¶ Here beginneth octavian the Emperor of Rome.  
 woodcut of emperor Octavian on a horse   

¶ Here beginneth the history of octavian Emperor of Rome.  

Listen lookings both old & yinge  
And hecken to my sweet talking  
Of whom I will you lieth  
Ihesu that is our heaven king  
give us all his dear blessing  
And make us glad & blithe  
True tales I will you say  
How it befell upon a day  
And ye will listen and lieth  
In books of Rome as it is told  
How it befell among our elders old  
Oft and fell sith  
Sometime there was an emperor  
In room of great honour  
In romans as men can read  
That man was of great honour  
He lived in joy and favour  
As a doughty man of deed  
In tournement and in fight  
In the world was none so wight  
As he was under weed  
octavian the emperor height  
Of all the world he was the noblest knight  
And a noble man of deed  
An empress he had to his wife  
One of the fairest that ever bare life  
Thus say clerks us unto  
Seven year they had together been  
With joy and mirth them between  
As it befell though  
The emperor upon a day  
In his chumbre 'gan sport and play  
With his empress bright  
He behelpe her fair cheer  
That was as white as blossom on brere  
And seemly was on sight  
A sorrow to his heart come  
That he might have children none  
Their lands to weld by right  
By his lady he him set  
For upon her his mind was knit  
He was so kind a knight  
When the lady 'gan it see  
She changed all her fayreble  
And sighed wonder sore  
She fell on knees her lord again  
And of his sorrow 'gan him fray  
And of his great care  
Good lord if it were your will  
Your counsel that you would bring me till  
And of your lives far  
Your counsel to me that ye dyscover  
And for me it shall never further  
I shall it keep whiles I may dure  
And in his arms he 'gan her fold  
And all his counsel to her told  
How his heart was ybound  
We have seven year together been  
And have no children us between  
We shall live both but a stound  
I ne wot how my son shall far  
But live in sorrow and in care  
When I am to bed brought  
I sleep full ill/ unsunde on night  
Then answered that lady bright  
Sir I can tell you I have bethought  
A rich abbey we will make  
For our dear ladies sake  
And lands give there till  
We will pray her son so fair  
That we may get a good air  
Our land to weld at will  
They let make an abbey though  
The lady wexte with children two  
As it was gods will free  
At the last it befell though  
The lady was delivered of of children two  
That seemly was to see  
tithings came to the emperor  
There he lay in his tour  
A glad man was he  
Two ladies brought him word  
They had gifts that were good  
The had both gold and fe  
The emperor rose with mild mode  
To his chapel there he you'd  
He thanked god of his sonde  
early or any day died spring  
He made a priest mass to sing  
His mother there he found  
son she said I am full blithe  
That the empress shall have her live  
And live with us in land  
But moche sorrow dreadeth me  
That Rome shall wrong arrayed be  
And in straugne men's hand  
Mother he said why say ye so  
Now I have men children two  
I thank god of his sonde  
Nay she said soon mine  
Well I wot they are not thine  
It liketh me full ill in land  
For thou mightest no children have  
Thy wife hath taken a cook's knave  
I will it prove by skill  
A sorrow to the emperors heart came  
That word might he speak none  
She go away full still  
To her chamber forth she yode  
The emperor still at mass stood  
As a man that was in care  
The emperors mother called a knave  
And height him gifts for to have  
A.C. pound and more  
To themperors cambre the knave take the way  
There the empress in chyldebed lay  
asleep was she there  
For why she had waked so long  
In pain and in care strong  
Or she delivered were  
Hast the with all thy might  
privily that thou were undyght  
And that thou be uncladde  
Softly by her thou in creep  
That she wake not of her sleep  
Full seek she is bestead  
Hastily was the knave uncladde  
And in he went as she him bad  
In to the rich bede  
But ever the knave drew him away  
Of the riches that on him lay  
He was full sore adread  
To the emperor sown she went  
And bade him come in good intent  
At the mass there he stood  
son if thou believe not me  
The sooth mayst thou now see  
To the chamber with her he yode  
When he saw the sight than  
A sorrow to his heart ran  
That well near he waxed wood  
The groom he saw in the bed  
The rich clothes were over him spread  
Of that guilt he thought not good  
The lady lay fast on sleep  
A doleful dream 'gan she meet  
