The seven sages of Rome. Edited from the manuscripts, with introd. notes, and glossary by Killis Campbell.

Þe Twelft Tale Sayd Maister Iesse.

Þe maister said: "Bi God of might, In þis cuntre wond a knight Þat wedded had a ful faire whif, And lufed hir more þan his life; And sho lufed him wele, als him thoght, [ 2815] For efter his wil ai sho wroght. So on a day, bifore his whife, To þe knight was gifen a fetyce knife; [ 40 d] And als þai plaied with þe knif bare, A litel in hir fynger he share. [ 2820] And when he saw þe blude rede, For sorow he said he sold be ded; And so he was sone on þe morow. Þan þe whife made mekyl sorow: Sho wrang hir hend and made il chere. [ 2825]

Þe cors was sone broght on a bere, With torches and series faire brinand, And prestes and freres fast singand. For him þai delt seluer and golde; And sone he was broght vnder molde. [ 2830] "When þe knight þus grauen was, Þe lady cried and sayd 'Allas!' And hardily, sho said, na man Sold mak hir fra þat graue to gan; Bot on þat graue ai wald sho ly, [ 2835] And for hir lordes luf wald sho dy. Al hir frendes gederd þare For to cumforth hir of care. 'Dame,' þai said, 'par charite, Of þiself þou haue pete. [ 2840] Þou ert faire of hide and hew, Þou may haue knightes nobil inowe; And sen þou ert both ȝong and fayre, Þou mai haue childer to be þine aire. It es na bote to mak murning; [ 2845] Al sal we dy bath ald and ȝing.' Þe lady said oft siþes: 'Allas! Out of þis place sal I neuer pas Til I be ded with him alswa!' Þan hir frendes was ful wa. [ 2850] "Na man might for na preching Þe lady fra þe graue bring; And euil þam thoght þare to dwell; Þarfore þai did als I sal tell: Þai made a loge þe graue biside, [ 2855]

Fra rain and hayl hir for to hide; Þai couerd it ouer ilka dele, And made a fire þarin ful wele; Mete and drink þai broght plente, And bad þe lady blith sold be. [ 2860] Bot ett ne drink wald sho nothing; Euer sho cried and made murning. Hir frendes went oway ilkane, And þus þe lady leued allane. "Þat ilk day war outlaws thre [ 41 a] [ 2865] Dampned and hanged on galow tre, And knightes war þai euerilkane. Ful many had þai robbed and slane; Þarfore war þai hastily hent, And hanged so by right iugement. [ 2870] Anoþer knyght of þat cuntre Fel for to kepe þa theues thre On þe galows al þat nyght, Als it was resown and right. For, sirs, ȝe sal wele vnderstand, [ 2875] He gaf na ferm els for his land Bot for to kepe þe galows a night When þare hang gentel men or knight; And if ani þan war oway, His landes sold he lose for ay. [ 2880] "Þe knight him cled in nobil wede, And set him on a stalworth stede, And went to kepe þe knightes thre Þat hanged on þe galow tre. Þe frost fresed fast þarout; [ 2885] Þe knight rides euer obout,

Biside þe galows vp and down, So was he dredand of tresown. So grete cald come him vnto Þat he ne wist what he might do. [ 2890] Toward þe toun luked þe knyght; He saw a fire brin faire and bright In þe kirk-ȝerd of þe town; And þeder fast he made hym boun. Vnto þe loge he come onane; [ 2895] Þe lady þare he fyndes allane. To cal and speke wald he noght spare. Þe lady sais sone: 'Wha es þare?' 'I am a knyght þat wald me warm, And wend my way withowten harm.' [ 2900] Þe lady said: 'By him me boght, Herin, sir, ne cumes þou noght!' 'Lat me cum in, dame, I þe pray.' Þe lady said ful sadly: 'Nay.' 'A, dame,' he said, 'me es ful kalde; [ 2905] A litel while wharm me I walde.' 'Sir,' sho said, 'bi him me boght, In þis close ne cumes þou noght!' 'A, dame,' he said, 'par charyte, Þare sal na man wit bot we.' [ 2910] Þe knyght spak so with þe lady Þat in he come and sat hir by, [ 41 b] And warmed him wele at his will. Þe lady gret and gaf hir ill. "Þan said þe knight to hir in hy: [ 2915] 'Dame, whi ertou so sary, And whi ertou þus here allane,

