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

[EMPERATOR APPOLANIUS.]
(OF THE SPEAKING STATUE MADE BY VIRGIL, AND OF FOCUS THE SMITH. )

[ X. ] Harl. MS. 7333.

Story.

[leaf 155, col. 1]

Appolanius regnyd in Rome, þe whicℏ maade to be ordenyd, as for a lawe, þat ecℏ man sholde, vp peyne of detℏ, kepe þe day of þe burtℏ of þe Emperour, as for a festfuƚƚ day. And þerfore he callid to him virgilie, þe philoȝophre, & saide, "Goode maister, I suppose wele, þat þer ben many trespassis don̛ aȝenst my lawe, þe whicℏ ben kept so prively, þat I may not knowe hem; And þerfore I wolde pray þe to make for me some crafte, by þe whicℏ I may come to the knowlicℏ of sucℏ prive trespace." So shortely to seyn̛, this virgilie made by his crafte an ymage or a statute, and sett him in þe myddys of þe Cite, þe whicℏ sholde shewe and telle to þe messagers of þe Emperour the namys of hem þat breke þe lawe of þe emperour; and by this were mony men accusid. In þis same tyme þer was a smitℏ in þe Cite, that was y-callid Focus, þe whicℏ helde not þe day of þe Emperour. So as he lay in his bed, he thowte þat þis ymage accusid

many, and he dradde þe mor̛; But Erly in the morowe he ros, and ȝede to þis ymage, and saide, "Sey þou, felawe, that accusist so mony, and tellist sucℏ talys, I make avowe to god, that if þou be so bold to telle of me, I shaƚƚ breke þine hed; what loreƚƚ art thou!" and so he ȝede ȝe [sic] home his wey. The Emperour sent messagers to him in þe same day, as he was y-wonyd afore, for to knowe who was culpable in his lawe. Whenne þe messagers were y-come, þe ymage saide to hem, "Hold vp your hedis, and reditℏ what is written in my front." And þei founde þis y-wreten, Tempora mutantur; Homines deteriorantur; [qui voluerit veritatem dicere, caput fractum habebit;] this is to sey, `tymys ben chaungid; and men ben hyndred, or turnyd, or I-made worse; but he þat woƚƚ sey sotℏ, shaƚƚ haue a broke hede,' "and þerfore goitℏ home, and tellitℏ your lord aƚƚ þat ȝe haue seyne, & hurde, and rad." They ȝede home in hire way, and tolde þe Emperour aƚƚ þes thingis. Thenne spake þe emperour, with a grevous contynaunce, "I commaunde þat ȝe go aȝen y-armyd, and if ȝe finde ony þat woƚƚ offende or threte him, bring him to me y-bound fot and hond." Thei ȝede aȝen to þe ymage, and saide,

"do vs to knowe, if þer be ony þat thretenitℏ þe; For we ben redy to venge þe." "Takitℏ," quoþ þe ymage, "Focus, þe smytℏ, for he kepitℏ not þe day of þe Emperour." Anoon thei brouȝte þe smytℏ afore þe Emperour; and the Emperour reprevid him, for he kepte not þe day of his burtℏ. Herkenitℏ nowe the answere of the smytℏ.—"Sir," he seide, "me most euery day nedis laboure, and deserue viij. pense; And I may not gete hem but I travaile þerfore; And þerfore, sir, I may not kepe your day more than oþer." Thenne saide þe emperour, "how so? wherfore most þou [leaf 155, col. 2] haue euery day viijd?" The smytℏ saide, "forsotℏ, sir, for ijd me most euery day ȝelde and paye, As for my dette; me most leene ijd; spend ijd; and lese ijd." Thenne saide þe emperoure, "telle me this tale more expressely." "Sire," quoþ focus, "I pay euery day ijd to my fadir; for whenne I was yong, he spende ecℏ day so mocℏ vpon̛ me, and for he is nowe an old man̛, and may not helpe him selfe, I most nede, by way of kinde and of reson̛, ȝeld him ijd. Also I lene ijd to my sone, for his sustinaunce, desiring̘ that he reward hem to me

