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

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Title
Early English versions of the Gesta Romanorum / edited by Sidney J.H. Herrtage
Editor
Herrtage, Sidney J. H. (Sidney John Hervon)
Publication
London: N. Trübner & Co.
1879
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Link to this Item
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/GRom
Cite this Item
"Early English versions of the Gesta Romanorum / edited by Sidney J.H. Herrtage." In the digital collection Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/GRom. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 18, 2025.

Pages

[ LXVII. ]
(HOW A WOMAN, WHO WAS DAMNED, APPEARED TO HER SON.)Addit. MS. 9066.

[leaf 66 back (cont'd)]

A woman there was some tyme, that had̛ a sone by here housbonde, that was sette to þe scole; and̛ when he was of age, he was made a preste, and̛ studied̛ to lyve religeously. This wyfe had̛ conseyued̛ afterward̛ ij. sonys in a-voutery; and̛ when the Childryn̛ were waxen, she deyed̛. then the fyrste sone, þat she had̛ by here housbond̛, that was a preste, was fuƚƚ besy for to pray the saluacion̛ of̘ his modyrs soule, and̛ songe many masses for here, prayeng̘ to god̛ deuoutely, that he myght wete how his modre fared̛. On a day as he prayde, there aperid̛ to hym a fourme of̘ a woman, fro whose hede he sawe a derke flawme rise vp; and̛ on here lippes and̛ on here tonge he sawe an horreble tode gnawe, and̛ on sesid̛ not; and̛ fro hire tetis he sawe hange ij. serpentes, sore soukynge hem; and̛ the skyn̛ on̛ here back was drawen downe to here hammes, and̛ trayled̛ after here, aƚƚ on fyre. then seide the preste, "what arte thou, in the name of god̛?" she answerid̛, and̛ seide, "I am thy modyre; be-holde and̛ se to what paynes I am̛ putte euerlastyngly, for my synnes." then he asked̛ here, for what synnes she suffred̛ thes paynes? she seide, "I am tormentid̛ with this blew fyre on my hede, for my lecherouse anourement of myn̛ heere, and̛ oþer array ther on̛; in my lyppes and̛ my tonge, for wicked̛ and̛ veyne speches

Page 384

and̛ lecherouse kyssynges, I suffere thes todes to frete; on my tetis I haue thes ij. serpentes soukyng̘ so sore, that me thinketh they souke oute my herte-blode, for I gafe souke, and̛ noryshed̛ my ij. hore Coppis; and̛ my brennynge skynne drawene of, and̛ folowyng̘ me, is for my large trayne of clothe, that I was wonte to drawe aftire me, while I leuyd̛ on Erthe." "a! modre," he seide, "mowe ye not be sauyd̛?" "no," she saide; and̛ wente a-way from̛ his sight̘.

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