The maistres were glad of this,
And to Rome thai went, I wis.
The dai was comen that hem was set,
Anon with th' emperour thai met,
And saide, "The dai is comen of answering."
Quath Herowdes, "That is soth thing."
Tel me hastilich and sket
Thing that ye me bihet."
"Lo, sire, we han a schild i-browt,
That schal thè telle al thi thowt.
Lo her, sire, a litel page!
That schal sai thè thi corage."
Quath th' emperour of lime and lond,
"Wil ye his tale take an hond?"
"Ya, on al that we haue or haue mowe,
The childes tale we wil auowe."
"Tel me, he saide, child Merlin!"
Sir, lad me arst to chaumbre thin."
Th' emperour him ladde anon,
Into his chaumbre of lim and ston;
And whanne thai were therinne i-schet,
Merlin his tonge with wit whet,
And spak to th' emperour:
"Thou hast, he saith, her in thi bour,
Fer under thi bed adoun,
A gret boiland cauderoun,
With seuen walmes boiland;
The walmes han the abland,
And therwhiles thai boilland be,
Sire, thou ne schalt neuer i-se:
And yif thai mai ben queint aright,
Thou might wel haue thi sight.
Th' emperour had wonder of this,
And let reume his bed, I wis,
And tok ten men other twelue,
And het hem in the grounde delue.
Thai deden ase here louerd hem het,
And doluen alle ther ful sket.
Thai ne hadde doluen but a stounde,
That the cauudronn was i-founde,
That hadde right walmes seuen :
Tho was i-leued the schildes steven.
"Quad th' emperour, " Forsothe I wis,
Bi thè I wil don after this;
Ac, telle me, child, som resouns,
What bitokneth this boilouns ?"
"Sire, do out thi folk ichon,
And ich wil thè telle swithe anon."
Th' emperour, anon right,
Drof out both clerk and knight.
Thanne biginneth the child Merlin,
To telle th' emperour swich Latin :
"Sire, he said, bi God in heuen,
Thise boilouns that boilen seuen,
Bitoknen thine seuen wise,
That han i-wrowt ayèn the assise.
Thai han arrered custumes newe,
That thai mai wel sore rewe.
Be hit other clerk or knight,
And him mete a sweuene anight,
He cometh amorewe ich understonde,
An brengeth a besaund in his hond,
And to the maistres hire sweuene telle ;
Thai hit vndo after her wille.
Thai respounde ase hem liketh;
Thous thai mani man biswiketh.
And, for that ilche senne, I finde
That thou art bicome blinde."
"Nou, tel me, child, thin entent,
What mai me to amendement ?"
"Leue sire, for mi loue,
Bi on of hem mi tale proue.
Leue sire, taketh th' emprise,
And taketh the eldest of the wise,
Lat smite atwo his nekke bon;
The grettest walm shal quenche anon."
Th' emperour dede be the schildes lore,
The eldest maister was slein therfore.
His heued was into the cauudroun cast,
The greste walm queynte on hast.
Tho th' emperour wiste this,
He let sle alle seuene, I wis.
The water bicom faire and lithe;
emperour therof was blithe,
Anon he wichss therof his hond,
And ouersegh al the lund.
"And, sire, so fare maistres thine, Thai schul the bringe to mochele pine. Thai han so i-blent thè,
That thou might nowt that sothe i-se.
Ac yif thou dost more bi here rede,
To swiche blendnesse mote thai thè lede,
As hadde Herowdes the king,
That was negh browt to iuel ending."
"Nai, dame, he said, thou art wilde!
Fram swiche schame God me schilde!
For hem I schal me ful wel kepe,
Of hem ne yive I nowt an hepe."
"Sire, sche saide, thou hast god right;
Thai ben about, dai and night,
The to bigile an bitraie."
Cokkes crewe, and hit was daie.
Th' emperour aros anon,
And wente to his halle of ston;
And ase th' emperour, verraiment,
Hadde yiuen his sone juggement,
The sexte maister com into the halle,
And hendeliche he grette hem alle,
And saide, "Sire, thou art wel nice,
To leue so mochel thin emperice.
Whanne thou leuest hire so
That thou wilt thi sone slo,
Thanne mot hit so fare bi the,
As bi a sschereue of this countrè,
Tha[t] hirt his wif with a knif
In the wombe, he les his lif.
Quath th' emperour, " In alle manèr,
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