aȝen, when I faƚƚ in to age, and may not worcℏ, as I do nowe to my fadir. And, sir, I leese ijd, that is to sey, vpon̛ my wife." "Why on þi wife?" quoþ þe Emperour. "Sir, for ȝe knewe neuer woman, but if she hadde on of theise poyntys, scil. þat is to sey, or she woƚƚ folewe hire owne wiƚƚ, or contrarie þe wiƚƚ of hire husbond, or ellis she is of an hot complexion̛. Also, sir, I spende ijd vpon̛ myselfe, in mete and drinke; and ȝe wite wele, þis is litel y-now." Tho seide þe emperour, "By my lewte, þis is wel answeryd, and Resonabilly spoken." The emperour deyde sone after, and focus þe smytℏ was I-chosen into þe Emperour, for the goode acounte þat he made of his viijd.

MORALITE.

Goode men, who is þis Emperour? Hope we hit is our lord ihesu crist, þe whicℏ hatℏ ordeyned̛ for lawe, þat ecℏ man shold̛ kepe þe sabotℏ day. virgil that payntitℏ & settitℏ this ymage, is þe Holy gost, þe whicℏ settitℏ vp a prechour, to shewe vertuys & vicis, not sparing no mor̛ þe ricℏ þan þe poore. but nowe on days, if the prechour seye sotℏ, or teƚƚ ho brekitℏ þe commaundement, or þe wiƚƚ

of crist, forsotℏ he shaƚƚ be thretenyd of þe enemeys of crist, scil. Ivel men, þe whicℏ neyþer lovitℏ god, neyþer hire neghebowre. And þerfore in þe days þat ben nowe, the prechour may sey þe wordis, þat wer̛ wretyn in þe front of þe ymage, Tempora mutantur [de pejore in pejus], Tymys ben chaungyd fro worse to worse; Homines deteriorantur, This is to sey, men ben y-chaungyd or ben made worse.—How so? For in tyme afore thei were deuoute, blessid, and meke, and now þei haue no deuocion̛, and ben crueƚƚ, and wickid, and havitℏ no soule; and þerfore he that wol sey sotℏ now, may be shent, and haue a brokyn [leaf 155, back, col. 1] hed̛. And þerfore hit is nedefuƚƚ, þat þer stond armyd men by þe prechour, scil. goode werkis, for to be witℏ him; And if it be so, he dare not drede, if he haue with him god and sotℏfastnesse, as the apostiƚƚ seyetℏ, Si Deus pro me, quis contra me, This is to sey, if God be with me, who may be aȝenst?—as who seyitℏ, noon̛. By þis smytℏ focus is vndirstond euery goode cristyn̛ man; þe whicℏ owitℏ euery day to worcℏ goode workys, and so ben worthi to be presentid to þe Emperour of Hevene, by þe mynystris of þe same Emperour, scil. angelis and holy sayntis, þat haven taken heede to his goode werkis. And as þis smytℏ ȝelde ecℏ day to his fadir ijd, so owe we to ȝelde to oure fadir of hevene oþer too, þat is

to sey, love and honour. For whenne we wer̛ aƚƚ childryn of perdicion̛, and myȝte not helpe vs selfe, Thenne sent god adowne his owne geten sone to delyuer vs out of þraldom, as seyitℏ saynt Ion, Sic Deus dilexit mundum, vt filium suum vnigenitum daret, This is to sey, god lovid þe wordle so wele, that he fowchid-safe to ȝeve his owen geten sone. Also as focus lent to his sone oþer ijd, Riȝt so owe we to ȝelde to þe sone of goode wiƚƚ and meretory workis, that he may ȝelde it to vs aȝen in the day of dome, whenne the body shal be glorified with þe soule. and þat he may be callid our sone, it shewitℏ wele in scriptur̛, wher it is y-saide, Puer nobis natus est, et filius datus est nobis, This is to sey, A child is borne to vs, and a sone is ȝoven to vs. Also he lost ijd vpon̛ his wife,—howe so? Þi wife is þi fleshe, þat þou myȝte not lefe; þe ijd but delectacion̛ and consenting̘, þat þou hast to synne; And so the flesℏ is euer contrarie to þe spirite, and redy to Ivil. Also he spende ijd vpon̛ him selfe, as þus, By þe first peny is vndirstond penaunce for synne, for þe wicℏ þe soule is glorified in hevene; The secounde peny is good

perseueraunce, þat þou owist to haue aƚƚ þe tyme of þi life; For þe aposteƚƚ seyþ, Qui perseuerauerit vsque in finem, saluus erit, This is to sey, He that contynuytℏ vn to the last ende, shaƚƚ be safe. And þerfore if þou wolt in þis Maner spend þyn viijd, douteles þou myȝtℏ come to þe kyndom̛ of heven.