That was so light a wight  
She thought that she was in a wilderness  
In sorrow and in great heaviness  
That she might have no sight  
She thought there came fleeing  
A dragon with the fire brenning  
That all the world was light  
And in his paves brunning blow  
Up he took her children two  
And away took his flight  
Therewith the lady began to wake  
A doleful groaning 'gan she make  
And she sighed full sore  
The emperor start to the groom  
The here in hand he hent anon  
The heed he smete of there  
In he keste it to the bed  
The rich clothes were all to bled  
Of rich gold though it were  
The great treason that there was wrought  
The lady slept and knew it nought  
Her discomfort was the more  
word of this they spoke no more  
Till the empress to church should go  
As the law was in that lead  
The emperor made a feast I understand  
To kings that were in divers land  
Of many alonde of far stead  
The king of Calebre without las  
That the empress father was  
thither 'gan him bid  
All they sembled upon a day  
With joy and game and moche play  
To the church the lady yode  
The kings dwellyde there in same  
There was both joy and game  
At that rich dinner  
with good meats and drinks among  
Of harp lute and good song  
Lute and good sautre  
Till the seven days we all gone  
with all wealths in that won  
And myrrh of mynstre●sy  
There was never so rich a gathering  
That had so sorry a departing  
I shall tell you why  
great dole it was to tell  
Upon a day how it befell  
hearken and ye may here  
The emperor to his chamber yode  
And his knights about him stood  
With a full glad cheer  
The emperor said I understand  
Such adventure was in that land  
By a lady as ye shall here  
All that treason he told them soon  
And asked what judgement should be done  
And what she worthy were  
When the emperor had his tale told  
The king of calebre answered bold  
He wist not what it meant  
Sir he said for her sake  
A great fire I shall do make  
This is my judgement  
When the fire is brouning fast  
She and her children to be cast  
To death for to be brent  
The emperor answered full soon  
Thy own daughter hath this done  
I hold to mine assent  
There was dole and great pity  
A fire they made without the city  
With brands brenning bright  
To the fire they laid the lady there  
Two squires her children died bear  
That seemly were to sight  
In a kirtle of scarlet reed  
To the fire they led her to be deed  
All ready she is dight  
The king of calebre made evil cheer  
For sorrow might not stand his daughter near  
There wept both king and knight  
The lady saw no better reed  
But she must needs be deed  
That day in the field  
With sorry heart the sooth to tell  
Before the emperor on knees she fell  
And both her hands up held  
Grant me lord for Jesus' sake  
That I might a prayer make  
To him that all shall weld  
And than to do with me your will  
What death that ye will put me till  
Thereto I will me yield  
The lady on her knees her set  
And Ihesu christ oft she great  
No wonder though she was woe  
She said lord and king of bliss  
This day thou wilt me read and wish  
And heaven queen also  
Maid marry mother free  
My prayer will I make to the  
For my children two  
As thou let them be borne of me  
Grant that they may christened be  
Or they to death should go  
Kings and queens that about were  
And ladies fell in swooning there  
And knights stood weeping  
The emperor stood her full near  
The tears fell down on his lere  
Full sorry he died there stand  
The emperor spoke a word of pity  
Dame he said thy death I will not see  
With heart ne with hand  
The emperor gave her leave to go  
And took her her children two  
And bad her go out of the land  
The emperor gave her forty pound  
Of florences that were red and round  
In geste as we now read  
He commauded her knights two  
Out of the land her for to lead though  
The two knights her children bare  
To what land that she leavest were  
She was full sore afeard there  
The king from the parliament  
Every lord to his own land went  
And there dwelled with good intent  
For sorrow their hearts 'gan bleed there  
That lady came in to a wilderness  
That full of wild beasts was  
The wood was strong and thick  
The knights took the lady her children two  
And took her gold and bade her go  
As the way lay full right  
They bade her hold the high street  
For dread with wild beasts for to meet  
That moche were of might  
Again the knights went with sorry mode  
Alone the empress forth yode  
As a woeful wight  
She had so wept here before  
That her right way she had forlorn  