And so with murning makes þi mane? Tel me, gude dame, I þe pray, And I sal help þe if I may.' [ 2920] Sho said: 'Sir, I am wil of rede, For my lord es fra me dede, And right here es he laid in graue; Swilk a lord mun I neuer haue; He lufed me euer ful stedfastly: [ 2925] Þarfore here wil I lif and dy.' "Þe knyght said: 'Dame, þou ert a fole Þat þou makes so mekyl dole. What helpes it so to sorow þe For thing þat may noght mended be? [ 2930] Þiseluen mai þou so forfare, And him ogayn gettes þou na mare. I rede þou morn na mare þarfore; Þou may haue ane worth twenti score. Þarfore, dame, do efter me, [ 2935] And lat now al þi murning be; I rede þou luf som oþer knyght Þat may þe cumforth day and night.' 'Nay,' sho said, 'sir, by Saint Iohn, Swilk a lord get I neuer none [ 2940] Þat so mekil wil mensk me, Ne suffer my will als did he. For to seke fra hethin till Ynde Swilk a lord sold I neuer finde.' "When þe knight had warmed him a while, [ 2945] He dred þat men sold do him gile, To stele som of þe hanged men, And ger him lose his landes þen. He toke his leue of þe lady,

And went to his hors hastily. [ 2950] Vnto þe galows rides he; And sone he myssed ane of þe thre. Þan was þe knyght ful sary man; He hopid to tyne his landes ilkane. He thoght wemen kowth gif gud rede [ 2955] Vnto men þat had grete nede. He was noght fer fro þe lady; Ogayn he rides ful hastily. He cald als he bifore had done, [ 41 c] And in þan was he laten sone. [ 2960] He said he had more sorow þan sho, And assed wat was best to do. Al þe soth he gan hir say How his o knight was stollen oway. "Þan spak þe lady to þe knight: [ 2965] 'Say me þe soth, sir, if þou myght, If þou has any whif at hame?' 'Nay,' he said, 'by swete Saint Iame, Whif ne leman had I neuer.' 'Sir,' sho said, 'so es me leuyr; [ 2970] Ful wele sal þou helped be, If þat þou wil wed me.' 'Ȝis, dame,' he said, 'by swete Ihesus!' When þai had made þaire cownand þus, 'Sir, tak we vp þis cors,' sho sayd,— [ 2975] 'Þis ilk day here was he layd,— And hang him vp for him þat failes.' Þe knight was paid of þir counsailes: Out of þe graue þai toke þe cors; Þe knight him led opon his hors. [ 2980] Þan said þe knyght to hir in hy:

'Dame, þou most hang him sertanli; For if þat I hanged a knight, Mine honore war lorn by þat vnright.' "Þe lady said: 'So haue I sele, [ 2985] I sal hang hym wonder wele.' Sho did þe rape obout his hals; In hir faith sho was ful fals; Sho drogh him vp and fest him fast. 'Lo,' sho said, 'now sal þis last.' [ 2990] 'Dame,' said þe knight, 'habide a stound: He þat here hanged had a wonde, In þe forheuyd wele to knaw; Swilkane on þis byhoues vs shaw, Or els tomorn, in lytel while, [ 2995] Wil be percayued al oure gile.' 'Sir,' sho said, 'draw owt þi swerde; To smite him thar þe noght be fered. Smite my lord wharesom þe list. Þan sal noght þi man be mist.' [ 3000] 'Nay, dame,' he said, 'for al þis rike A ded knyght wald I noght strike.' Sho said: 'Tak me þi swerd þe fra, And I sal merk him or we ga.' He tald hir whare þat sho sold smyte, [ 3005] And on þe heuyd sho hit him tite. [ 41 d] "Þan þe knyght wele vnderstode Þat sho was cumen of vnkind blode. 'Dame,' he said, 'by heuen rike, Ȝit es noght þis þat oþer lyke; [ 3010]