MORALITE IN AN OÞER MANER.

This Emperour is þe deviƚƚ, þe whicℏ steritℏ a man to holde his day, that is to synne, [leaf 155, back, col. 2] and to wrotℏ god euermor̛. Virgilie is þe holy gost, þat sittitℏ vp a prelate in þe chircℏ, to shewe and pronounce vicis, & allege holy scripturis aȝenst synnerys. The smytℏ, þat kepitℏ not þe holy day, and spenditℏ viijd, is ecℏ good cristyn man, þat turnytℏ not to the instigacion̛ of þe deviƚƚ, but þat turnytℏ, and turnitℏ, and stondytℏ with Criste. And þer be þes scripturis, Tempora mutantur, for it is turnyd, þat þe wordle chaungitℏ euer fro worse in to worse; Et homines deteriorantur, hit is sotℏ, men ben slower and slower; The þirde is, Si verum dicat, caput frangatur, This is to sey, He þat seyitℏ sotℏ, shal haue a broken hed, scil. grete thretenyng̘, [and] crueƚƚ wordis. And þerfore þer ben fewe nowe a dais þat woƚƚ put hem selfe Pro domo Israel, scil. for god. The smytℏ ȝaf euery day ij to his fadir, And so owe we for to ȝeve to þe fadir of hevene honour and love; to þes too we ben y-bounden. This smytℏ lente to his sone ijd, þat is to sey, good wil, and goode werke, þat we shul ȝelde to iesu crist our sone; for withoute dowte, whenne we shul passy þis life, and mowe not helpe vs selfe, he shal ȝelde to vs þe fowrefold, as he seyitℏ, Centuplum accipietis, et vitam eternam possidebitis, This is to sey, Ȝe shul haue and take an hundridfold̛ meede, And ȝe shul owe & haue euerlasting life. Also the smytℏ lost ijd vpon his wife; so do we vpon̛ our flescℏ, scil. þat

is to sey, Ivil dilectacion̛, and consenting of synne. The wrecchid flescℏ covetitℏ theise two, and whenne þei haue it, hit is y-lost, For god is offendid by hem too; And þe flesℏ may wele be y-callyd þi wife, For ȝit as þe wife is weddid by ordor of matrimonye, & may not departe, save only detℏ, So þi flesℏ may not be departid fro thi bonys, but by violence, wher̛ as wormys gnawiþ it of. Also þe smytℏ spenditℏ ecℏ day ijd vp on him selfe; And so shuld we euery day showe twey lovis, þat is to sey, oon to god, þat þou love him with aƚƚ þyne herte, witℏ aƚƚ þyne mynde, with aƚƚ þi soule; That oþer love is to love our negℏboure as vs selfe. And if we þus spend our viijd, with oute ony doute we shuƚƚ haue þe Empire of Hevene, as focus had þe Empire of ertℏ, Ad quam celeste imperium, &c.

[ Second Version. III.]Addit. MS. 9066.

[leaf 8, back]

Story.

Appolonius in the Cite of Rome reigned̛, that ordeyned̛, for [omitted] a law, that eche man shuld̛ *holde, vpon̛ [kepe on] payne of dethe, the day of his birthe as an holy day. And called̛ to hym virgile, and said̛ to hym, "My [omitted] dere maister, *I wold̛ have the day of my birthe kept as an holy day, but [omitted] happely there [omitted] shaƚƚ [shold] be agayn̛ the law many prive synnes, *to breke it [omitted] . ¶ Therfore I pray the, make suche crafte, by the whicℏ I may know the *trouthe, and who be brekers of the law." And he said̛, "Thi wille shalle be done." ¶ Anon̛ virgile by his wycche-craft [crafte] made an ymage in the [omitted] myddes of the Citee of Rome. So that Image [The ymage] was wonte to [for to] shew and for to telle the [to the] messangers of the Emperour alle *theym̛ that didden̛ ayenst [hem that dyd agayne] the Emperours biddying; wherfore the ymage accused̛ many. ¶ There was that tyme dwellyng [omitted] in the Citee [cite of Rome] a Smytℏ, whos name was [leaf 9] Fokus, that the day of the Emperour̛ on̛ no wise kept halyday. So [omitted]