So much she was in thought  
In a wood that was full thick  
What for hills and leaves eke  
Her way found she nought  
In a sloughe under an hill  
sown she found a fair well  
And an arbere ready wrought  
With olive trees the arbere was set  
The lady set her down and wept  
Ferther go she ne might  
The lady by the well her set  
With doleful cheer and heavy heart  
She might no ferther gone  
Lord she said of heaven bliss  
This day thou me read and wish  
God send me some succour sown  
Maid marry mother free  
My prayer will I make to the  
To amend my sorefull moan  
I am full of sorrow and care  
And three days I have gone and more  
That meet had I none  
By that she had her children dyhgt  
Forsooth it was full near the night  
As she sat by the well  
In the arbere down she lay  
Till it was light of the day  
That fowls 'gan sing and yell   

THere came an ape to seek his pray  
One of her children he bore away  
Up ●●●o one high hill  
No w●nder if she were woe  
The ape bore her child her fro  
In swooning down she fell  
In all the sorrow that the lady in was  
There came running a wild lyonas  
That was in deed there  
In a swooning as the lady lay  
Her other child she bore away  
Her discomfort was the more  
The lady was full heavy there  
For the wild beasts away her children bear  
For sorrow her heart 'gan bleed  
To Ihesu christ. she made her moan  
And sighing forth she yode  
There came a foul fair of flight  
A griffon he was called by right  
Over the hills hoar  
The foul was so moche of might  
That he would well bear a knight  
All armed if he were  
The lioness and the child up took he  
And flew in to an isle of the se  
Both with him he bore  
The child slept in the lioness mouth  
Of weal or woe it ne cowth  
But god keep it from care  
When the lioness had foot on land  
stoutly she can up stand  
As be'st that was strong and wild  
thorough god's grace the griffon she slew  
And of his flesh eat enough  
And laid her by the child  
The child soaked the lions  
As it gods will was  
And the paps 'gan to weld  
The lions 'gan of the child moche make  
And all for her whelps sake  
She was therewith full mild  
With her foot she scraped a den  
And brought the young child therein  
And kept it day and night  
When the lions hungered sore  
She eat of the griffon evermore  
That was so strong and wight  
And as it was gods will  
The lions loved the child full well  
That was so fair and bright  
The lady set her on a stone  
To Ihefu christ she made her moan  
As a woeful wight  
Ihesu christ king of bliss  
This day thou me read and wish  
Of all kings thou art flower  
As I was kings daughter and queen  
And empress of Rome hath been  
And of many a rich tour  
Through this treason that on me is wrought  
To much sorrow I am brought  
And out of my honour  
This words life I have forlorn  
And my two children from me borne  
This life I may endure  
A lord the sorrow that I am in  
well I wot it is for my sin  
welcome be all thy sonde  
To the world I will me never give  
But serve the lord whiles I live  
receive me with thy hand  
Down by a hill the way she found  
And to the greek see she came  
And went by the strand  
Before her an haven she saw  
And a city with towers gay  
The ready way she found  
which brought her to the town  
A ship she found ready bown  
with pilgrims for to far  
She bade the shipmen gold and fe  
with that she might therein be  
If that their will were  
A boat the set upon the flood  
And rowed to the land there the lady stood  
A wight man in he bore  
By the mast they bade her sit  
Of her woe no man might wite  
But ever she wept full sore  
The shipmen failed by an isle side  
The master bad them they should abide  
For fresh water had they none  
Beside them there was a roche on high  
And a well stream running by  
Come running over a stone  
Than two men to land they send  
And sown to the well stream they wend  
The well they found as I you say  
The lioness lay in her den  
And was full glad of these two men  
Full sown she had them slain  
So long at an anchor 'gan the ride  
These two men for to abide  
Till noun was of the day  
Twelve men 'gan them dight  
With helm and with halbarde bright  
To the land went they  
They found the lioness in her den  
And a man child they saw therein  
With the lioness 'gan play  
somewhile he soaked the lioness pap  
And other while 'gan kiss and clap  
For dread they fled away  
They went again and told what they saw  
And how they found a roche on high  
And in the isle a lioness den  
And there the lioness began to play  
With a child that there in lay  