His forteth war al smeten out.' 'Sir,' sho said, 'þarof no dowt; Smites out his teth, biliue, lat se.' 'Nay, dame,' he said, 'so mot I the, I wil do him no velany; [ 3015] He was a knyght, and so am I.' Þan þe whif sone toke a stane And smate his fortheth out ilkane. When sho had on þis wise done, Sho said vnto þe knight ful sone: [ 3020] 'Sir, now sal þou wed me.' 'Nay, dame,' he sayd, 'so mot I the! Are wald I swere to wed na wife, Or I with þe sold lede my lyfe; For þou wald hang me with a cord, [ 3025] Right als þou has done þi lord. Swilk sorow has þou shewed me now Þat I sal neuer no wemen trow.'" Þan said þe maister to þe Emperowre: "I pray Ihesu, our Sauiowre, [ 3030] Þat to þe fal slike velany Als did þis knyght of his lady, If þou for kownsail of þi whife Reues þi faire son his life. Spare him, sir, vntil tomorow; [ 3035] Vnto hir sal fal al þe sorow. For, sertes, sir, þi son sall speke; By righ[t]wis dome þan þou him wreke." Þe Emperoure said: "So mot I gang, And I mai wit wha haues þe wrang, [ 3040] And wha þe right, sir, þan sal I

Deme þam bath ful rightwisly." Þan þe mayster went hys way. Þus was þe clerk saued þat day.