on a tyme, as he lay in his bedde, he thought this ymage accused̛ [accusyth] many; ¶ And *on the [at] morow he arose [rose] erly, and went to the ymage, and said̛ to hym, "Thou art he that accusetℏ [accusyst] aƚƚ. I make a vowe to my god̛, that yf thou accuse me, I shaƚƚ breke thyne hede." Whan he had̛ thus said̛, he went home. ¶ The Emperour̛ the other̛ [tother] day sent messangers to the ymage, as he was wonte to do, that he shuld̛ telle hym trouthe [sothe] of *hem that wroughten̛ ayenst [them that wrought ageyn] his law. ¶ The ymage said̛ vnto [to] the messangers, "lifte vp your̛ eyen̛, and se what [that] is written̛ in my forhede." They loked̛, and saw this [the] scripture, The [omitted] tymes are chaunged̛, and men are made worse; he that wille telle trouthe, [sothe] shaƚƚ have a broken̛ hede. Go [Gothe] therfore, and shew [shewyth] to youre lord̛ that ye have seen and radde." ¶ The messangers went, *and shewed̛ to the Emperour̛ [to the Emperour, and shewyth hym] what thei had̛ seen and rad̛. Than the Emperour said̛, "gothe armed̛ to the ymage, and yf ye fynde any that manasetℏ hym, bryng hym to me bounde bothe [omitted] handes and feete." ¶ The messangers went to the Image, and said̛ to

hym, "say vs trouthe; yf there be any man that manasetℏ the, we shaƚƚ take on him vengeaunce." ¶ The ymage said̛, "take Foke, the Smytℏ, for he it is that on no maner kepetℏ the day of the Emperour̛." Anon̛ thei toke, and ladden̛ the Smytℏ to the Emperour; and he blamed̛ hym *whi he [whych] kept not his day [halyday] . ¶ He said̛, "My lord̛, I beseche you here me, and yf I aunswere resonably, have [hathe] me excused̛, and els I put me in youre grace." ¶ The Emperour̛ said̛, "I shaƚƚ here the, and that is right I shaƚƚ do." ¶ The Smytℏ said̛, "*My lord̛ [omitted] , every day I must have Eight pens, and this I may not have but yf I worke; and therfore I may not kepe *no haliday, no more [omitted] that day than another̛." ¶ The Emperour said̛, "Whi must thou have Eight pens?" ¶ He said̛, "For every day me must yeld̛ ij. pens, lese ij. pens, lene ij. pens, and spende ij. pens." The Emperour said̛, "Say me prestly what thou menest by this viij. pens." He said̛, "ij. pens I am beholden̛ to yeld̛ to my fadir every day; for whan I was yonge, my fadir spent [spendyd] on me ij. pens, and now he is olde, and may not help hym; hym selfe, wherfore, by wey of kynd̛, I am beholden̛ [holde] to help hym; therfore thise ij. pens I yeld̛ to hym for his sustenaunce. ¶ Also I lene ij. pens to my sone, [by] [supplied from Cambridge MS] the whiche [he] [supplied from Cambridge MS] is susteyned̛; that

whan I come to age, or to poverte, he [that he] may *helpe me, [leaf 9, back] and [omitted] yeld̛ me thise ij. pens agayne, as I do to [now to] my fadir. ¶ Also ij. pens I lese, and that is on my wyf̘." ¶ The Emperour said̛, "Whi on thi wyf̘?" he said̛, "Where *herd̛ ye [sawyst thou] ever of wyf, but [but that] she wold̛ have one of thise *thre; First she wille in any wise [ij. other she wolde] have her owne wille, or els [ellys she wolde be] contrary to her husbond̛, or els [omitted] hoote of complexion̛; and therfore what [what so] I yeve her, I lese. ¶ Also ij. pens I spende on my self̘, in mete and drynk̘, and that is liteƚƚ I-nougℏ." Than the Emperour̛ said̛, "*For sothe [omitted] thou hast aunswered̛ wisely." And so he was excused̛. Sone after that, the Emperour died̛, ¶ And Foke, the Smytℏ, was chosen to be [omitted] Emperour, by cause that [omitted] he so profitably had̛ spended̛ his [thes] viij. pens, and so afterward̛ he died̛ in pease.

