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

[ LXV. ]
(HOW A BISHOP WAS DAMNED FOR NEGLECT OF THE WARNINGS OF GOD.)Addit. MS. 9066.

[leaf 65 (cont'd)]

In Saxsonye was a byshope, whose name was hudo. he was delicatly fedde with mete and̛ with drynke, and̛ lecherouse was or he was a byshope; of̘ whose synnes god̛ wolde make an̛ Ende, And̛ on a nyght with this voyce manasyde hym̛, sayeng̘, "Hudo! make an̛ Ende of̘ thy playe, for thou haste pleyde Enoughe, I saye." and̛ when he had̛ herde this voyse, a while he amendid̛ hym̛; and̛ afterwarde he was sterid̛ with temptac[i]on̛ to his forseide synnes, and̛ felle into hem̛ a-gayne. and̛ Efte sonys he was warnyd̛

with the same voice from̛ hem, sayeng̘, "hudo! make [leaf 65, back] an Ende, for thou haste pleyde Enoughe, I say." but̘ yete he amendid̛ hym̛ nought̘ stabely. The thrid̛ tyme he was manasyde with the same voice, as he dide be-fore, and̛ yete he felle a-gayne to synne. and̛ on a nyght, when he had̛ ben merie, and̛ was dronkyn̛, and̛ he wente mery and̛ glad̛ to bedde, the same nyght his offyciaƚƚ sawe the soule of the byshope, in his bedde, be brought with ij. deuyls be-fore the prince of deuyls, sittynge in his see as a domysman̛, with a grete multitude of deuyls stondyng̘ a-boute hym. Than seide the mayster deuyƚƚ to the soule, "welcome, my doughter; speke now blaseflemys." the soule stode stiƚƚ fuƚƚ sorye, and̛ spake not. Then he seide, "yete speke, myn̛ owne doughter, for I am he whom̛ thou haste serued̛; and̛ therfore I shaƚƚ wele yelde the for thy seruice." the soule stode stiƚƚ, and̛ seide nought. The prince of̘ the deuyls seide to the deuyls that brought hym, "gothe, and̛ putte hym̛ in a bathe, and̛ than̛ shaƚƚ he speke." Than they tokyn̛ þe soule, and̛ putt it in a Cawderowne fuƚƚ of̘ wellyng̘ piche and̛ brymstone; and̛ afterwarde drawen̛ [it] oute, and̛ brought [it] be-fore the mayster, that bade the soule speke, and̛ it spake not. Then the mayster seide, "gyfe hym a drynke in myn owne Cuppe, and̛ then shaƚƚ he speke." they tokyn̛ his Cuppe, and̛ filled̛ it fuƚƚe of̘ the moste abhomynable and̛ moste stynkyng̘ licoure, and̛ constreyned̛ hym̛ to drynke it vp at oon̛ draught̘; and̛ yete it wold̛ not speke. then seide the precidente, "steweth hym̛, and̛ than shaƚƚ he speke." The deuyls tokyn̛ a-waye a coueryng̘ of̘ a pitte, oute of the which come a brethe and̛ a smeke afthere moste stynkyng̘, the which myght haue corupte aƚƚ the worlde, as it semyd̛ to hym̛ that sawe it; and̛ in this pitte they putte the soule. and̛ when̛ it had̛ ben there a certeyne tyme, they tokyn̛ it oute, and̛ broughte it be-fore theyre mayster, that seide, "now speke, my doughter." then the soule began̛ to blasefleme, and̛ seide, "waried̛ and̛ Cursed̛ be they that me gate!" then̛ seide the mayster deuyƚƚ, "so, doughter, now sayest̘ thou wele; speke on more!" "waried̛ and̛ Cursed̛," she seide, "be my god̛ and̛ the houre the which I was conseyued̛, and̛ Cursed̛ be they that me gate!" Then spake the mayster deuyƚƚ, "so, doughter, now sayest̘

þou [leaf 66] wele; speke more!" "waried̛ and̛ Cursed," she seide, "be my god̛ Fadire and̛ my god̛ modire, that made me Cristen̛!" "yete, doughter," seide the mayster of̘ deuyls, "thou moste speke more." then seide the soule, "waried̛ and̛ Cursed̛ be Criste, and̛ his modire, and̛ aƚƚ þe seyntes of̘ heuyn̛!" Then seide the prince of̘ deuyls, "now thow haste spoken̛ right wisely; now shalte thou haue thy mede for thy seruyce." Anone they token̛ hym, and̛ putte hym in the pittes bothome, in the which he was putte be-fore; and̛ stoppid̛ the pyttes mouthe a-boue. The officiaƚƚ sawe this; and̛ when he wakenyd̛, he was aƚƚ wete of swete, for angwishe that he suffred̛. he rose, and̛ wente to the Chambreleyne of̘ þe byshope, and̛ seide, "how fares my lorde?" he seide, "comes, and̛ sees." they wentyn̛, and̛ loked̛, and̛ fownde hym dede; and̛ soughtyn̛ the Cuppe, and̛ couthe neuer fynde hym ne it. and̛ thus wrechidly he passed̛ oute of̘ the worlde, for the wolde not amend̛ hym be tyme of his lyfe. Amen̛ &c.