Auchinleck Manuscript (A), fol. 85r

Corresponding lines in this edition: A120–159

line1 ffor þe mede of mi seruise Tac me þi sone to loke and lore Of mi seruise kep i nammore And i þe wille þonke conne line5 And al þe clergie vnder sonne Iich wille in to his bodi diȝt Boþe bi dai and bi niȝt Dioclician þe maistres herde He strok his berd and schok his ȝerde line10 And on hem made milde chere And spak þat hi alle miȝte ihere Þonke i ȝou kan gode lordingges Of ȝoure genal answerungges I kan ȝou þonke of ȝoure speche line15 Þat ȝe desire mi sone to teche Ȝoure compaignie is fair and gent Nel ich hit departe verraiment He tok his sone bi þe hond a non An bitauȝte him to hem euerichon line20 Þai vnderfengen him wiȝ cher blithe And þonged him a þousant sithe Þe seuen wise wiȝ gret glorie Þt child ladde to consistorie Þt is a stede wiȝ inne Rome line25 Þer men makeȝ wise dome Þis seuen wise men in boke Here conseil þere to gider toke Þt he scholde nowt in Rome bilaue ffor burgeis maiden oþer knaue line30 Miȝte him in som riot sette Þat al his lore he scholde lette Þer þai toke to gideres alle Þai wolde make a riche halle Wiȝouten Rome in on verger line35 A mile þennes bi o riuer Tiber hit hatte wiȝ outen dout A mile long al about Alle tres þer inne were Þat ani frut an erthe bere line40 A mideward þai founden a space

Egerton Manuscript (E), fol. 4r–v

Corresponding lines in this edition: A120–159

line1 ffor the loue of my seruyse / Take to me youre yong sone in boke to lore ffor my seruyse I kepe nomore — And I wylle you moche thonke conne line5 And alle the clergy vnder the sonne / In hys hert I shalle hit dighte / Wytte and wysdome bothe day and nyghte / The Emperowre thes maysters hyrde He stant and strykys on hys berde / line10 And sayde graunte marcy fayre lordelyngys / Ye haue me plesyd in alle thynges / Grete thanke I canne for youre speche / ffor ye desyret my sone to teche / Youre company ys fayre and gent / line15 I wylle not yowe for sake verament / He toke his sone thoo a non To the Maysters euerychon And they nome hym wt herte fre / And thonkyd the Emperoure apon hyr kne / line20 The vij. Mayster of grete clergy Ladde the chylde into hyr constorye In to a howse wt ynne Rome There that they hylde hyr wysdome Ther vij. Maysters in a boke / line25 Alle to gedyr hyr consayle toke That the chylde myght not dwelle in Rome ffor burges doughters and for grome / That sone myghte hym in ryot sette And moche of hys lore lette / line30 So that they nome hyr conselle alle / fforto make a nobylle halle Wt owtynne Rome in a verger / A myle thens by a reuer / Tyber hyt hat wt owte doute line35 A myle longe hyt was a boute / Al maner treys there yn were That any fronyte myght bere And there a mydde they founde a space —