¶ Declaracio.

Frendes, this Emperour̛ is oure lord̛ Ihesu Crist, that made this lawe, that every man shuld̛ halow the holyday. By virgile, that made the Image, to sey trouthe, Is vndirstond̛ the holy gost, that reisetℏ vp the prechour for to preche, and shew vertues and vices, so that he neither spare nother riche ne poore, hye ne low. ¶ But now, yf

the prechour say trouthe agayn̛ synne, anon̛ he is that that thretetℏ and manasetℏ by the enemyes of crist, that are wikked̛ men, that neither love god̛, ne her Eme-cristen̛. ¶ Wherfore the prechour may say trewly in thise daies that was writen̛ in the forhede of the ymage, Tymes are chaunged̛, that is, fro wikkednesse into worse. For olde tymes were wonte to be to vs more profitable than thei be now. And men are now made worse; for thei were wonte to be deuoute, meke, and buxome, and now thei are deuoute in crewelnesse, and have no mercy. ¶ And therfore who so saietℏ trouthe in thise daies, he shaƚƚ have a broken̛ hede. ¶ Wherfore it is necessary that armed̛ men stonde before the ymage, that is, the prechour̛. Tho are goode werkes in every prechour or prelate of holy chircℏ; And yf it be so, than dare he not drede, sithen̛ thei have god̛ and trouthe before hem. For as the Apposteƚƚ saitℏ, yf gode be with vs, who is agayn̛ vs? ¶ Foke, the Smytℏ, that wrought as every good̛ cristen man, that every day owetℏ for to werke meritorie werkes, and so offre hym before the Fadir of heven̛. ¶ This Foke, Smytℏ, yelded̛ ij. pens to

his fadir. ¶ Right so we are holden̛ to yeld̛ ij. pens to the Fadir of heven, that is, love and worshippe; for whan we are [were ?] children̛ of losse and perdicion̛, and in servage of the fende, he sent his sone only to bye vs agayn̛; sicut habetur in euangelium, Sic Deus dilexit mundum, &c. [leaf 10] Foke, the Smytℏ, lent ij. pens to his sone. This ij. pens are our̛ goode werkes, that is, wille and meritorie dedes; whiche ij. werkes we owen̛ to lene to Ihesu Crist in this lyf̘, that he may yelde vs atte day of dome, whan the body witℏ the soule shaƚƚ be glorified̛, that he be our sone. ¶ It is written̛ in ysaie the prophete, a childe is borne to vs, and a childe is yeven̛ to vs. This childe Ihesus shaƚƚ yeld̛ this ij. pens; he shaƚƚ shew to our bodely eye his blissed̛ manhede glorified̛. And the other̛ peny is the sight of oure soule, his glorious godhede, the whicℏ sight shaƚƚ never faile, but ever be ioye and blisse, bothe to the body and to soule. ¶ Also Foke, the Smytℏ, lost ij. pens on his wyf̘. This wyf̘ is thyne owne flessℏ, the whiche thou maist not forsake. The ii. pens, that thou lesest on thi flessℏ, is eveƚƚ delectacion̛, and consent to synne, in as moche as the flessℏ is alway contrarie to the spirite, and redy alway to eveƚƚ. ¶ Also he spent ij. pens on hym self̘, for his liflode. by the first peny is vndirstond̛ penaunce for synne, by the whicℏ the soule is gladed̛, and in heven̛ glorified̛. By the second̛ peny is vnderstond̛ goode

perseveraunce, the whiche thou owest to hold̛ aƚƚ thi lyf̘ tyme; For as the Aposteƚƚ saitℏ, he that is perseveraunt in goode werkyng, vnto the ende, he shaƚƚ be sauf̘. ¶ And yf ye spend̛ thise ij. pens thus, as Foke did̛, ye shaƚƚ have everlastyng lyf̘. To the whiche brynge vs he that reignetℏ in blisse witℏ outen̛ ende! Amen.