The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 08: Asia, Part IHakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 08: Asia, Part I
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
the emperour, that belongethe unto him, nouther clothinge, ne bred, ne wyn,
ne bathe, ne non other thing, that longethe to hym, but at certeyn houres,
that his philosopheres wille devysen. And zif there falle werre in ony syde
to the emperour, anon the philosophres comen, and seyn here avys aftre her
calculaciouns, and conseylen the emperour of here avys, be here sciences;
so that the emperour dothe no thing with outen here conseille. And whan the
philosophres han don and perfourmed here commandementes, thanne the
mynstralle begynnen to don here mynstralcye, everyche in hire instrumentes,
eche aftre other, with alle the melodye that thei can devyse. And whan thei
han don a gode while, on of the officers of the emperour gothe up on an
highe stage wroughte fulle curyously, and cryethe and seythe with lowde
voys, Makethe pees. And than every man is stille. And thanne anon aftre,
alle the lordes, that ben of the emperours lynage, nobely arrayed in riche
clothes of gold, and ryally apparayled on white stedes, als manye as may
wel sewen hem at that tyme, ben redy to maken here presentes to the
emperour. And than seythe the styward of the court to the lordes be name,
N. of N. and nempnethe first the most enoble and the worthieste be name,
and seythe, be zee redy with suche a nombre of white hors, for to serve the
emperour, zoure sovereyn lord. And to another lord, he seythe, N. of N. be
zee redy with suche a nombre, to serve zoure sovereyn lord. And so another,
right so. And to alle the lordes of the emperoures lynage, eche aftre
other, as ben of estate. And whan thei ben alle cleped, thei entren eche
aftre other, and presentenen the white hors to the emperour; and than gon
hire wey. And than aftre, alle the other barouns every of hem zeven hem
presentes, or juelle, or sum other thing, aftre that thei ben of estate.
And than aftre hem, alle the prelates of hire lawe, and religiouse men and
other; and every man zevethe him sum thing. And whan that alle men han thus
presented the emperour, the greetest of dignytee of the prelates zevethe
hem a blessynge, seyenge an orisoun of hire lawe. And than begynnen the
mynstrelle to maken hire mynstralcye, in dyverse instrumentes, with alle
the melodye that thei can devyse. And whan thei han don hire craft, than
thei bryngen before the emperour, lyouns, libardes and other dyverse
bestes; and egles and veutours, and other dyverse foules; and fissches, and
serpentes; for to don him reverence. And than comen jogulours and
enchauntoures, that don many marvaylles: for thei maken to come in the ayr,
the sonne and the mone, be semynge, to every mannes sight. And aftre thei
maken the day to come azen, fair and plesant with bright sonne, to every
mannes sight. And than thei bryngen in daunces of the faireste damyselles
of the world, and richest arrayed. And aftre thei maken to come in, other
damyselles, bryngynge coupes of gold, fulle of mylk of dyverse bestes, and
zeven drynke to lordes and to ladyes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account