Early English versions of the Gesta Romanorum / edited by Sidney J.H. Herrtage

MORALITE.

Seitℏ nowe, goode men; þis emperour I Caƚƚ owre lord̛ ihesu Criste; þe empire is þis wordle, in whicℏ is mocℏ aduersite; For aƚƚ þat is in þe wordle oþer it is fals couetise of flescℏ, or fals couetise of yen, or prowde of lif. The wif that lovitℏ not hire husbond̛ is þi flescℏ, þat dispisitℏ aƚƚ werkis that þe spirite lovitℏ. Now in speking̘ gostely of þis mater, while þat a man goitℏ in pilgrimage, Serys, that is to sey, In werke of ony goode dede to be fuƚƚ-filled̛, Thenne the flesℏ spekitℏ with þe nigromancier, scil. þe deviƚƚ; And þat he dotℏ as ofte tyme as he grucchitℏ aȝenst þe spirit, and sesitℏ fro werkis of penaunce, wherby þe spirit may be slayne. For it is as þe apostiƚƚ seitℏ, Caro concupiscit aduersus spiritum, et spiritus adversus carnem, This is to vndirstonde, The flescℏ desiritℏ thing þat is aȝenst þe spirite, And þe spirit desiritℏ thing aȝenst þe flescℏ. The clerke þat helpitℏ þe knyȝt is a discrete confessour or a prechour, Whicℏ techitℏ a man How þat he shaƚƚ defende him aȝenst þe dartys of þe deviƚƚ. This nigromancer [that] is þe deviƚƚ, biginnitℏ to schete an arowe att the ymage,—what is þat? The Reson̛ within a man̄. But beware þat he hit not him with his arowe, scil. Envy or auarice, For if he do, wi—thoute doute he shaƚƚ dye in euermore lastyng̘ detℏ. And þerfore þou most putte downe þyn̛ hed̛,—what is þat? Thyne old lif of synne, and entre yn to þe batℏ of confession̛. And þou most hold̛ in thy hond a myrour, scil. holy doctrine, þat prelatis and prestis euery day shewitℏ, by þe whicℏ þou shalt see aƚƚ perilis þat perteynitℏ to þi soule. And also holdyng downe of þe hed in þe batℏ, is to be redy to goo vndir þe ȝoke of penance, and submitte þe to it that shaƚƚ be enioyned to þe; and þat is not hard, witnessing þe sauiour him selfe, wher he seitℏ, Jugum meum suaue, et onus meum leue, Lo! my ȝoke, he seitℏ, is swete, and my charge is ligℏt̘. And if þou do þus, no doute of þou shalt stonde aȝenst aƚƚ the shotis þat þe deviƚƚ can shete to þe; And his shotis shaƚƚ turne to his owne sorowe, and encresing of his peyne in þe bed of heƚƚ, wher he shaƚƚ be buryed. Now þan most a prelate honge the wif̘—what bymenytℏ that? Forsotℏ þat consciens and discrecion̛ late þe flesℏ

be hongyd on þe iebet of penaunce, Of þe whicℏ maner of living þe Apostiƚƚ spekitℏ þis, Suspendium elegit anima mea, This is to sey, my soule hatℏ chosen þe iebet, scil. doyng of penaunce. And after þe herte is departid ynto thre parteys, that is, the flesℏ is devidid̛ ynto þre, scil. praying̘, Almysdede, and fastyng. And thenne þou shalt take a new wif̘, scil. a spiritobediente to a new gouernaunce; And thenne per consequens þou shalt have euermore lastyng lif̘, Ad quam nos et vos perducat, &c.