᵉ tyme comyth, though yᵗ he now speke not, as ye in shorte tyme shall here. But ye saye yᵗ he your wyfe wolde haue shamed. yᵗ byleue not. for so wise a man as he is neuer sholde atte_m_te so shamful a dede. And ye put hym to dethe for your wyues wordes, ye sholde not scape without shame and vengeaunce / In lyke wise as Ypocras scaped not wᵗout vengeaūce for yᵉ deth of Galtenus his cosyne. The emperour sayd that wolde I fayne here and vnderstonde. The mayster sayd, what sholde auayle yᵉ narracyon to tel vnto you for your prouffyte yf in the meane seasone your sone sholde be hanged. [et] therfore yf ye wyll call ayen your sone, and therafter do as ye thynke beste it shall be at your pleasure. Themperour lete call ayen his sone and set him in pryson. And tho began yᵉ mayster too tell vnder this maner as foloweth:

_The Example of the Fyfthe Mayster._

Somtyme there was a famous physycyan named Ypocras ryght connynge, yᵉ which exceded all other in connynge [et] scye_n_ce he had wᵗ hym his neuewe or kynnesman yᵗ was called Galienus, yᵉ whiche he loued moche. This Galien_us_ was of an excellēt wytte [et] applyed all his wytte [et] mynde to lerne of h[i]s vncle the scyence of physyke. Whan Ypocras apperceyued that in as moche as he coude hyde from hym hys conynge ferynge that he sholde excelle hym in yᵗ crafte, for yᵉ grete wytte that he was of. As Galienus this sawe, he studyed [et] excersysed, in soo moche yᵗ in shorte tyme he had perfyte connynge physyke. for the whiche Ypocras enuyed hym moche. It hapned vpo_n_ a tyme therafter, yᵗ the kȳge of Ungary sent his messengers vnto Ypocras that he sholde come vnto hym his sone fer to cure or make hole. Ypocras excused hȳself [et] wolde no goo. but sent his cosyne Galienus wᵗ his wrytynge in the company of yᵉ messengers for to excuse hym. And whan Galienus was comen afore yᵉ kynge he was ryghte worshypfully receyued. but he merueyled why that Ypocras wolde not come. he excused hym saynge that he had many grete thynges too do that he myght not come, but he hath sent me in his stede. [et] wᵗ the helpe of god I shall make hole that childe. That pleased well yᵉ kynge. Galienus went to the chylde. [et] whan he had seene his vryne, and tasted his pounces. he sayd tho (_sic_) the quene. O excellent prynces I pray you here [et] suffer my wordes, [et] tel me who is yᵉ fadʳof this chylde. She sayd, who sholde be his fader but my lorde the kyng. Galienus sayd, I am sure yᵗ he is not the fader. She answered yf ye wyll say yᵗ for a trouth I shall doo your hede to be smytn of. he answered I say yet ones agayn yᵗ this ky_n_ge is not the fader and I am not therfore comen hyther to lese my hede. for I haue no suche rewarde deserued. [et] he was goynge his waye. The quene yᵗ seynge spake. O good mayster yf ye wyl kepe it secrete, [et] not dyscouer me, I shal shewe [et] open vnto you myn herte. The mayster sayd God defende that from me, that I to no persone sholde shewe it. and therfore O noble quene shewe it boldely to me for it shall neuer passe my mouthe after. and I shall your sone ease and make hym hole. She sayde yf ye doo that, ye shall haue of me a good rewarde. [et] therfore here what I shall saye. Of fortune came hyther vnto my lorde, the kyng of Burgondyen, and he was so longe wᵗ me conuersaunt that this chylde by hym I bare. Tho sayd yᵉ mayster, fere ye not, I knewe well that it was so byfore. [et] anone he gaue the chylde to ete beef or of an oxe to dry_n_ke. and the chylde was eased of his infyrmyte. And whan as the kȳge herde that the chylde was quite of his malady he gaue vnto yᵉ mayster a good rewarde. but of the quene he secretly receyued and had a greter gyfte and a specyal thanke and went his waye. And whan that he was comen home, Ypocras his mayster demaunded of hym, haue ye yᵗ chyld heled. [et] he sayd ye. Than asked he hy_m_ what he gaue to hym. [et] he sayd, I gaue hy_m_ fleshe of ox beef to ete, [et] water to dry_n_ke. Tho sayd Ypocras. Than is the moder of that chylde not true too her husbonde. yᵗ is trouth sayd Galienus. Ypocras anone was meued wᵗ enuye, [et] thought in hymselfe yf here be not found a remedy, my scyence shall no more