Notes

• Heading MS., R xii., R said.
• [Story XII. Vidua.]
• 2811 R Me for Þe, be, myght.
• 2812 R contre, knyght.
• 2813 R full fair wyfe.
• 2814 R lyfe.
• 2815 R scho.
• 2816 R will ay scho.
• 2817 R wyfe.
• 2818 R knyght, gyfen, fetyse knyfe.
• 2819 R played, knyfe.
• 2820 R lytell, schare.
• 2821 R blode.
• 2822 R suld, dede.
• 2823 R in.
• 2824 R wife, mykell.
• 2825 R Scho, ill.
• 2827 R fair brynand.
• 2828 R syngand.
• 2829 R syluer, gold.
• 2830 R mold.
• 2831 R knyght.
• 2832 R cryed, said.
• 2833 R scho, mane.
• 2834 R Suld, gane.
• 2835 R ay, scho.
• 2836 R scho.
• 2837 R All.
• 2838 R comforth.
• 2839 R charyte.
• 2841 R fair, hyde.
• 2842 R knyghtes, In . . . .
• 2843-4 R omits these lines.
• 2845 R bute, mornyng.
• 2846 R All sall, both, yhing.
• 2849 R Till, all swa.
• 2850 R full.
• 2851 R No, myght, no prechyng.
• 2852 R fro, bryng.
• 2853 R euell.
• 2854 R þarfor, sall.
• 2855 R be syde.
• 2856 R rayne, haile, hyde.
• 2858 R fyre þare in full.
• 2859 R drynk.
• 2860 R blythe suld.
• 2861 R ete, drynk, scho nathing.
• 2862 MS. shied, R scho cryed, mornyng.
• 2865 R outlawes.
• 2867 R knyghtes.
• 2868 R ffull, MS. Robbed.
• 2869 R And þarfor.
• 2870 R bi ryght.
• 2871 R Ane other, contre.
• 2872 R ffell.
• 2873 R all.
• 2874 R resowne, ryght.
• 2875 R yhe sall.
• 2876 R no.
• 2877 R nyght.
• 2878 R gentyll man, knyght.
• 2879 R any.
• 2880 R suld.
• 2881 R knyght, nobyll.
• 2882 R sett.
• 2883 R knyghtes.
• 2884 R hynged.
• 2885 R [þe fros]t frecsed, þare out.
• 2886 R [þe k]nyght rydes.
• 2887 R .. syde, doune.
• 2888 R tresoune.
• 2889 R gret.
• 2890 R myght.
• 2891 R toune loked.
• 2892 R fyre bryn fair, bryght.
• 2893 R kyrk yherd, toune.
• 2894 R þider, him boune.
• 2897 R call, spek.
• 2899 R warme.
• 2900 R with outen harme.
• 2901 R be.
• 2902 R Here in, comes.
• 2903 R com.
• 2904 R full.
• 2905 R full cald.
• 2906 R lytell, warme, wald.
• 2907 R scho
• 2908 R Here in sir ne comes.
• 2910 R sall, witt.
• 2912 R satt.
• 2914 R grett.
• 2915 R knyght.
• 2916 R ertow.
• 2917 R ertow.
• 2918 R mornyng.
• 2919 R Tell, gud.
• 2920 R sall.
• 2921 R Scho, will.
• 2923 R ryght, layd.
• 2924 R mon.
• 2925 R full.
• 2926 R þarfor, will, lyf.
• 2928 R mykell.
• 2931 R may.
• 2932 R getes, no.
• 2933 R red, no.
• 2934 R twenty.
• 2935 R þarfor.
• 2936 R latt, all, mornyng.
• 2937 R red.
• 2938 R comforth, nyght.
• 2939 R scho, Iohan.
• 2940 R gett.
• 2941 R mykell will.
• 2943 R fro.
• 2944 R suld, fynde.
• 2945 R knyght.
• 2946 R suld, gyle.
• 2951 R rydes.
• 2953 R full.
• 2954 R hoped.
• 2955 R couth gyf.
• 2956 R gret.
• 2958 R Ogayne, rydes full.
• 2959 R be fore.
• 2961 R scho.
• 2962 R asked what.
• 2963 R All.
• 2964 R knyght.
• 2965 R knyght.
• 2967 R haue, wife.
• 2968 R be.
• 2969 R Wife, lemman.
• 2970 R scho, leuer.
• 2971 R ffull, sall.
• 2972 R will.
• 2973 R Yhis, be.
• 2974 R conand.
• 2975 R scho said.
• 2977 R hyng, fayles.
• 2978 R knyght, payd, hir counsayles.
• 2980 R knyght.
• 2982 R sertainly.
• 2983 R hynged, knyght.
• 2984 R My honoure, bi, vnryght.
• 2986 R sall, him.
• 2987 R Scho dyd.
• 2988 R fayth scho, full.
• 2989 R Scho.
• 2990 R scho, sall.
• 2991 R knyght habyde, stounde.
• 2992 R hynged, wounde.
• 2993 R forheued.
• 2994 R bi houes, schaw.
• 2995 R lytell.
• 2996 R Will, persayued all our gyle.
• 2997 R scho, out, swerd.
• 2998 R smyte, ferd, MS. lered.
• 2999 R Smyte, lyst.
• 3000 R sall, myst.
• 3001 R all, ryke.
• 3002 R stryke.
• 3003 R Scho.
• 3004 R sall.
• 3005 R scho suld.
• 3006 R heued scho hytt, tyte.
• 3008 R scho, comen, vnkynd.
• 3009 R be, ryke.
• 3010 R Yhit, þe tother.
• 3011 R all smyten.
• 3012 R scho, þare of na dout.
• 3013 R Smytes, bi lyue.
• 3015 R will, vilany.
• 3017 R wife.
• 3018 R forteth.
• 3019 R scho.
• 3020 R Scho, knyght full.
• 3021 R sall.
• 3022 R said.
• 3023 R wyfe.
• 3024 R suld.
• 3027 R schewed.
• 3029 R Emperoure.
• 3030 R our sauyoure.
• 3031 R fall swilk vilany.
• 3033 R counsail, wyfe.
• 3034 R Reue, fair, lyfe.
• 3036 R sall fall all.
• 3038 MS. righwisdome, R Bi ryghtwis dome þou sall.
• 3039 R Emperour.
• 3040 R may witt.
• 3041 R ryght, sall.
• 3042 R full ryghtwisly.
• 3043 R maister, his.