And died slay both their men  
The lady said that was so mild  
Mercy lords that is my child  
And on land let me rive  
Abote they set upon the flood  
Alone the lady forth you'd  
Full sore wept all they thenne  
When she came to the roche on high  
She ran as fast as she might high  
With full sorry mode  
The lioness thorough god's grace  
When she saw the ladies face  
Full fair and still she stood  
thorough the might of marry mild  
She suffered the lady to take her child  
And to the see with the lady she yode  
when the shipmen the lioness see  
They durst not come the land nigh  
For fere they were near wooed  
Some hent an o'er/ and some hent a spete  
This wild lioness for to meet  
Out of the boat for to were  
The lady in to the ship they hent  
Therty fo●e after che lioness sprent  
Therc durst no man come him near  
There durst no man come him near  
There might men see game and gle  
Four men leap into to the see  
So afeard they were of the lioness there  
By the lady the lioness lay  
And with the child 'gan play  
And no man would she dear  
The shipmen drew up sail of rich hew  
The wind from land them blewe  
Over that wan stream  
The first land that they might see  
was a city with towers high  
That height Iherusalem  
Full blithe they were of that sight  
As is the foul when it is light  
Of that day leme  
When it was ebb and no flood  
The shipmen and the lady to land yode  
In that rich realm  
Over all the city wide and long  
Of that lady the word sprung  
That there to land was lente  
And how she had a lioness  
Brought with her out of wilderness  
The king after her sent  
The king bade let for no thing  
But the lioness with the lady to bring  
To a castle there near hand  
When she to the king come  
For the empress of rich rome  
The king full well her knew  
The king her frayned of her fare  
And she told him of her care  
As a woeful wight  
then with the queen she dwelled still  
And had maidens at her will  
To serve her day and night  
The child that was fair and free  
The king made him christened be  
And said that octavian shall height  
When the child was of eld  
That he could ride and arms weld  
The king dubbed him a knight  
The lioness that was so wild  
Dwelleth with the lady mild  
Her comfort was the more  
The lady dwelled still with the queen  
With joy and game them between  
To cover her of her care  
Every day he served that lady bright  
To make her glad with all his might  
Till she better mended were  
In Iherusalem that lady dwelled still  
Of that other child tell you I will  
That the ape from her bare   

THere came an ape that was so wild  
Through the forest with the child  
The holtes was both high and door  
As the ape came over the street  
With a knight 'gan she meet  
The child as she bore  
though fanght the knight full long  
Agaynest the ape that was so strong  
His sword he broke there  
The ape left the child and away went  
The knight from her the child hent  
And with him 'gan he far  
Forth with the child he road then  
And in a forest he met outlaws ten  
That moche were of might  
The knight was never so woe  
That his sword was broke in two  
That he might not fight  
If the knight were never so woe  
The outlaws wane the child him fro  
That was so stout and wight  
The knight was wounded that day  
Vnethys his horse bore him away  
So dolefully he was dight  
The outlaws set them on the green  
And laid the child them between  
The child was fair and on them loughe  
The master outlaw said then  
It were great shame for hardy men  
The child if we it slew  
I read we bear it with moche pride  
To Iherusalem here beside  
And do it no harm  
It is so fair and gentle bore  
That we may have treasure therefore  
Gold and silver full yarn  
The two outlaws made them yare  
To Iherusalem for to far  
It was so sweet awyght  
There was no man that the child see  
For dole they wept with their eye  
So fair he was to sight  
A burgess of paris came full near  
That palmer had been seven year  
Clement lunlayne he height  
He said lordings will ye the child sell  
Ye for money if ye will to us it tell  
Florence's broad and bright  
For thirty pound sell him they would  
Clement said long ye may him hold  
Or ye him so sell may  
I swear by mine hood  
I ween can but little good  
Such words for to say  
Gold and silver is to me need  
But. xx.li. I will you bid  
And make you ready pay  
The child they him sold  
And. xx.li. he them told  
And went forth his way  
When clement had the child bought  
He made a pannier to be be wrought  
The child therein to lead  
He took him the way right  