be set by. [et] he shal be named and praysed aboue me. And from that day forthwarde he thought [et] deuysed how he myght slee hym. Uppon a day Ypocras called and sayd come go we to seke and gadre herbes in the gardyne. To whome he sayd mayster I am redy. And whan they were comen in to yᵉ gardyne, Ypocras sayd, I fele that this herbe is ryght vertuous, stoupe downe [et] gadre me of it. Galienus dyde so. and as they went aboute the gardyne, sayd Ypocras now knowe I well by yᵉ odoure of this herbe that it is better [et] precyoser than golde. and therfore stoupe downe to the groūde [et] drawe hym oute wᵗ the rotes for he is ryght moche. Galien_us_ bowed hymself down to plucke vp the herbe. Ypocras drewe out his knyfe [et] kylled hym. After that Ypocras fyll seke to the dethe that yᵉ strengthes of his body fayled hym and dyde as moche as he coude to helpe hymself but it wold not be and as his scolers [et] dyscyples herde of it they went hastely to hy_m_. [et] all that they myght or coude do for the prouffyte of his helthe they dyde / but it auayled hym nothynge. Whan Ypocras that perceyued, he sayd vntoo his scolers. Goo and fetche me a grete tonne and fyll it full vnto the brynkes with water. And whan they had soo done, he sayd too them make nowe therin an hondred hooles, and whan that was doone, there wente none of the water oute. Tho sayd Ypocras. Beholde my moste dere dyscyples, how yᵗ yᵉ vengeaunce of god is fallen vpon me as ye openly may see, for in this tonne are an hondred holes, [et] yet gooth there out not one droppe, ryght so there cometh no vertue out of yᵉ herbes to helpe me. and therfore what ye doo to me it helpeth not, for I must dye. But my dere chyldren yf my neuewe Galienus were now on lyue, he sholde hele me, whom I haue slayne / yᵗ me sore forthynketh. [et] therfore yᵉ vengeaūce of god cometh ouer me. And this sayd he torned hy_m_ to yᵉ wal [et] gaue vp the goost. Tho sayd yᵉ mayster to themperour, My lorde vnderstande ye well what I haue sayd. He answered ye ryght well, what hurte had it bē to hym [et] Galienus had lyued. The mayster answerd it had ben ryght good, for Ypocras at that tyme had not dyed, [et] therfore by yᵉ ryghtwyse Jugement of god his medycynes auayled hy_m_ not. [et] therefore I shewe to you yᵗ it shall happen worse to you, yf yᵗ ye put to deth your sone for yᵉ wordes of your wyfe, which in tyme of necessyte shall assyste [et] socoure you. [et] consyder ye not, yᵗ ye haue after your fyrst wyfe, ye haue wedded this wyfe yᵗ ye now haue. [et] so ye may yᵉ thyrde [et] yᵉ fourthe, [et] neuer shall ye haue of ony of them suche a sone yᵗ shal kepe [et] saue you from peryll. Themperour sayde truly he shal not dye. Tho sayd yᵉ mayster than do ye wysely, [et] I commende you to god, [et] thanke you, yᵗ ye haue this daye for me spared your sone. Themperour sayd I marke this wel yᵗ wy_m_me_n_ are crafty, [et] subtyl, herfore I wyl not for you but for my self saue hy_m_.

_The Syxte Complaynte of the Empresse._

Whan that thempresse had knowledge, she shewed her selfe as a wode or an Impacyent body yᵗ all that sawe her or herde her wondred [et] sayd to themperour your wyfe she pyneth her self as though she sholde deye. Themperour that heryng went to her [et] sayd wherfore be ye so heuy, [et] so impacyent. O lorde how shold I holde it in, whan I am the only doughter of a kyng [et] your wyfe, [et] in your company I haue had a grete despyte [et] shame, and contynually ye haue promysed me to punysshe it, but ye perfourme it not. The emperour sayd, I wote not what I shal do. ye laboure from day to day to haue my sone slayne, and the maysters labour to saue his lyfe. And amonges al thyse I know well that he is my sone, but whether the trouth is that knowe I not. Than sayd she, that is it yᵗ I complayne that ye beleue the maysters more than ye do me. Therfore it shall happen to you as dyde to a kyng with his stewarde. Than sayd the Emperoure, tell that example, happely it sholde meue me the soner to put my sone to deth. She sayde, gladly, but I praye you gyue attendaunce what I shall saye, and began to tel as hereafter ensueth.

_The Syxte Example of the Empresse._