And asked him with all his might  
What was his best reed  
A norse he gate him also  
In to france with him to go  
The child for to feed  
The burgess of paris were full fain  
Full, many went clement again  
All rent was his weed   

THey clepte him and kiss him all  
And brought him home in to the hall  
His wife was full blithe  
She frayned him the right doom  
How that he by the child come  
He told her full swith  
Dame in Iherusalem I it get  
And there I would him not let  
The sooth I will you lieth  
His wife answered with heart mild  
Sir it shall be my own child  
She kissed it many a sith  
Dame said clement while I palmer was  
I gate this child with my flesh  
In the heathen land  
In to this land I have him brought  
Wherefore dame grieve the nought  
For rich shall be thy weed  
She answered him with words free  
He is welcome to me so moat I the  
For fair I shall him feed  
And keep him with our own child  
Till he become of eld  
And cloth them in one weed  
Clement was thereof full blithe  
He did christian the child swith  
It dwelled but a night  
Anon after they him called  
Florent the child height  
When the child was seven year old  
He was fair wise and bold  
The man that readeth right  
In all the realne wide and long  
Of the child the word sprung  
So fair he was by sight  
Ever the burgess and his wife  
Loved the child as their life  
With him he was full dear  
When he was seven year and more  
Clement set the child to lore  
To be a chauncelere  
Than clement betook to Florent oxen two  
And bad him over the byrdge to go  
To a bocher as ye shall here  
To learn the craft to do  
As his kind was never to do so  
Such games for to lere  
Florent over the byrdge 'gan go  
Fast driving his oxen two  
He saw a seemly sight  
A squire there was as I you tell  
A gerfalcon he bore to sell  
With feathers fold full right  
Florent to the squire you'd  
And both his oxen to him bode  
For that falcon bright  
The squire was wonder blithe  
And gave to him the falcon swith  
With heart good and light  
The squire hasted him full swith  
His oxen away for to drive  
That he were out of sight  
And florent to i'll was full fain  
He wend he would have his falcon again  
He ran with all his might  
He went him home the next way  
To clementes house as it lay  
And he in went full right  
He feed the falcon whiles he would  
And sith his fair feathers fold  
As the sqyer had him taught by sight  
Clement the burgess came in full sown  
Traitor where hast thou the oxen down  
That I took the full right  
great dole men might see there  
Clement beat the child full sore  
That was so sweet a wight  
With other meet thou shalt not live  
But that this kite will the give  
Both by day and by night  
As sore beaten as the child stood  
yet to his falcon he you'd  
His feathers for to right  
Clementes wife thought wonder thore  
That clement beat him so sore  
He asked his father why  
Father said the child for Christ's ore  
Be in peace and beat me no more  
But you wot why  
Would ye now a while behold  
How ᵗ fair he doth his feathers fold  
And how lovely they lie  
Ye would pray to god with mild mode  
That you had sold half your good  
Such one for to buy  
The burgess wife beside stood  
Full sore she rued in her mode  
And said for thine ore  
For Mary's love that maid mild  
Have mercy on your fair child  
And beat him no more  
Let him be at home and serve us two  
And let our other son out go  
Each day for to lere  
Such grace for him may be wrought  
To a better man he may be brought  
Than he a bocher were  
After all this it befell  
Clement began forty pound to tell  
In his chamber there  
Clement took it to child florent  
And to the bridge he him sent  
The money his brother to bear  
As the child through the city go  
He saw where stood affair stead  
That was strong in every stout  
The stead was white as any milk  
The bridle reins were of silk  
The molens were all gild  
Of words the child was wonder bold  
He asked how the stead should be sold  
The money would he tell  
The man bad him for thirty pound  
Of florences red and round  
No less he would him sell  
Florent said to little it wore  
Ten pound I shall give the more  
And ten pound he than told in faith  
The squire was wonder blithe  
And took the silver to him full swith  
And hasted him away  
Florent leapt leapt up for to tide  
To clementes house with moche pride  
And took the high way  
He thought to ride in at the hall  
He sought none other stall  
He set him up there in faith  
Florent was glad as I you say  
And gave his stead corn and hay  
He kneeled down and fair him dight